• Bus passengers up from 115.4 million to 118.4 million
• Tram passenger number estimated to hit 3 million by end year
• Six million more people using public transport with Transport for Edinburgh

Passengers have flocked in their millions to use buses and trams since the launch of the integrated transport group, Transport for Edinburgh, twelve months ago.

Bus patronage is three million up on 2013 and the new Edinburgh Trams service has already attracted nearly three million passengers. This means six million additional passenger journeys over 2013.

Transport for Edinburgh Chief Executive Ian Craig said:

“The first year of Transport for Edinburgh has been quite remarkable. We’re seeing are fantastic results which are the sum of all the efforts put in from right at the outset by people at Edinburgh Trams, Lothian Buses, the City of Edinburgh Council and by all of our partners.

“We’ve had to invest and be bold to get here but I make no apology for leading that – we’re in new territory. Establishing a new company and brand isn’t easy but our investment is paying off and what we’re seeing as a result is six million more people using public transport in 2014 over 2013.

“This is a huge shift which is of great benefit to Edinburgh’s environment and it’s economy. Transport for Edinburgh is the future and it benefits from the very best with Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams. I’m delighted to be leading it.”

Edinburgh Trams successfully tested and launched in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and contractors. The service, led by Director and General Manager Tom Norris, is currently running ahead of forecast patronage with operational reliability very strong for a new service.

The Lothian Buses network has been successfully recast to accommodate and integrate with tram leading to significant passenger growth.

Other Group innovations included the launch of citysmart, the integration of tram to the Ridacard system, the successful roll out of the TFE app, free wifi across our services and hugely successful campaigns to promote the DAYticket, DAY&NIGHTticket & Family DAYticket range. This was delivered with a ticket price freeze (altthough the Airlink price did go up).

In terms of vehicles, £15m was invested in 65 new low emission and ultra low emission buses that will significantly impact on improving the City’s air quality and lower carbon emissions. These vehicles are specifically targeted at high pollution zones.

One short stopover in the world’s newest aviation hub – Doha’s Hamad International Airport – is all it takes to get to Australia from Edinburgh. Now with Qatar Airways’ winter schedule, flying times to Perth and Melbourne are even shorter meaning Australia is closer than you think.

 

Too often numerical calculations informing decision-making are seen as mere tools which deliver neutral answers. This is never the case, let alone in contemporary organizations and societies where the scale of complexity, risk and uncertainty makes clear that calculations have to be seen as an exercise to explore possible solutions rather than as a set of techniques which deliver correct answers.

This masterclass draws on this assumption to equip participants with a critical understanding of the functions and use of financial data and metrics in complex organizations and projects beyond issues of mere compliance. It will do so by combining an interdisciplinary approach to the study of numerical calculations with concrete business examples, allowing course participants to view familiar accounting and management reports in a new light and from a different perspective. This will allow them to understand and design management control systems as platforms and interfaces that create expert governance systems and informed leadership decisions.

The masterclass is delivered by Professor Brad Mackay, Chair in Accounting, Governance and Social Innovation, University of Edinburgh Business School

Who should attend?

Middle managers preparing for major Executive positions. Top managers with experience of leadership and control issues especially in the context of project management.

Cost

 

£895.  Tea and Coffee breaks and lunch on both days is provided as well as all course materials, and a formal dinner at the end of day 1. There is a 20% discount for University of Edinburgh Alumni and staff – please contact: executive@business-school.ed.ac.uk for more details.

 

To find out more and to register please click here 

 

If you have any queries about the masterclass then please contact:  executive@business-school.ed.ac.uk or to see other Executive Education activities available at the University of Edinburgh Business School, please click here 

