Financial expert reviews Autumn Statement

A FINANCIAL expert from one of North Wales’ leading accountancy firms says Chancellor Philip Hammond’s first Autumn Statement yesterday is good for families, low earners and businesses.

Anthony Lewis (pictured) is a Director of Chartered Accountants Coxeys who have offices in Wrexham and Saltney and represents a wide range of clients from sole traders right through to international market leaders.

He said: “For families, especially low earners, the increase in the personal tax allowance to £12,500 by the end of this Parliament and raising the higher rate band to £50,000 will be very welcome as will a reduction in the taper rate of universal credit from 65 to 63 per cent for those people who are on benefits but also have a job.

“Another good thing for families is the cancellation of the fuel duty increase for the seventh successive year which will save the average car owner £130 a year. But on the minus side is the increase in insurance premium tax from 10 to 12 per cent by June next year.”

He added: “For businesses the main plus points are the £2 billion extra investment in research and development which will affect quite a number of firms in our area, the extra £400 million in grants which the Welsh Government will be receiving and the rate relief planned for businesses in smaller rural areas.

“A bad thing, in my view, is the removal of the flat rate scheme for VAT which allowed smaller companies to make a calculation based on turnover. In future they will have to revert to the old and more time-consuming method of working out every element of their VAT.”

Looking at how the Autumn Statement will affect the region’s farmers, Mr Lewis said they would benefit from the £1 billion investment in broadband announced by the Chancellor.

“Apart from making it easier for them to communicate generally, this will also help towards the government’s long term goal of having all businesses report quarterly online to HM Revenue and Customs in a couple of years’ time,” he added.

Mr Lewis said students would welcome the abolition of letting fees which have been charged to tenants and also the increase in the Living Wage by around four per cent, from £7.20 to £7.50 in April next year.

For pensioners, Mr Lewis said: “There were no significant changes outlined by the Chancellor. However, the extra money he earmarked for cultural and heritage projects across the UK will be of interest to older people who are regular visitors to these places.

“Of longer term interest to them will be the new three-year savings bond with the possibility of investing up to £3,000 which he promised to give more details about in the next budget."

 

New safer neighbourhoods group has first meeting

* Llangollen Town Hall.

The first meeting of Dee Valley Safer Neighbourhoods Partnership will take place next Tuesday, November 29, at 10am in the Council Chamber of Llangollen Town Hall.

Anyone interested in ensuring Llangollen is a safe place to live and work is welcome to attend.

A member of the Dee Valley policing team said: "It is an opportunity for you to ask questions and have a say in local policing initiatives in your area.

"We have invited representatives from various community safety groups so that by working together in partnership with all agencies we can make the Dee Valley a safer place to live.

"If you would like some further information before the day, cannot attend but would like to be added to the group circulation, or cannot attend but would like some points to be raised on your behalf then please contact myself martin.jones2@nthwales.pnn.police.uk, or ian.parry@uwclub.net"

Wild Pheasant set for re-opening says story

Llangollen's Wild Pheasant Hotel will re-open next month after a major refurbishment, says a story in today's Daily Post.

For the full story, see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/llangollens-wild-pheasant-hotel-names-12211813

MP backs work of disability charity

* Susan Elan Jones MP in Parliament with Welsh Can Do Coordinator Lisa Gilchrist (right) and Welsh Can Do volunteer Lucy Williams (centre).

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has met with staff and volunteers of disability charity Leonard Cheshire in Parliament.

And she has given her support to the expansion of Can Do, a volunteering programme for young disabled people.

More than 6,000 young disabled people have volunteered through the programme since Leonard Cheshire established it in 2008.

It operates UK-wide, including in four locations across Wales - Wrexham,  Cardiff, Newport and Swansea.

Ms Jones, who co-chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Charities and Volunteering, said: "We are hugely fortunate in the Clwyd South constituency to have the excellent Dyffryn Ceiriog Cheshire Home in Dolywern.

"I am always keen to do everything I can locally and in Parliament to support the excellent work of disability charity Leonard Cheshire. I am delighted that the charity is expanding its volunteering programme and I wish it well in this new venture."

Greater electronic access to patients' records in Wales

More hospital doctors and pharmacists now have electronic access to Welsh patients’ GP records, improving patient safety by sharing information.

North Wales South East Wales South West Wales The change means that from this month the NHS Wales Informatics Service will make a summary of key information from a patient’s GP record available electronically for planned patient care, including during outpatient appointments.

