Inside the M60

Manchester’s Techcelerate announces Zendesk deal to help Startups Grow and Succeed in the North of England

insidethem60 — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 07:04:12 +0000

Manchester-based tech community Techcelerate has announced a partnership with Zendesk, the leading provider of proven, cloud-based help desk software.

Techcelerate will be offering all of its start up members free one-year subscriptions to Zendesk, worth up to £2300.

“Having been a startup ourselves once, we recognize and are thankful for everyone who helped us along the way,” says Matt Price, Vice President and General Manager EMEA for Zendesk. “To help the next generation of entrepreneurs, we are pleased to announce that we are now offering free one-year Zendesk subscriptions to startups affiliated with Techcelerate.”

Zendesk has long recognized customer service is an integral part of any company’s success. One thing that truly differentiates companies, from startups to global organizations, is the ability to deliver superior customer service. With the Techcelerate partnership, Zendesk is helping companies in the North of England attain this competitive advantage at no cost.

According to Manoj Ranaweera, Founder and CEO of Techcelerate: “We are so thrilled to welcome Silicon Valley based hot tech company Zendesk to our northern tech entrepreneurial community. Our member company edocr.com, the leading distribution channel for business documents online, has already been using Zendesk to help manage customer queries. Our member CapsuleCRM.com, who won the best enterprise software category at the Northern Tech Awards 2011, have integrated with Zendesk to enhance their product offering. Thanks to Zendesk, our growing community of tech startups will now have an excellent free platform to support their customers. This is a truly exciting moment for the growth of our community. We are excited to be working with the Zendesk European team and believe this will be a catalyst to build further relationships with Silicon Valley tech companies.”

In addition, Techcelerate members are invited to attend a free one day Zendesk training workshop (normal price: £650), which will be held at Manchester Business Park (3000 Aviator Way, Manchester M22 5TG) on Friday, October 28th 2011. The combination of complimentary subscriptions and training delivers a value of over £3000 to qualifying North of England start up businesses – for free.

In order to qualify for the offer, North of England based start ups will need to be sponsored by Techcelerate; not already have a Zendesk account; have less than 10 employees; and less than £700,000 in funding. Interested members should email startup@zendesk.com for more information about the offer.

Government releases latest ideas on new planning powers

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:44:26 +0000

New planning powers giving communities the ability to shape the character of their neighbourhood were published for consultation today by the government.

Neighbourhood Planning will for the first time give communities a real voice in deciding the look and feel of development in their area.

The new powers being introduced in the Localism Bill will also give local people the power to decide the types of development that can be granted automatic planning permission, through a Neighbourhood Development Order.

The regulations being published for consultation make clear how a neighbourhood area will be defined, how to set up the forums that will propose plans, and will also outline the requirements for establishing a Neighbourhood Development Order.

An easy to understand guide to Neighbourhood Planning is also being published today to make it easier for communities to use the new powers.

Minister Greg Clark said:

“For the first time local people will have a real voice in deciding the look and feel of development in their area through Neighbourhood Planning.

“Communities will be able to shape their own vision for the future as they see fit. They will be able to protect what makes their town or village special, including green spaces, and have their say on the design and location of new homes.

“There has been real enthusiasm across the country to test out Neighbourhood Planning and today’s consultation is the next step in preparing the ground before the powers become widely available.”

The regulations draw on existing procedures where possible to minimise the time communities and councils need to become familiar with the new system.

There are now 126 communities acting as ‘frontrunners’ for testing out the principles of Neighbourhood Planning. Applications are now being accepted for a fifth wave of frontrunners.

Celebs line up for ground breaking Manchester Dementia Care Unit

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:42:52 +0000

The likes of Manchester United, Manchester City FC, the X Factor, Stephen Fry, Russell Brand, Victoria Wood, Sir Cliff Richard, and Elbow, have all just donated items for a major fundraising auction being held by the charity in aid of the unique new service they are developing, named ‘Everystep’.

National social care charity CIC Group (Community Integrated Care) has just received the backing of a host of celebrities and top businesses as it fundraises for its ground-breaking, new £5 million specialist dementia care service in Manchester.

Taking place at The Monastery in Manchester on Friday November 4th, the fundraiser will be hosted by Salford born film and television actor Robert Powell (Jesus of Nazareth, Holby City) and will feature musical entertainment from local X-Factor star, Laura White.

The new Blackley-based service, opening in spring 2012, will be one of the most innovative services for dementia sufferers in the UK. It will provide a wide range of care and support to people suffering from with dementia, ensuring that they have access to specially trained staff in state-of-the-art facilities.

The fundraiser has attracted a number of exclusive prizes, including tickets to the 2011 X-Factor Grand Final; a backstage meet-and-greet with actress and dementia campaigner, Lynda Bellingham, at the hit theatre show, ‘Calendar Girls’; a designer purse and personal message from Victoria Wood; and signed merchandise from both Manchester United and Manchester City.