Edinburgh Airport saw a 3.1% increase in passenger traffic in November with over 700,000 people travelling through the terminal last month.
The increase was driven by a strong performance in domestic passenger traffic, which was up 4.3% on last year. More services to London City by both British Airways, now flying 11 times daily, and Flybe has helped drive domestic passenger numbers.
Strong performances from easyJet to Bristol and Belfast and Loganair to Sumburgh and Kirkwall have also been recorded.
International passenger traffic increased steadily in November, 1.4% up on the same period in 2013, with 294,751 people travelling. Reasons for this include Ryanair’s decision to continue flying its Barcelona service through the winter this year after being a summer only service in 2013. The airline has also been operating increased services to Dublin.
Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: “We’re entering this festive season in a good position after recording strong passenger traffic in November.
“We’re expecting about 130,000 passengers to travel through our airport during the Christmas week alone and we’re confident that we’ll hit our 10 million passenger mark for a calendar year around about this time as well.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard this year to give our passengers a great experience and service and we’re now focusing on 2015 and what it will bring.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

The moving annual total for the year ending 30 November 2014 was 10,123,220.
More information from:
Stuart Young, Communications Officer
07730 148022 or stuart_young@edinburghairport.com
Gordon Robertson, Director of Communications
07785 372961 or gordon_robertson@edinburghairport.com
About Edinburgh Airport:
Edinburgh Airport is Scotland’s busiest airport. More than 40 airlines serve 100-plus destinations and 9.78 million passengers passed through the airport in 2013 – the busiest year ever for a Scottish airport.
July 2014 was the airport’s busiest month ever with over 1.1 million passengers travelling through its terminal.
It is the 5th largest in the UK, in terms of passenger numbers, and employs over 5000 people, contributing hundreds of millions of pounds to Scotland’s economy.
Edinburgh Airport was named best in Britain, and top three in Europe, for passenger satisfaction, at the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards for 2012 and ‘Best European Airport (5-10m passengers)’ at the ACI EUROPE Best Airport Awards for 2012. It has also won Scottish Airport of the Year at the Scottish Transport Awards in 2013 and 2014.
edinburghairport.com

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has downgraded its UK GDP growth forecast for 2014 from 3.2% to 3.0% in 2014, but this figure still represents the fastest growth experienced by the British economy since 2007. The BCC has also revised down its growth forecasts for the following two years from 2.8% to 2.6% in 2015 and from 2.5% to 2.4% in 2016. This is largely due to slower than expected growth in services, household consumption and exports and weaker than expected GDP growth in Q3 2014

BCC Director General, John Longworth, says that while we welcome the strong 2014 growth indicated by the forecast, he believes the downgraded forecast is an ominous warning sign and urges the government to waste no time in addressing key areas that are holding back good firms, such as access to capital to grow their business.

ECONOMIC FORECAST – OVERVIEW

• The BCC is lowering its UK GDP growth forecast from 3.2% to 3.0% in 2014, from 2.8% to 2.6% in 2015, and from 2.5% to 2.4% in 2016.
• Though household consumption and services output are forecast to grow more slowly than predicted in Q3, they will be the main contributors to GDP growth in the next few years.
• Strong business investment is predicted with growth of 7.5% in 2014, 7.5% in 2015 and 7.4% in 2016.
• UK interest rates are expected to rise to 0.75% in Q3 2015, two quarters later than in the Q3 forecast.

• The downgrades are mainly due to lower than expected growth in services, household consumption and exports.
• A slightly lower starting point of the new forecast, due to weaker actual GDP growth in Q3 2014 than previously predicted, also contributed to the downward revision.
• Quarterly GDP growth  is expected to remain at 0.7% in Q4 2014, followed by a slowdown to 0.6% per quarter from Q1 2015 onwards

Commenting, John Longworth, Director General of the BCC said:

“Although this updated forecast slightly lowers our growth predictions, it also confirms that Britain will be one of the fastest-growing developed economies as we close out 2014. This is a great achievement, and businesses up and down the country should be congratulated for their hard work and resolve to drive the recovery in the face challenges and uncertainty both at home and abroad.

“However, there is no reason why a 3% growth rate should be the height of our ambitions. Downgrades to our growth forecast are a warning sign that we still face a number of hurdles to securing a balanced and sustainable recovery. A number of headwinds from the global economy are also having a real impact on British businesses. The eurozone is weak, with a real risk of deflation, growth in emerging markets has slowed and political uncertainty in Ukraine, the Middle East and elsewhere is affecting business and consumer confidence. Uncertainty in the economy generally affects consumer confidence as does the spending and debt cycle.

