PCG has launched an appeal fund for Bill Hood, to which members and non-members alike are invited to contribute.

The fund follows the recent news that Bill, whose company is Usetech Limited, had lost his recent IR35 case against the Inland Revenue at the Special Commissioners. Bill's case was supported by the PCG's legal fund.

Bill Hood started his business as a self-employed oil rig designer in 1996, abandoning it last year after suffering a severe heart attack. The hearing of his case by the Special Commissioners took place in the living room of his Gateshead home, rather than in a courtroom, due to his ill health.

If the case is ultimately lost, then the funds will be used towards paying off his tax bill, which would stand at several tens of thousands of pounds. If Bill wins on appeal, the plan is to fund a holiday for Bill and his wife and to place any surplus in the legal fund, though donors may specify that they want their contribution returned following a win.

PCG legal director Dr Simon Juden said, "This is an opportunity for all freelancers to rally round and show their support for Bill, whether they are PCG members or not."

If you would like to make a donation to the Bill Hood Fund, please send your cheque, made payable to Professional Contractors Group, to the Stockley Park address at the foot of this message. Please indicate whether you would like your donation to be refunded in the event of Bill Hood winning his appeal. By default, surplus donations will be placed in PCG's legal fund for the benefit of members.

PCG offers the most comprehensive source of IR35 advice, guidance and tools. Its legal cover has saved members an estimated �4 million in professional charges and taxes since its inception. To date, 425 cases have been won for PCG members, against just two losses.

The PCG tailored ISO9001 quality scheme, announced last week, is specifically designed for the way that many members work - selling their time, skills and experience on and off client sites.

The scheme will effectively guarantee that what you say on your CV or your company brochure is auditably true, and that you work to a scheme or code of ethics that ensures that the client benefits from a no-nonsense professional service with no unwanted surprises. In other words, the client can be sure to "get what it says on the tin."

This is notionally free to your client and to agents, and your details should always go to the top of the pile in the competitive situation for the obvious reason that it is a guarantee of a service standard which has international recognition. The DTI is very supportive, the agencies whom we have talked to are very supportive and so is the CBI, which apparently said, "This will change the way we do business."

It will.

To register your interest and get the opportunity to be one of the first on the scheme please visit our survey site.

PCG member and adviser Colin Sansome has won the Chartered Management Institute's Managing the Future Executive Challenge 2004. This was for his part in a research project and proposal for addressing Corporate Social Responsibility within SMEs.

According to Colin, "This was too big a project for me alone, and six others from the public, private and voluntary sectors were involved in the research team and my thanks has to go to them for the part they played. It was a team effort and we have all been recognised.".

Colin's contribution was a simple tool for small company self-assessment and a CSR continual improvement toolkit.

PCG congratulates Colin on winning this award and for his efforts in promoting ethical standards within the SME community.

PCG's annual elections for the Consultative Council (CC) will be conducted via a dedicated area of the website between 19 April and 3 May 2004. Candidates must put themselves forward for nomination by 12:00 on 26 April 2004, and will need to be seconded by ten other members in order to go forward to the voting stage. All full members are eligible to vote. For further information, see http://www.pcg.org.uk/InternalNews/Elections.html

If you want to know why you should consider standing for the PCG Consultative Council, join in the discussion on these threads:
http://www.pcg.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=general-104300

http://www.pcg.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=general-103903

Keith Hogben has tendered his resignation from the Board of Directors of the Professional Contractors Group with effect from 25 March 2004.

Chairman Simon Griffiths said, "The Board and the CC would like to thank Keith for his hard work and dedication to PCG over the two years that he was a Director. His contribution to the development of the PCG from a lobby group into a strong, vibrant trade association has been substantial. We wish Keith well for his future.".

Law firm Bond Pearce has suggested a form of words for PCG members wishing to opt-out of the new Agency Regulations

Selected postings from the Commercial forum are included in the weekly newsletter, subject to prior approval from the person posting. They must relate to job, project or work opportunities, rather than to goods and services for sale, and are summarised to just one or two lines, with a link to the relevant thread. If you wish your posting to be considered, please include the words "Newsletter OK", by way of giving consent for it to be published, or send a private message to howardsgate.

Edinburgh - Wednesday 7 April 2000 18:00
Bert's Bar (Snug) on William Street. Non-members welcome.
Forum discussion.
Contact: john_ferguson (John Ferguson)

Kent - Thursday 8 April 2004 19:00
Venue, Bluewater. Meeting point to be confirmed.
Forum discussion.
Contact:�Fat32Stone (Matt H)

Aberdeen - Wednesday 14 April 2004 18:30
Inn at the Park, Polmuir Road, Aberdeen. Formal agenda including Budget implications, IR35 Payback scheme, Bill Hood case and CC elections.
Forum discussion.
Contact: Contact: AZ (Ajmal Zia)

Chester/Manchester - Thursday 22 April 2004
Chester Business Park. Forum discussion.
Contact:�jat �(John Thomas)

Stevenage, Hertfordshire - Wednesday 28 April 2004 18:30
Mini-seminar for freelancers. Marketing yourself and learning to network for better business. Top 10 tax tips for freelance consultants. Non-members also welcome. Drinks afterwards at the Chequers, Bragbury End.
Forum discussion.
Registration.
Contact: howardsgate (Lindsay Baugh)

Bristol
Suggested meeting
Forum discussion.
Contact: colinbutcher (Colin Butcher)

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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UB11 1BD

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