Ingrid Smillie, CIC’s Director of Strategic Projects said, “Dementia is a challenging condition that touches the lives of many people. Our service will give people with dementia a far greater quality of life and because of this, we have received incredible backing from the local community and beyond. We have been genuinely overwhelmed by the support our fundraiser has been given from celebrities and businesses, keen to get behind such an innovative and much needed service.”

She added, “There are still opportunities for local businesses and members of the community to show their support for our cause too, by attending or sponsoring our fantastic event or donating raffle prizes. Our fundraiser is a great way for local companies to support their community and at the same time be part of a high-profile and prestigious event.”

Robert Powell, host for the celeb-studded fundraiser night said: “I am looking forward to being involved in a fundraising event for such an important project. Dementia is a condition that will probably touch all our lives eventually and it is hard to think of an enterprise more deserving of our help. Added to which it gives me an excuse (as if any were needed) to return to my roots in Manchester.”

X-Factor star, Laura White, added: “This is such a worthwhile cause and the money raised will help many local people who need extra care and support in their later years. I am so glad to be able to help a little. I hope that everyone has a great evening and lots of money is raised.”

People’s History Museum and UCLAN need your help

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:00:03 +0000

The People’s History Museum is working with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) on a funding bid to hopefully culminate in an exhibition about the temperance movement in 2012 at the museum.

The temperance movement, in which people took the pledge not to drink alcohol, effectively began in the North West. It was a significant feature of many working people’s lives for over 100 years and is still a tradition in many local families.

Historians at the University of Central Lancashire hope to offer a range of events from July 2012 to explore this history – with an exhibition at the People’s History Museum, talks and entertainments such as a re-creation of a Temperance meeting.

They also hope to find out what family traditions or personal memories the people of the North West have, and to record these for future generations as well as using them to contribute to the exhibition, where possible.

Source PHV

Inside the M60 will be covering City Camp Manchester

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:50:55 +0000

Inside the M60 will be returning this weekend to cover the exciting City Camp which is taking place at the Friends Meeting House in the centre of Manchester on Friday and Saturday this week.

The event is focusing on how to make Greater Manchester,more sustainable,resourceful and resilient,a theme that Inside the M60 stands well behind.

The event kicks off tomorrow with three speakers well known to the Manchester community,Sue Murphy,who is Labour councillor for Brooklands ward and deputy leader of Manchester City Council.She leads on community and social cohesion amongst her many responsibilities.

Neil McInroy is the chief executive for the Centre for Local Economic strategies (CLES).He has been involved in public sector policy and delivery for 20 years.

Paul Clarke represents Incredible Edible Todmorden,a fantastic project which aims to grow and campaign for local food in the town.

We will be covering the two day event with live reporting both on this site and twitter.

There are more details HERE and you can download the full programme HERE

AGMA inviting applications for not for profit sector

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:38:16 +0000

The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) is re-launching its grants scheme for the not-for-profit sector and inviting applications.

The fund, known as the section 48 scheme, has been reviewed to give it a clear focus on the priorities of AGMA’s Greater Manchester Strategy – in particular contributing to economic growth for the region.

The purpose of the scheme is to support properly constituted, not-for-profit voluntary sector groups who provide servicers across Greater Manchester.

The new scheme will be shaped around funding activities and organisations which meet three main objectives:

Contribute to the recognition of Greater Manchester locally, nationally and internationally – helping create the conditions to attract new investment, new visitors and new talent

Contribute to improving the skills and employability of Greater Manchester residents, encouraging people to fulfil their full potential.

Play a strong role in developing strong and inclusive communities, contributing to an improved quality of life and well-being for all residents

AGMA vice chair Sir Richard Leese said: “In the current economic climate, it is even more important than ever that we ensure that grant funding allocated by AGMA helps promote the economic growth of the area.

“We believe this new scheme will ensure our grants our focused on that goal, while still ensuring that smaller, welfare-focused organisations are able to benefit.”

The deadline to apply for grants is under the new scheme is Thursday 10 November.

Grants awarded will be for three years – 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/5. The total budget available for the fund from 2012/13 will be decided by AMGA’s Executive Committee when it meets in December.

New report calls for radical reform of council services

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:35:34 +0000

The New Local Government Network (NLGN) has calleds for radical reform of council services including transport, waste and libraries.

The call follows new analysis reveals that the cost of issuing a book can be so high that in some cases it might be cheaper to buy each borrower a new copy.

As citizen demands change and cuts start to bite, NLGN’s research shows that, while the average cost of borrowing a book is around £3.50, in some areas it can be as high as £8.00, largely due to a 13m decline in the number of issues since 2005/6.