Previously it was only available to pharmacists and doctors in emergency care settings such as A&E.

Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said: “This change means that vital information is now available regardless of how a patient comes into our hospitals 24 hours a day, every day of the year improving the ability of health care professionals to provide safer care particularly in patient’s medicines management.”

Dr Charlotte Jones, Chair, General Practitioners Committee, BMA Wales said: “The establishment of the National Intelligent Integrated Audit Solution (NIIAS) and the Health Boards and Trusts’ formal commitment to monitor access to the patient record using this system has provided GPC Wales with full assurance that the extension of access will be safe, secure and will advance the ability to provide safer clinical care to the patient.”

Mr Rhidian Hurle, Consultant Surgeon, Medical Director at NHS Wales Informatics services and Chief Clinical Information Officer for Wales, said: “I am delighted that in partnership with GPC Wales we at NWIS have been able to deliver this new functionality to national clinical software in our hospitals. 

"The extended access to the GP Record makes it easier for health professionals to provide safer care, saving them time in getting the correct information about the patients they are caring for and therefore allowing them more time to focus on the patients needs. It is a win win for patients and professionals alike.”

Strict controls are in place to ensure that patient information is safe and secure. Every time a patient’s record is accessed via the secure database, an auditable log will be made.  

Patients will be asked by the health professional providing their care for permission to look at their record at each and every consultation. In addition, patients can if they wish opt out of the system entirely by speaking to their GP.  

Guide aims to keep children safe online

As part of helping parents know how to keep their children safe online, the NSPCC and O2 have developed a guide, primarily aimed at parents of 8-12 year olds, about the social networks, apps or games with an interactive element that children use most frequently.

The purpose of the guide is to provide parents with the information they need to understand their child's online world and help them keep their children safe on line.

North Wales Police are in full support of the guide. 

Det Inspector Eryl Roberts of the force’ Protecting Vulnerable People Unit said: “With the ever increasing number of Apps, games and other links on line it’s very difficult for parents to keep track on what their children are viewing and whether or not it is suitable and appropriate for their child.

"We're encouraging parents to use the site and explore what other parents and children are saying which will help empower them to make their own decision and ultimately help keep their children safe”

* Net Aware can be found at https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/?order=title

Councils' parking "profits" highlighted

* The Market Street council car park.

Local authorities in Wales made a combined surplus – or ‘profit’ - of £13.8 million on their parking activities in the last financial year. 

The figure for 2015-16 was a 14% increase on the £12.1 million surplus made in 2014-15.

Between them, the 22 councils in Wales had parking income of £35.8 million in 2015-16, a rise of 5.6% on the previous financial year. Income includes on- and off-street parking charges and penalty charges.

However, Denbighshire’s surplus for 2015-16 of £458,000 was down 5% on the previous financial year’s £484,000.

Total expenditure on running parking activities was £22 million, a 0.9% increase on the previous financial year.

The total surplus is the difference between the income and expenditure figures.

The rise in surplus is the third annual increase in a row and a 60% increase on the figure for 2012-13 (£8.6 million).

The data analysed by the RAC Foundation comes from the official returns made in a standardised format to the Welsh Government on an annual basis. 

Looked at individually, 19 of the 22 councils showed surpluses.

The biggest ‘profit’ was made by Cardiff (£3.5 million), followed by Swansea (£2.4 million) and then Gwynedd (£1.4 million).

Three councils reported losses on their parking activities: Flintshire (£423,000), Blaenau Gwent (£310,000) and Torfaen (£81,000).

The most ‘efficient’ council was Monmouthshire where the ratio of income (£1.42 million) to expenditure (£490,000) was 2.9.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Overall council parking profits in Wales are up sharply again this year, possibly reflecting a recovering economy with people using their cars more.

“It is important that the surplus is ploughed back into transport projects – there are plenty on Welsh motorists’ wish-lists, not least the ongoing campaign to tackle potholes. 

“Some cash could also go towards providing and maintaining off-street car parks, so that they are seen by drivers as a safe and convenient alternative to finding space at the kerbside. 

“While we don’t want our towns and cities dominated by the car, we must remember how dependent many people still are on them. In several areas of Wales – including Blaenau Gwent, Neath Port Talbot and Torfaen – more than 80% of those in employment rely on the car to get to work, some of the highest proportions in Britain.”

- See more at: http://www.racfoundation.org/media-centre/welsh-council-parking-profits-up-for-third-year#sthash.qB9kF43H.dpuf