“Our dependence on consumer spending and mortgages means that the UK economy is particularly sensitive to interest rates. Any short-term rate rises could present a huge risk to our economy. With UK exports broadly flat, it is crucial to reassess the UK’s overall export growth strategy and the support available to existing and potential exporters.

“Nonetheless it is encouraging to see that British businesses aren’t backing down from their expansion and investment plans, despite the uncertain economic backdrop. We must continue to support these businesses as they invest, grow, innovate and export. A sustainable, well-balanced economy can only be achieved if there is commitment from all political parties to long-term strategic planning, rather than the political short-termism that has plagued British growth prospects for too long.”

David Kern, Chief Economist at the BCC, said:

“Our GDP forecasts are slightly lower than in Q3, but overall the prospects are still positive. Although we expect a slowdown in the pace of expansion, UK growth in the foreseeable future will be stronger than in the eurozone, including in Germany and France. British business investment has recovered in recent years and we expect steady increases in the share of investment in GDP. But there are still some areas of concern – UK trade deficit continues to grow and the current account deficit is dangerously large.

“In the short term, the main concern for the UK is a continuation of the slowdown in recent months. A deceleration in growth may be unavoidable, given the weaker trends in the global economy, particularly in the eurozone. However, it is important to counter the impact of these downward pressures by maintaining low interest rates and pro-business policies, in order to minimise the risk of the recovery stalling. In the longer term the key structural risks facing the UK are persistent low productivity and the twin fiscal and trade deficits. Unless these issues are addressed resolutely, they could undermine Britain’s future credibility.

“Despite stronger than expected economic growth, the UK’s ability to generate tax revenues has deteriorated – due to weak earnings, the decline in oil and gas output, as well as big profit reductions from financial institutions. The UK must now persevere with the difficult job of cutting the deficit, while focusing on policies that support higher productivity.”

OTHER ELEMENTS FROM WITHIN THE FORECAST

Main components of demand

• Growth in household consumption is forecast to strengthen initially to 2.2% in 2014, and to 2.4% in 2015; it will then slow markedly to 1.9% in 2016. These new forecasts are lower than in Q3.
• The new forecast predicts continued strong positive growth in UK business investment – 5% in 2014, 7.5% in 2015 and 7.4% in 2016.
• The real net trade deficit will fall from 2.2% of GDP in 2013 to 1.8% in 2016, while the net deficit in current prices will fall from 1.9% of GDP in 2013 to 1.2% in 2016. As in recent years, future improvements in total net trade will be largely due to a higher trade surplus in services.

Main sectors of the economy

• The services sector is forecast to record growth of 3.2% in 2014, 2.9% in 2015, and 2.7% in 2016, slightly lower than predicted in the Q3 forecast. The share of services in total UK output is likely to rise further in the coming years.
• Total industrial output is predicted to record growth of 2.3% in 2014, 1.5% in 2015 and 1.6% in 2016.
• Manufacturing output: The new forecast predicts positive manufacturing growth of 3.5% in 2014, 1.8% in 2015 and 1.8% in 2016.
• Construction output: In full-year terms, we predict construction output growth of 4.9% in 2014, 1.9% in 2015 and 1.6% in 2016.

Official interest rates

• The first increase in UK official interest rates, to 0.75%, is forecast to occur in Q3 2015, two quarters later than we previously predicted.
• Further modest increases in official rates can then be expected, in small 0.25 percentage point steps, with official interest rates reaching 1.00% in Q4 2015 and 1.75% in Q4 2016.

Unemployment and productivity

• The new forecast predicts that the UK unemployment rate will fall from 6.0% in Q3 2014 to 5.6% in Q3 2015, 5.2% in Q3 2016 and to 5.0% in Q3 2017. These jobless rates are slightly higher than those we predicted in our Q3 forecast.
• UK jobless total is expected to fall from 1.959 million in Q3 2014, to 1.839 million in Q3 2015, 1.749 million in Q3 2016, and to 1.669 million in Q3 2017, a net overall fall in total unemployment of 290,000 over the next 3 years.
• Total youth unemployment (people aged 16 to 24) is predicted to fall from 737,000 (a jobless rate of 16.2%) in Q3 2014, to 533,000 (a jobless rate of 11.9%) in Q3 2017, a net fall of 204,000.
• UK productivity is now considerably lower than before the financial crisis. The forecast envisages that productivity will remain weak in the next few years, increasing at a pace that is slower than before the financial crisis.