While this figure does not capture the full value of all the services a library provides – such as free magazines, community space and internet use – it does highlight important changes in the ways people use these community facilities.

NLGN argues that the best way to democratise book access in future will be to make a radical shift to e-readers, online ordering and book vending machines in public places. This would make it much easier for the public to access books while freeing up library space for use by families and communities. Libraries would still hold the most popular titles and children’s books and act as a crucial community hub.

NLGN researcher Daria Kuznetsova said:

“We need a radical discussion about how public services need to change over the coming decade. Our proposals envisage a world in which citizens and businesses get far more choice about how they use and access key services. We envisage libraries that are accessible online and through vending machines in train stations. We call for businesses to refurbish old furniture and computers to avoid landfill taxes. And where citizens and businesses can help local authorities make savings, they should get a share back through council tax or business rate discounts.”

Two new Red Flag walks for October

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:20:15 +0000

Historian Michael Herbert who has been researching, writing and speaking aboutManchester’s radical history for many years has announced two more walks in the next couple of weeks

Wednesday 19 October 2pm . Riots, Rebellions and Revolution

This walk will explore sites connected with the Co-operative Movement, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the Siege of Manchester, Peterloo, Chartism, the 1745 Jacobite rebellion and other historical events.

Meet at the Robert Owen statue, Co-operative Bank, Corporation Street, Manchester

Wednesday 26 October 2pm “Up Then Brave Women…”

This walk will explore sites connected with the radical women’s movements in the city including trade unionism, the Clarion newspaper, Votes for Women and the Manchester Guardian.

Meet at the Robert Owen statue, Co-operative Bank, Corporation Street, Manchester

The walks will last 2 hours. £6.00 waged /£5.00 concessions.

Michael is a Trustee of the Working Class Movement Library and his published works include The Wearing of the Green, a political history of the Irish in Manchester, and Never Counted Out , a biography of Len Johnson, the Manchester boxer and Communist.

Further information: redflagwalks @gmail.com

Captured Images – The Photograph Comes to Prison

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:16:44 +0000

Delegates from many different countries will be visiting an exhibition at Bankley Studios Gallery to celebrate the opening of The European Prison Education Association Conference taking place at the end of October at The Midland Hotel in Manchester.

The exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday 29th & 30th October and 5th & 6th November from 11.00 -5.00pm

Bankley Studios & Gallery
Bankley Street
M19 3PP

Compulsory audit powers needed for local government, the NHS and the private sector, says Information Commissioner

insidethem60 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:08:53 +0000

Powers to conduct compulsory data protection audits in local government, the health service and the private sector are needed to ensure compliance with the law . the Information Commissioner said today at the 10^th annual data protection compliance conference in London.

The Information commissioner Christopher Graham at the 10th annual data protection compliance conference in London as figures showed that the ICO is being blocked from auditing organisations in sectors that are causing concern over their handling of personal information.

The only compulsory data protections audit powers the ICO currently has are for central government departments. For all other organisations the ICO has to win consent before an audit can take place.

Data breaches in the NHS continue to be a major problem. Of the 47 undertakings the ICO has agreed with organisations that have breached the Data Protection Act since April, over 40% (19) were in the healthcare sector. In addition, the most serious personal data breaches that have resulted in a civil monetary penalty occurred in the local government sector. Four of the six penalties served so far involved local authorities.

Businesses remain the sector generating the most data protection complaints. Despite this, as reported in July, just 19% of companies contacted by the ICO accepted the offer of undergoing an audit. The ICO has written to 29 banks and building societies and so far only six (20%) have agreed to undergo an audit. The insurance sector has also shown reluctance in this area. Of the 19 companies contacted this year by the ICO, only two agreed to an audit.

Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham said:

“Something is clearly wrong when the regulator has to ask permission from the organisations causing us concern before we can audit their data protection practices. Helping the healthcare sector, local government and businesses to handle personal data better are top priorities, and yet we are powerless to get in there and find out what is really going on.

“With more data being collected about all of us than ever before, greater audit powers are urgently needed to ensure that the people handling our data are doing a proper job. I am preparing the business case for the extension of the ICO’s Assessment Notice powers under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to these problematic sectors.”

The Information Commissioner also used his speech at the conference to give a six month update on the ICO’s complaints handling performance.

Complaints about marketing texts, some of which are known as spam texts, have trebled in volume since 2008/9, and now account for approximately 13% of all data protection complaints to the ICO. Over 1,000 complaints have been received since April.

The overall number of new data protection (DP) complaints is up by 2% compared to the same period last year. The number of freedom of information (FOI) complaints has also risen by around 5%. The ICO has increased its output to match the increase and has closed a record number of FOI cases during the first half of the year. Closures on DP cases are also up.