Another successful meeting: Thoughts from the Ombudsman and corporate shenanigans
02/05/2012
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Our first meeting of the new programme took place on Thursday 17 May and saw Toby Holt of insolvency practitioners Smith & Williamson, and Andrew Hobley of the Local Government Ombudsman's office, entertain an audience of thirty with stories taken from the work they do.
Of course, there was a serious purpose behind this – to pass on advice to practitioners on what to do, what not to do, and what to look out for.
Andrew spent thirteen years working in local taxation, so he understands our business and is well placed to offer sound advice – which of course he did in his own inimitable style.
Toby is an expert on how to avoid paying business rates, and shared with us some of the methods currently being used by the unscrupulous to make our lives difficult. With localisation imminent, local authorities need to make sure they are wise to these and are in a position to fight back.
If you weren’t able to make it, or want to relive the experience, you can download Toby’s presentation by clicking here.
If you want to be kept informed of future events and are not already on our mailing list, please e-mail us at irrvwma@googlemail.com. You don’t have to be a member of the IRRV to attend our meetings – but if you aren’t, you really should consider it!
Our next meeting is scheduled for 5 July and will be on the subject of welfare reform – further details available soon.
Events coming up in the West Midlands area. To add your details to our
mailing list and/or register your interest in any of our events, please e-mail
us at irrvwma@googlemail.com.
The second meeting of this year's programme was another well-received event, with Bob Trahern and Tim Savill sharing their knowledge and understanding of the impending changes with a group of around 20 members and colleagues.
The second meeting of this year's programme will shortly be upon us and the Association invites you to attend what should prove to be a very topical and interesting subject matter given the Government's impending changes to the benefits scheme.
Paul Sanderson is addressing the Association in January on matters of current interest in the valuation field. The meeting will take place at Meetingspace, Eleven Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2LP between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Paul Sharpe of Equita talks to the Association from 4 p.m. on Wednesday 9 November 2011 at the Council House, Earl Street, Coventry on the topic of “what your bailiff can do for you”.
This event is brought to you jointly by the Association and
CIPFA in the Midlands (CIM), and takes place on Tuesday 11 October 2011
between 4.30 and 6.30 p.m. in Committee Rooms 2 and 3 of the Council
House, Earl Street, Coventry Street CV1 5RR.
This year's event took place at the Holiday Inn just off the M6 at Junction 7, near Birmingham. A good time was had by all!
We welcomed students to the 2011/12 Level 3 Certificate course, and handed out certificates to last year's successful candidates.
Standing room only as Gordon Heath talks empty rates and
Bluetooth servers!
The IRRV West Midlands Association is once again offering this course from September to students in the West Midlands and beyond.
The Rating Surveyors Association (RSA) has appointed Graham Ryall, a Director in Colliers CRE's Birmingham Rating team, President for its next year of operation.
