Challenging conditions: Lincolnshire’s economy has been described as in a “steady state” in the past quarter, though county businesses are optimistic about prospects in 2013.
Lincolnshire’s economy has been described as in a “steady state” in the past quarter, though county businesses are optimistic their profitability, turnover and market share will rise in 2013.
The latest results from the Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) by the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, Lincolnshire Research Observatory and University of Lincoln, indicate current trading conditions remain challenging.
The percentage of respondents reporting improved sales in UK markets rose slightly, but for most sales and order volumes have remained the same as last quarter.
Fewer respondents reported improved exports compared to last quarter, particularly from the manufacturing sector, though there was an increase year-on-year.
Professor David Rae, from the Lincoln Business School, said: “It is a picture of relatively steady state.
“I would say that these [QES] figures are generally showing Lincolnshire to be at least as healthy as the recent national reports for the UK economy and in some respects more so, such as the relative strength in orders and business.”
Lincolnshire out-performing UK economy
Simon Beardsley from the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce is optimistic about business prospects in 2013.
Simon Beardsley, Chief Executive of the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s still a challenging economy, but the QES figures show a marked increase in businesses confidence with more businesses reporting they expect growth in their profitability, turnover and market share over the next 12 months.
“And local businesses have a right to be optimistic. The figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the Lincolnshire economy has been out-performing the national economy by a notable margin.
“Gross Value Added, which measure economic productivity, rose in 2010 and 2011 by 4.5% and 3.5% respectively. This is 1% higher than the UK average. And business demography figures show that the number of active and new businesses in Lincolnshire is up, and the number of businesses ceasing trading is down. The survival rate of businesses in the county is also higher than the regional and national average.
“We work on the QES survey with The Lincolnshire Research Observatory, which believes that the comparative strength of the local economy may be in part due to the type of businesses in the county. There is a higher percentage of established firms in Lincolnshire, which indicates an experienced and resilient local economy that may be coping better with the difficult economic condition.”
Barriers to business
Phil Scrafton, one of three directors at Globe Consultants Limited, planning and economic development specialists based in Lincoln, said: “All businesses are affected by late payments from customers, which can seriously affect cash flow.
“Whilst the banks appear to appreciate this, they do not act accordingly by providing more flexibility to support local businesses. This seems to be a common problem shared between businesses of all sizes, and results in sound and good quality businesses going under. On the odd occasion that we have had cash flow a challenge, our bank has given us short shrift and I would have to say that has challenged our long-term relationship with our banks.”
The Quarterly Economic Survey is the largest and most representative independent business survey of its kind in Lincolnshire. The survey measures domestic and overseas sales and orders, employment prospects, investments, recruitment, cash flow confidence and price pressures. Lincolnshire businesses can take part in the survey for 2013 by filling out this online survey.
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A 38-year-old man from a North Lincolnshire village charged with murder will face an eight-day trial later this year.
Emergency services were called at 4.23am on Saturday, July 2 to reports that a man was seriously injured on South Parade in central Doncaster.
The 28-year-old victim was taken to hospital but was sadly pronounced dead a short time later.
A post-mortem examination found that he died of injuries to his head, chest and abdomen.
Formal identification of the victim is yet to take place, South Yorkshire Police said earlier this week.
Steven Ling, 38, of Park Drain, Westwoodside in North Lincolnshire, has been charged with murder and was remanded in custody to appear at Doncaster Magistrates Court on Monday, July 4.
Ling later appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday, July 5 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
No pleas were entered during the hearing, but an eight-day trial was set for November 28, 2022. Ling has now been remanded into custody until the next hearing.
The Lincolnite went on a ride-along with a Lincolnshire Police officer from the force’s Roads Policing Unit (RPU), which aims to disrupt criminals’ use of the roads and reduce the number of serious and fatal accidents.
The team will support the county response including local policing, neighbourhood policing and criminal investigation too.
Operations first began in Grantham in January this year and started in Louth earlier this week with a sergeant and nine PCs based in both locations.
The Lincolnite went out on a ride-along with PC Rich Precious from Lincolnshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
PC Rich Precious has been a police officer for 22 years after joining the force in 2000 and he recently rejoined the Roads Policing Unit, working out of Louth.
PC Precious, who also previously worked as a family liaison officer for road deaths for 16 years, took The Lincolnite out in his police car to the A1 up to Colsteworth and then back to Grantham. He described that particular area as “one of the main arterial routes that goes through Lincolnshire”.
PC Rich Precious driving down the A1 up to Colsterworth. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Speaking about the new Roads Policing Unit, he said: “It’s intelligence led policing, it’s targeted policing in areas that have been underrepresented in terms of police presence, on the roads certainly, over a number of years.
“We’re hoping that the development of this unit will help address that balance, and look towards using the ANPR system to prevent criminals’ use of the road, and to identify key areas or routes where there’s a high percentage of people killed or seriously injured on the road, what we commonly refer to as KSI.
PC Precious is helping to keep the roads safer in Lincolnshire. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
When asked if he thinks the new team will help reduce the number of serious and fatal accidents in the county, he added: “That’s what the the unit designed for. Sadly, in Lincolnshire our road network does seem to incur a number of those KSI accidents year on year, and we need to reduce that.
“I’ve worked additionally in my roles as a family liaison officer on road death for 16 years, so I’ve seen first hand the impact that road death has on families and victims families.
“I know it’s important that we try and reduce those because, it’s very sad to see how a fatal road traffic collision can affect a family and the victims of that family.”
Marc Gee, Inspector for Lincolnshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Marc Gee, Inspector for the Roads Policing Unit, told The Lincolnite: “Every day there will be officers on duty from both teams and they’ll cover the whole county or the county’s roads.
“Eventually, we’ll have nine police cars and we’ve got six motorbikes. We’ll be utilising them with as many officers as we can every day basically to make our roads safer and enforce against the criminals who feel like it’s okay to come into the county and use our road for criminal purposes.”
Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones at the launch of the force’s Roads Policing Unit. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
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