Business Daily

Three people stood outside a Porter Dodson office

Exeter-based law firm achieves record breaking results

Porter Dodson, the South West-based UK Top 200 law firm, has announced a record-breaking year of growth and achievement, increasing revenue to £20.2m, while retaining the highly prestigious Gold Investors In People accreditation for the third successive time.

Across its Exeter, Sherborne, Poundbury, Bridport, Wellington, Taunton, and Yeovil offices, the firm has seen year-on-year growth of 15.5%, leading to a 25.4% leap in net profit.

These impressive results round off a year in which the firm has achieved significant headcount increases, made possible in part by the...

Full story

Tax blow for entrepreneurs in the Spring Budget

Business owners and self-employed people are facing an increase in their tax bills following the Spring Budget, experts from leading South West law firm Stephens Scown LLP are warning. Chancellor Philip Hammond announced on Wednesday that the tax-free dividend allowance will be cut from £5,000 to £2,000 from April next year. The measure will affect many business owners, as well as investors. The Chancellor also revealed that the main rate of National Insurance contributions (NICs) for the self-employed will increase. But there was some relief for companies facing sharp increases in their...

Police concerned for missing man Peter Giles

Police are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of a 70 year old man called Peter Giles from Newton St Cyres.

A member of the public reported a Landrover Discovery that belongs to Peter on a small road bridge, in an area known locally as ‘Newton Rec’ in Newton St Cyres, a few miles from Crediton.

Police have been carrying out detailed searches of the immediate vicinity but this man has not been located at this time.

See photograph of Peter Giles for his likeness. If anyone has seen this man very recently please call 999 immediately, otherwise call 101...

Insurance software specialist chooses Exeter for UK HQ

Insurance industry software specialist, Business Administration and Actuary Corporation (BAAC), is opening a new office in Exeter, following the Managing Director’s relocation from South Africa.

Established in 1997 as PinnAfrica, BAAC provides bespoke web based software to the insurance industry in order to manage sales, claims and contact databases.

Owners Neville and Belinda Du Piesanie and the South Africa Operations Director, bought the company, which boasts some of the biggest names in the motoring industry among its clients, three years ago.

They decided to...

Award-winning Devon Salon reveals fresh new look

Top Devon Salon, Energy Hair celebrates five years at its exclusive location at Darts Farm near Topsham, by undergoing a substantial makeover. Owner, Nathan Plumridge has invested over £100,000 into the redesign, giving the salon a fresh, clean and luxurious new look.

Energy Hair continues to go from strength to strength having last year celebrated 18 years as a company, which also coincided with their busiest year of trading. This was marked with a big summer bash, one of several client events held throughout the year. A forum, which allowed loyal customers to provide vital...

Killerton joins esteemed garden trainee programme

The National Trust garden at Killerton, near Exeter, has been chosen as one of only ten gardens nationwide to host a prestigious two year trainee programme. As the only garden in the south west taking part in the Historic and Botanic Garden Trainee Programme (HBGTP), Killerton will host a trainee gardener for two years from September 2017. Karl Emeleus, Killerton’s Head Gardener, said: “We have a long history of taking trainees here at Killerton. The garden’s unique setting and unusual style make it a great place to work and learn. The team here believes that passing on skills is a...

Trading Standards merger approved

A merger of Devon & Somerset Trading Standards Service with Torbay’s has been approved by Devon County Council’s Cabinet today (Wednesday 8 March).

The proposal to extend Devon and Somerset’s shared service to include the unitary authority, would give all three councils ‘greater clout’ at a time of significant financial pressure, regulatory change and increasing demand.

The proposal has already been approved by Torbay Council’s elected Mayor, Gordon Oliver in the policy development and decision group on 18 January 2017. The proposal will be considered shortly by...

Rising rents and benefits cuts pushing vulnerable tenants out of private housing market in SW

The UK’s most vulnerable tenants are being pushed out of the private rental market in the South West, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Residential Market Survey.

New figures show that around one-third of respondents believe that access to private rented properties had fallen among people on housing benefits.

Recent caps to housing benefits were cited by 29% cent of respondents across the UK as a key reason why those on lower incomes were being pushed out of the rental market.

Those on lower incomes are set to face further...

UK first as apprentices build new scout hut in Devon

To celebrate the 10th National Apprentices Week (March 6 – 10), home builder Barratt has announced a unique community project at its development in Cullompton.

The new scout hut at Saxon Fields will be built entirely by apprentices covering a range of skills including bricklayers, site management and carpentry. It will be the new home for Cullompton Scout Group and leaders James Buczkowski and Sarah Wyatt said it will transform the organisation which has 60 members in three age groups.

The new centre will also give the group the opportunity to open a second Cub pack and...

Devon’s budget set to be in the black

Devon County Council is set to record a balanced budget for the 26th year in succession.

County Treasurer Mary Davis said the budget was projected to be in surplus when the financial year ended in four weeks time.

But she warned: “Caution should be taken when looking at this position as there is still time for storm events and winter emergencies to occur.”

Mrs Davis told the Cabinet today that there was likely to be an overspend in adult social care as a result of increased costs in residential and nursing homes and a rise in demand. The number of packages of care...

Extra £4.6m for transport improvements in Devon

An additional £4.6 million has been added to Devon County Council’s budget for transport improvements for the coming financial year.

This was approved by the County Council’s Cabinet today (Wednesday 8 March) to add to a £24.5 million package of schemes for its Transport Capital programme for 2017/18. The additional funding includes £4 million from the National Productivity Fund grant. £2 million of these funds will be used to enable the first phase delivery of the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension A361 junction, which will unlock over 1,000 dwellings. £1 million will also see work...

Business Daily

Exeter-based law firm achieves record breaking results

Tax blow for entrepreneurs in the Spring Budget

Police concerned for missing man Peter Giles

Insurance software specialist chooses Exeter for UK HQ

Award-winning Devon Salon reveals fresh new look

Killerton joins esteemed garden trainee programme

Trading Standards merger approved

Rising rents and benefits cuts pushing vulnerable tenants out of private housing market in SW

UK first as apprentices build new scout hut in Devon

Devon’s budget set to be in the black

Extra £4.6m for transport improvements in Devon

It's your Daily

You make the news

Top video

Selco Builders Warehouse | England Rugby star Jack Nowell visits Exeter Saracens junior teams

Exeter Weather

Search form

Business Daily

Top video

Exeter Weather