PCG ANNOUNCES APPROVED CONTRACT SCHEME

PCG has developed an Approved Contract scheme for the benefit of PCG members, participating agencies and the wider freelance consulting and contracting community. The aim is to facilitate the availability of standard, commercially sound, business-to-business contracts suitable for freelance businesses operating outside IR35. PCG approval of a standard agency contract will indicate that PCG believes that it represents an acceptable model contract, where it is used in its original form. It must also reflect the real contractual relationship between the parties and must not be contradicted by other factors. As well as being reviewed by leading status experts from an IR35 perspective, an approved contract also undergoes a basic commercial terms review.

Any PCG member engaged under a valid PCG "Contract Approved" contract may request a free individual review if they have negotiated minor amendments of their own, or if they have a complex schedule attached. Following this, they may purchase an unconditional IR35 Guarantee from Accountax at a substantial discount.

Affiliate member agencies participating in the Approved Contract scheme will benefit in a number of ways:

• Freelance contractors and consultants prefer to work with those agencies that recognise the implications of IR35.
• Having a standard contract that is IR35 resistant will save the time and expense of individual reviews and provide peace of mind to their consultants.
• PCG endorsement will be seen as a positive attribute throughout the freelance community.

Richard Robson, PCG Special Projects Director, was delighted to announce the scheme. "After overcoming initial hurdles, we are at last able to deliver on one of Justice Burton's key recommendations following the judicial review of IR35 and offer contractors something they've been crying out for," he said. "It is now possible to readily identify agencies with sound standard contracts and know that it will be possible to back those contracts with no quibble guarantees from leading UK tax specialists.

"Three agencies have so far signed up for the scheme," Richard continued, "and passed PCG's stringent tests and we'll be announcing who they are next week, when final contractual terms and conditions have been agreed. Meanwhile, if you'd like to know whether your own agency is amongst them, why not ask them - they ought to be!"

ACCOUNTANCY AGE AWARDS

PCG chairman Simon Juden has been nominated for the Accountancy Age Personality of the Year award. One of just six on the 2004 shortlist, Simon is the only finalist representing the freelance community. Visitors are invited to register their votes via the website, and one lucky voter will win a magnum of champagne.

PCG Affiliate members SJD Accountancy and Berg Kaprow Lewis have also been nominated for Practice Awards, in the small firm and medium firm categories respectively.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Accountancy Age Awards, which will be presented at a ceremony in London on Wednesday 10 November 2004.

FRESH APPEAL FOR LEGAL FUNDS

Following the decision in the Arctic case, PCG last week launched a fresh appeal for funds to support legal cases on behalf of its members, including any appeal on Arctic.

Please send cheques payable to "Professional Contractors Group Ltd" (or just "PCG Ltd") to Legal Department, Professional Contractors Group Limited, Lakeside House, 1 Furzeground Way, Stockley Park East, Uxbridge, UB11 1BD.

If you would prefer to pay by BACS, the sort code is 207929 and account number 20675350. Please include your username or membership number as a reference.

All moneys raised will be used by PCG at its sole discretion to support legal cases on behalf of its members. Please note that donations are not refundable in any event.

For further information, please see the thread in the Legal and Accounting forum.

PCG would like to thank all those who have already responded to the appeal by remitting their donations.

NEW OFFICE ADDRESS FOR PCG

PCG's administration team will be moving offices during the last weekend of October. From 1 November 2004 the address and contact details will be:

Professional Contractors Group Ltd
Sovereign Court
635 Sipson Road
West Drayton
UB7 0JE

Tel: 0845 125 9899
Fax: 0845 644 4105

COMMERCIAL FORUM PROJECT POSTINGS

For information about the latest job, project, contract and work opportunities, see PCG's Commercial forum, and Members' Commercial forum. The Commercial forum may be accessed by Affiliate members, and PCG welcomes postings by agencies.

REAL LIFE MEETINGS

Local real life meetings - known on the forums as "RLMs" - encourage members to socialise, network and discuss PCG issues. These meetings are open to all members, and in many cases non-members are welcome to come along too.

London - Special meeting for non-members interested in joining PCG, open to all members from 20:00, the Old Bank of England, London - Wednesday 27 October 2004 18:00

Taunton: The Anchor at Hillfarrance, near Taunton - Thursday 28 October 2004 19:30

Edinburgh - Jolly Judge, just off the Royal Mile, James Court, Edinburgh - Tuesday 9 November 2004

Sheffield: - Old Queen's Head opposite main railway station, Sheffield - Wednesday 1 December 2004 19:30

Various members have also posted in the RLM forum about potential meetings in Basel, Bristol, Norwich and Shropshire. If you would like to attend RLMs in any of these areas, please register your interest by posting to the relevant thread.

OTHER EVENTS

AICS AGM and Conference - London, Saturday 27 November 2004
The Association of Independent Computer Specialists (AICS) will be holding its AGM and Conference at The East India Club, St. James', London on Saturday 27 November. The conference should be of particular interest to both ICT and non-ICT people.

Accountax Construction Industry Seminars - October and November 2004
PCG Affiliate member Accountax Consulting is running a series of practical two-and-a-half-hour seminars for construction industry contractors.They will cover the latest Revenue attack on tax status, how to defend self-employed status, your rights and obligations when challenged, how to guarantee that your subcontractors are self-employed, holiday pay issues and problems with CIS certificates and how to appeal refusals. For full details of dates, venues and fees, and to book your place, visit the Accountax website.

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.

Telephone: +44 (0845) 125 9899
Fax: +44 (020) 8622 3200

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