Haslemere – The revolution started here (honest)

Back on the road again!

The genteel Surrey town of Haslemere may not on the face of it seem the most obvious place for a revolution, but that may be about to change. The 21 businesses that were represented at the lunchtime Peal Networking Club event showed increasing belligerence as they castigated the media for focussing on the negative aspects of the current situation and not acknowledging the many businesses who are still doing very well. Perhaps that is the answer – a bottom up revolt – maybe it will have more effect on boosting the economy that any top down Government action. Power to the people, as John Lennon used to say.

Earlier at the IOD West Surrey branch breakfast we were all encouraged to think of skills that we had developed in 2008 and what we would be aiming to improve in 2009. My offering was working on my running skills to enable me to complete my first half marathon, a choice I justified when questioned by saying that it was an ideal way of pushing me beyond my comfort zone, improving my strategic planning (getting through 13.1 miles required a systematic approach in terms of running speed and time goals) and gaining the focus and determination to achieve a seemingly impossible target, all skills that could greatly assist my clients.

Suitably inspired my colleagues then decided that in 2009 they were going to focus on improving their juggling skills, unleashing their inner cartoonist and becoming the best know left handed bass guitarist since Paul McCartney. All in the best interests of our clients you understand………

Antony on the road (3)

Attended a Tax briefing on investigations with Baker Tilly (http://www.bakertilly.co.uk/)
in Guildford which among other things concentrated on the new penalty regime and appeals process.

My head was buzzing as they rattled through a number of changes seemingly designed to simplify and improve matters, but given the number of issues that are yet to be clarified by HMRC would appear to mean that a considerable about of bedding in is going to be required.

I freely admit that I am glad that I don’t do tax. Obviously I am aware of the major issues affecting businesses and am able to manage tax advisors on behalf of clients but I don’t provide advice or deal directly with HMRC on a day to day basis. Our tax system is in dire need of simplification, not least in that it would provide some certainty to taxpayers, advisors and HMRC frontline staff themselves. However given the need that the Government has for cash I can’t see it happening for some time to come.

However it was great opportunity to catch up with a number of small practitioners, all of whom were sceptical that Alastair Darling would be able to do much to get his billions through quickly enough to make a difference in the short term.

Antony on the road (2)

Tuesday

Breakfast courtesy of the Thames Valley Economic Partnership (http://www.businessinberkshire.co.uk/tvep/index.html) where the keynote speakers were John Whitely, the Bank of England’s agent for central and southern England, and Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways.

John Whitely gave a very downbeat assessment of the current situation, backed up a formidable array of alarming looking graphs, and concluded that there was a “very high degree of uncertainty in unprecedented times”.

Willie Walsh was Willie Walsh and said exactly what you would expect him to say (http://www.thamesvalley.co.uk/public_panel/economic_outlook.php)
regarding BA’s response to the economic downturn and the requirement for a third runway at Heathrow.

Fair play then to the guy from Imago (http://www.imagogroupplc.com/3D%20Telepresence/3DTelePresence.htm), a business that provide 3D telepresence facilities who stood up and proudly pointed out that they were over 100% ahead of their budget in the first few months of their business year. Clearly a SMART business and a good riposte to all the gloom and doom that had otherwise prevailed during the morning.

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