Public finances

• UK public finances: The OBR forecast, outlined in the December 2014 Autumn Statement, acknowledges that cutting the fiscal deficit will be more difficult and take longer than previously estimated.
• While the OBR is forecasting that UK public sector net borrowing would move into a small surplus in 2018/19, the forecast shows that achieving this aim would take 1-2 years longer.

Inflation

• In annual average terms, annual CPI inflation is forecast for 1.5% in 2014, 1.2% in 2015 and 1.8% in 2016.

Q4 Economic Forecast

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is on the hunt for the 1000^th business mentee in the capital as part of Business Mentoring Scotland. Since inception in 2006 Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce has matched 950 capital based businesses with mentees across Scotland with numbers increasing rapidly in the last few years.

Business Mentoring Scotland is delivered through Scottish Chambers of Commerce and its local network of Chambers, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise. Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce delivers the mentoring services for the City of Edinburgh and has matched up 500 companies with mentors in the last three years alone.

With 2015 approaching, an ambitious target has been set to break the 1000 mentee barrier by the end of January.

Project co-ordinator Jimmy O’Connell explained:

“Demand in the last few years has been extraordinary as businesses in the capital look for growth and long term sustainability. We want to build on that success and break the 1000 barrier by the end of January. As the New Year comes in, businesses are thinking about their strategy in the run up to a new financial year in April and against a background of what is likely to be another year of change with a UK general election scheduled.

“We have over 850 mentors to choose from across Scotland, 250 of those in Edinburgh. While their role is not to provide all the answers, they can certainly steer a CEO, owner or Managing Director in the right direction. We have had numerous success stories and companies who have returned for further mentoring as they have approached their next growth phase because it was such a helpful process previously.”

Mentoring takes place for a 12 month period with mentors handpicked and matched to potential mentees by The Chamber. Mentors are chosen on a number of criteria, including personality but most importantly they are matched based on the strategic aims of the business which has requested the support and the experience that mentor can provide. This means mentors may come from disparate industries but have been through the exact quandary the mentee is currently facing.

Existing mentee Ewan Morton, director, Morton Ward an Edinburgh based design agency said: “As a family-owned SME, the support I received through Business Mentoring Scotland helped improve my business and has contributed to the growth we are now seeing defining a clear strategy for the future. I cannot recommend their service highly enough.”

The mentee scheme is fully funded by Scottish Enterprise and is open to businesses which have a turnover in excess of £100k per annum, have been trading for a minimum of one year and have strong aspirations for growth. Further information is available from the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce website www.edinburghchamber.co.uk

A SPECIALIST immigration lawyer from Thorntons has been appointed to the Confederation of British Industry’s Scotland Council.

Jamie Kerr, a partner at the leading law firm Thorntons, has joined the Council which ensures that the voices of Scotland’s businesses are heard at a national and international level.

As one of the few Scottish solicitors specialising in UK corporate immigration law, Jamie’s work has an international focus. He works with individuals and businesses around the world to attract talent and overseas investment to Scotland and the UK.

Commenting on his appointment, Jamie said: “The CBI’s Scottish Council is a truly dynamic board and I look forward to getting more involved with its work.

“Specialising in immigration law has highlighted how important it is that the UK remains commercially competitive on the international stage.

“I welcome the opportunity to join with other business leaders to ensure that we have the right conditions to enable Scottish businesses to grow, prosper and create jobs to everyone’s benefit.”

Andrew Palmer, Director of Operations with CBI Scotland said: “We are pleased that Jamie has joined  Council. It is through our network of Councils in the regions and devolved nations  that businesses can help shape policy.

