PCG
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORANGE SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL AWARDS
PCG is one of four small businesses shortlisted for
the Orange
Small is Beautiful Awards 2004, in the Best Demonstration
of Business Ethics category.
The awards are being judged by an expert panel of leading
figures from industry and business, including, for this
category, Mei Shui, head of business programme, The
Princess Trust, and Ken Pascoe, national director, The
Learning & Skills Council.
The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday 2 March
2004 at the Institute of Directors, and two representatives
from PCG have been invited to attend.
Richard Robson and his fellow PCG directors were delighted
to learn of the news.
PCG WELCOMES ANOTHER EARLY DAY MOTION ON IR591
PCG has welcomed the proposal of another early day
motion on IR591 and small businesses, sponsored this
time by Brian Cotter MP.
PCG's director of external affairs, Ian Durrant, was
supportive of the motion and urged PCG members, freelancers
and small business owners to contact their respective
Members of Parliament. "Since the publication of
the Pre-Budget report, we have been calling for clarity
and for consultation about paragraph 5.91, and we have
lent our support to a similar early day motion put forward
by Mark Prisk MP," he said. "We think that
the small business community should be consulted about
any proposed measures, as outlined on our dedicated
website. There
are around 3.8 million small businesses in the UK, generating
52% of the country's total turnover, and employing 12.6
million people. We believe that a large proportion of
them could be adversely affected by these proposals."
Further details of the early day motion can be found
on PCG's news
page.
POLICY TEAM VISITS BRUSSELS
Ian Durrant, PCG's director of external affairs, together
with political advisers, David Ramsden and Jo Phillips,
visited Brussels this week in a quest to engage in proactive
consultation with a range of Commission officials and
MEPs from all three major parties.
This visit was facilitated by PCG's new partner in Brussels,
"Small Business Europe". The purpose of the
visit was to forge new relationships and explore ways
in which PCG can both participate in and influence decisions
made by the EU which affect the ability of its members
to go about their business.
Commenting on the visit, Ian Durrant said "We received
an extremely warm and positive reception from all the
people we met. EU officials listened to our concerns
and understood that the traditional 'bi-partite' dialogue
between unions and employers meant that businesses like
PCG had no voice in areas that affected them. The four
MEPs we met also understood the problem we face and
indeed, will raise the subject by way of parliamentary
question to the Commission.
"It is important" said Ian, "that we
articulate our concerns and lobby at the European level
as well as in the UK. Our aim is to gain recognition
for the freelance sector and to ensure that it has a
voice."
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates
that 30% of the UK's working population are independent
freelancers but it is only through organisations such
as the PCG that they can lobby on issues that matter
to them. PCG has called on the European Commission to
establish the true extent of freelancing throughout
the European Community.
SMARTER FREELANCING SEMINARS
Are you interested in learning more about marketing
yourself, developing your skills, becoming a trusted
adviser and better understanding key tax and accountancy
issues? Register for one of PCG's "Smarter Freelancing"
seminars, being held in London, Manchester, Birmingham,
Bristol, Swindon, Croydon and Southampton, from 24 February
2004.
At a competitive cost of only £40 plus VAT for
PCG members, and just £65 plus VAT for non-members,
the seminars offer excellent value for money. Non-member
delegates who join PCG on the day will receive a £25
refund.
As a bonus, delegates will also receive a copy of PCG'S
expert analysis after the Budget in March.
See www.pcg.org.uk/seminars2004
for more details and online booking. Numbers are limited,
so please register
early as possible.
WANTED: FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS
Would anyone interested in participating in a focus
group in central London on the current market in the
UK, or any part of it, in any of the following disciplines:
- Java
- Project Management
- SAP
please contact Simon Juden at [email protected].
Very recent independent market statistics will be provided
to stimulate discussion. The date and time of the focus
groups is to be arranged, but they will probably be
some time in March. Participation gives the opportunity
to have comments published and attributed in a leading
recurrent market analysis as well as the chance to network
within ones chosen speciality.
REAL LIFE MEETINGS
Farnborough and environs - Monday 23 February
2004 19:00
The Prince of Wales, 19:00 moving to the nearby Ancient
Raj at 21:00 for a curry (table booked for 21:30).
See forum
discussion.
Contact: wasADB (Andrew Banks)
West Midlands - Wednesday 25 February 2004 19:30
The Rose and Crown, J3 of M42.
See forum
discussion
Contact: CJF (Chris Freville)
Edinburgh - Bert's Snug Bar - Tuesday 2 March
2004 18:00
The Snug Bar is booked. Please bring a friend to introduce
them to the idea that the PCG is a valuable resource.
See forum
discussion.
Contact: john_ferguson
Central London Chapter (CLC) - Thursday 4 March
2004
Jack Horner Pub Tottenham Court Road, unless anyone
has alternative suggestions. See forum
discussion.
Contact: coralsoft (Mark Proctor)
London - "Designing your Website"
- AICS - Thursday 11 March 2004, 19:00
National Liberal Club, 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1.
The Association of Independent Computer Specialists
presents "Designing your Website". Guest speakers
- David Penfold and Conrad Taylor of the British Computer
Society Electronic Publishing Specialist Group. For
further information about the AICS please visit www.aics.org.uk.
See forum
discussion.
Contact: ashmele (John Ashmele)
Disclaimer - caveat emptor - PCG carries very limited
advertising only from known and reputable Affiliates
and complementary organisations. Even so, publication
of any advertisement carries no implicit or explicit
endorsement by PCG.
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