Take the Brexit Resilience and Opportunities Group (BROG) Survey
HotSW LEP, along with local authorities across the area, make up the Brexit Resilience and Opportunities Group (BROG), established to identify the opportunities and threats of Brexit.
The group is now seeking the views of businesses across the region to find out how you are preparing for Brexit, and what types of support businesses need to be best prepared. Key messages drawn from this survey will be fed to Government and decision makers to ensure businesses voices are heard.
LEP Conversations with the Business Community –March event
Torbay businesses are being encouraged to register for this open meeting taking place on 25th March, 2pm-4.30pm at Exeter Racecourse. This event is a chance to discuss key issues with the LEP and Growth Hub and will include LEP updates, discussions around Business Support in the area and the Local Industrial Strategy and the next steps.
Spaces are limited and early booking is advised.
Read the agenda and book tickets here
Gov.uk guidance for businesses about the UK leaving the EU
Information and resources about the UK leaving the EU is being updated and maintained by HMRC on an on-going basis. Some of the recent updates include a partnership pack for stakeholders along with a range of communications resources to help businesses prepare for the possibility of leaving the EU without a deal.
https://www.gov.uk/business-uk-leaving-eu
Sedgemoor Business Excellence Awards
The annual event returns on Thursday 21st March and takes place at Bridgwater & Albion Rugby Football Club.
Tickets are on sale for this popular black-tie event recognising success and achievement of Sedgemoor businesses. The range of awards rewards and acknowledges companies, individuals and enterprises who make outstanding contributions to the business in the district.
Tables and tickets are still available here
Insurance for a home business explained
If you have a home business the types of insurance you need can vary. Have you thought about the specific cover you should, or could be including to protect your business? The team at BM Magazine recently released a handy article that talks about the types of cover you should be considering depending on the type of business, or set up you are working to. The forms of insurance covered include; errors and omissions insurance, product liability insurance through to smartphone and device insurance.
Making Tax Digital is now less than one month away
From April 2019, most VAT registered businesses with a taxable turnover above £85,000 must keep digital VAT records and use software compatible with Making Tax Digital to submit their VAT Returns.
If you are still unsure about whether this applies to your business, or have yet to take steps to ensure that you are compliant with the new requirement by HMRC, full details and resources can be viewed online including webinars and videos. Details of compatible software including free software for businesses with more straightforward tax affairs to sophisticated paid solutions.
Read full details about Making Tax Digital
Innovate UK funding to develop electronics, sensors or photonics that withstand extreme temperatures
Projects with a focus on developing electronics, sensors or photonics for robotic and AI systems that work in extreme conditions could benefit one of the latest funding rounds to be released.
The Innovate UK competition opens on 11 March and looks to develop safer and more productive technologies for working in extreme environments. Project suggestions include optics and photonics-based sensing, compound semiconductor-based electronics, packaging and simulation with a deadline of 8 May 2019.
Full details of the competition scope and application process.