“With his broad experience in international business and the legal profession, he will join a diverse range of senior representatives from across the business community and we look forward to the fresh ideas he will bring to the Council.”

Jamie will serve on the board from 1 January 2015 to 31 January 2017.

Jamie Kerr

The first Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation was launched at Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, on Tuesday 9th December 2014.

The launch of the new Centre is enhancing Scotland’s position as a leader in food and drink innovation in Europe and supporting access to the global market for healthy and functional food.

Over 100 invited guests from Scotland’s £14 billion food and drink industry got a rare behind-the-scenes tour of the new facilities and heard from a range of food experts about the exciting work that is taking place both in the University and across the industry.

QMU’s on-campus SME, Advanced Microwave Technologies (AMT), provided a demonstration of its cutting-edge machinery. AMT is emerging as one of the world’s most innovative users of microwave expertise in its application to the food and drink sector.

Representatives from some of Scotland’s leading food and drink businesses that QMU has worked with also showcased their products.

According to Bank of Scotland’s latest food and drink industry economic report, “Arguably , most critical of all for long term growth is innovation and improvement to food produce and the development of innovative new food sources or ‘frontier foods’.” More than half the companies interviewed in Bank of Scotland’s third annual survey of Scotland’s food and drink sector expect their business to grow by 5 and 25 per cent over the next five years.

Many firms cite new product development and investment in existing products being the top two ways to achieve this growth. It is estimated that a growth in sales of premium health products could be worth an additional £1 billion to the Scottish economy by 2017.

Commenting on the launch of QMU’s new Centre, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment Richard Lochhead, said: “Scotland’s food and drink sectors are internationally recognised for their quality, many of the most famous products having a long history and unique sense of identity. The work of the centre is helping those companies evolve to meet new demand, develop new products and diversify into new markets, particularly lucrative export opportunities.

“Despite having a long history of collaboration with the food and drink industry, in the past three years alone, QMU’s innovation based engagements with SMEs in the sector have generated an estimated extra £5.7 million for the businesses it has worked with.”

QMU has established academic expertise in the translation and application of science to support commercially successful research and development within the industry, including research support for iQ Chocolate in Stirling, Gusto artisan dressings, marinades and oil and vinegars in Leith, Edinburgh; Black & Gold rapeseed oil in East Lothian; leaf tea experts, eteaket, in Edinburgh; Cuddybridge fruit juices in East Lothian, Belhaven Fruit Farm in East Lothian and The Chocolate Tree chocolatier in East Lothian.

Academic Lead for Food & Drink at QMU, Dr Jane McKenzie, said: “We’re really excited to have reached this significant milestone in the development of QMU’s Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation. Facilities like this are currently unavailable elsewhere in Scotland, so research work is often sent to England or Northern Ireland instead.

“The new facilities combined with QMU’s academic knowledge and expertise in food, nutrition and biological sciences is already offering companies in Scotland’s food and drink industry an unrivalled opportunity to innovate and develop new products which are underpinned by QMU’s scientific research.”

Through practical innovation support and creative business solutions, QMU is helping Scotland’s leading food and drink businesses with new and innovative product development and analysis; development of leading edge functional, health enhancing products and ingredients and formulation of existing products – for example healthier alternatives to fat, salt and sugar.

QMU’s team of food innovation experts are also identifying innovative sources of raw materials to produce novel ingredients and ensure sustainability; ingredients to improve product processing and preservation; nutritional analysis; shelf life testing; consumer focus groups and taste panels.

Scotland Food & Drink is the main industry leadership body aligned to the Scottish Government priority economic sector of food and drink. Speaking at the Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation launch, James Withers, CEO of Scotland Food & Drink, added: “The food and drink industry is one of the strongest performing sectors in Scotland’s economy. Our £14 billion industry rests on a growing reputation for producing quality products and an envied flair for innovation. However, we know there is always more to be done to ensure Scotland’s producers adapt to a fast-changing world and the Scotland Food & Drink partnership is working towards the launch of a new innovation action plan in 2015.

