1. Insolvency:
What are the legal responsibilities placed on directors?
Directors of financially troubled companies need to take extra care in these difficult times. Simon Parker of City based Insolvency Practitioners Antony Batty & Company LLP outlines the current legislation as regards trading whilst knowingly insolvent and comes up with some practical advice.
Click here to read 2. Attracting and retaining staff and protecting the business: it still matters!
It may seem strange to say so in these difficult times, but businesses still need to protect themselves by actively attracting and retaining good staff, and a good corporate benefit plan is one way of doing this. Henry Camilleri of Camilleri and Associates Ltd sets out some ideas for how this can be done in a way that maximises the value to the employee but also provides benefits for the employer, as well as other ways that a business can protect itself in the current climate.
3. Pension deficit management in challenging times
Pensions have been in the news again recently. BP is closing its defined benefit pension scheme to new entrants and Barclays is closing its scheme to all members for accruals for future service. Other schemes have been reporting record deficits. Why are these schemes such a problem for employers and what do we mean by "pension deficits"? David Rimington, a Principal at Orchard Growth Partners, trustee of a charity pension scheme and treasurer of another charity with a large pension deficit, discusses.
4. A Moat Too Far: Bridging the gap between MP's expenses and good financial accountability
If you work in the City it's been a good few weeks because after months of enduring ritual humiliation, the threat of redundancy and the disdain of the public at large, City workers have been able to enjoy the schadenfreude of MPs wriggling in the spotlight for their financial recklessness.
Ash Mehta discusses financial accountability in an article that first appeared on
www.aimzine.co.uk .
5. And finally Cyril........
In tribute to Cyril Trevellian Fletcher 1913-2005 - We salute you.
Talking of MPs expenses, there's almost too much material to use but after great consideration, deliberation, cogitation and procrastination......
....Orchard's award of AppleCrumbleBrain of the Month has to go to George Osborne for claiming for two DVDs of himself making a speech on.... yes you've guessed it, value for money! Is this person really the country's next Chancellor of the Exchequer?
Until next time!
The Orchard Team
Orchard Growth Partners Limited.
