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6th March, 2001 - Elections and Budget

Budget Submission
In advance of Wednesday�s (7th March) Budget, PCG has called on Chancellor Gordon Brown to repeal IR35 and begin �a root and branch simplification of the tax system.�

Here

The PCG team will be closely monitoring the Budget news and posting relevant announcements to the PCG Legal and Accounting forum.

Forum Link (having problems?? have you read this...)

Mailing to Membership
By now all members should have received a PCG mailing including the new PCG Guide to Contracting and the on-line Guide to Member Benefits. Please pass on the brochures to non-member contractors and pass the Portal guide to your clients � explaining how they can use the service.

Here

If you have not yet received the guides please contact [email protected]

If you need to update your contact details � email / telephone / address etc use the Update Contact Details section of the site;

Here

Direct Contractors
It has recently been suggested that the engagement of a contractor directly by a client (without an agency) carries the risk of the contractor being held to be an employee of the client, and entitled to employment rights. This is misleading. Guidance for contractors and clients on the advantages of using direct contracts is now available:

Here

Contract Review service
The online contract review system, launched last week has been a great success � over 500 questionnaires have been completed so far.

The contract review system provides three key services:

  • It provides immediate, independent feedback to the status of a contract and your overall business.
  • The system is linked through to PCG approved contract reviewers if you need a full expert opinion on your status.
  • Over time the database of contracts will allow us to better understand the pass / fail status of contracts.

User guidance notes and FAQs are available;

Here

CC Elections � Vote now
Full voting for the CC elections is now open. Twenty-four candidates were nominated and are seeking one of 17 available places. These elections come at a critical time for PCG � and the new CC will have the chance to shape the future of YOUR representative body � so vote now!

Here

Write to your MP
PCG is still urging all members to write to write to your MP in advance of any general election. Educate your MP on the effect of IR35 on your business and record your correspondence in the MPs database. A briefing document, sample letter and the updated MP database are

Here

General Election
PCG is also urging all members � especially those overseas to make sure they are registered and able to vote. UK residents and ex pats should use

http://www.rollingregistration.co.uk/
http://www.postalvotes.co.uk/

Countdown to JR
With less than two weeks to go before the start of the Judicial Review, the PCG team is working hard to ensure it can present the best possible case and keep members informed of events. Full details of the JR coverage will be sent out very soon. If you would like to contribute to the legal fund

Here

Portal success
The latest Portal success story is reported in the General discussion forums including some useful advice regarding setting up business relationships and contracts for working with clients, agents and sub-contractors.

Forum Link (having problems?? have you read this...)

REGIONAL NEWS

For the latest information and to start a local group see

Forum Link (having problems?? have you read this...)

Let us promote your local meet - email [email protected] with REGIONS in the subject matter, details of the event and a name and email contact point/or phone number for further information.

Currently, members are looking to organise meets in West Midlands, Falkirk, Holland, Seattle, Thames Valley, Yorkshire (Bradford) and Alberta, Canada!

PCG Shop
PCG badges - which can help with identification problems at regional meetings � and PCG T-shirts are available from the PCG Shop.

Susie Hughes
(Head of Executive Services)

This newsletter is published by the Professional Contractors Group. Please feel free to circulate the newsletter to other independent contractors who you know, and who may be interested in joining the PCG. Some links in the newsletter will take you into the password-protected members' area of the PCG website. If you have forgotten your password, contact https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/scripts/public/access/form.pl

To view the Forum links in this newsletter, you must be first logged into the Forum. Further details available at https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/members/discussion_forum.html