“Relationships between the industry and Scotland’s universities are critical. My ambition is that this new centre will provide producers with intelligence and support, to help them create exciting new products and in turn find new customers. With Scottish food and drink exports up 50% since 2007 and sales within the UK up by more than a third, we have real momentum. But competition is always fierce so innovation will be fundamental to staying ahead of the pack.”

Dr Siobhán Jordan, Director of Interface, added: “The launch of the new centre at Queen Margaret University is another sign of the practical support that Scottish universities and research institutions are providing to food and drink businesses.

“By accessing the expertise, technologies and cutting edge facilities that academic institutions can offer food and drink companies will remain competitive and grow their markets both nationally and internationally.”

The Centre’s superb facilities include a dedicated microbiology laboratory; fully-equipped sensory suite; dedicated chemistry laboratory and a technology room for industry to test new technology.

For more information about the Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation and QMU’s Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Unit and how it can benefit your business, contact Miriam Smith, Business Development Manager at QMU on 0131 474 0000 or email MSmith3@qmu.ac.uk

A new film showcasing the new Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation can be viewed online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IBLptVoIg&feature=youtu.be

L-R Mark Laing, Chairman, Nairn’s Oatcakes Ltd; James Withers, CEO of Food & Drink Scotland; Dr Jane McKenzie, Academic Lead for food and drink at QMU; Dr Siobhan Jordan, Director of Interface; Professor Petra Wend, Principal and Vice Chancellor of QMU

Strategy concerns itself with what a business is trying to achieve and how it intends to do so. The questions we ask in strategy sometimes appear simple, but the answers are frequently complex and difficult to identify. Similarly, the concepts that we use often appear very straightforward, but they are, in practice, difficult to apply.

This master-class distils strategy-making down into five integrated choices about strategic goals, market domains, competitive advantage, capability development, and organisational alignment. Each part of this master-class will introduce participants to simple frameworks, modest analytical tools, concepts and ideas, rules of thumb and above all ways of thinking strategically, which will assist you in your future task of leading. The master-class is designed to draw on the diverse experiences of participants combined with case-based examples to anchor learning in practice.

The masterclass is delivered by Professor Brad Mackay, Chair in Strategic Management, University of Edinburgh Business School

Who should attend?

This course is tailored to the background and interests of those undertaking, or aspiring to undertake strategic leadership roles.

Cost

£895.  Tea and Coffee breaks and lunch on both days is provided as well as all course materials, and a formal dinner at the end of day 1.  There is a 20% discount for University of Edinburgh Alumni and staff – please contact: executive@business-school.ed.ac.uk for more details.

To find out more and to register please click here

If you have any queries about the masterclass then please contact:  executive@business-school.ed.ac.uk or to see other Executive Education activities available at the University of Edinburgh Business School, please click here 

With wild and wintry conditions heading our way, the Council is urging Edinburgh’s residents to heed advice on how to keep themselves, their properties and their vulnerable neighbours safe in bad weather.

The Council’s website is stocked with information on what to do when gales and storms are forecast, such as parking vehicles in garages or away from buildings and trees etc or securing loose objects that could be blown away.

As temperatures look set to plummet once again towards the end of the week with snow in the forecast as well, residents can also log on to see an interactive map of salt bins across the city and find out the priority streets and pavements for gritting patrols. You can now use our online forms to report problems with salt bins or to request a new one for your area.

Preparing for wintry conditions is strongly recommended and the Ready for Winter web page includes tips such as investing in a good, strong snow shovel and arranging a winter health check for your car.

During severe weather, remember to check on your neighbours, particularly if they are older or live alone. Keep up to date with roads, schools and travel information on the website, via Twitter and local radio.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Winter is definitely here now and the Council has been hard at work for many weeks getting the Capital as prepared as possible for whatever the weather has in store for us.

“We’ve got 16,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled – more than three times the amount we used in the whole of winter 2013/14 – and gritting teams have been patrolling and on standby since late October, responding to the detailed and regular forecasts we receive from the Met Office.

“As always, we’d remind residents to do whatever they need to do to get themselves ‘winter ready’ and would urge everyone to look out for those in their community who might be less able to look after themselves.”