Paul Jenks

Which is why Lantra et Al are endeavouring to deliver a system that will start to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Not in Oxfordshire, Bob. The framework model developed by Tim Shickle is now being adopted across the land as an example of how to do it.

Just goes to show how I could never be a council employee. I don't do white flags.

You're right. Most of them will grow back. Some of them won't and some of the sections within some of the trees won't. Apart from not conforming to any recognised standard, these works will have an effect on the long term viability of the trees and will have future management implications for re-pruning and/or removal. If a council tree officer recommended, sanctioned or paid for this type of work they ought to be ashamed. Many of the trees look as if a good lift and a light reduction to over extended side growth would have done. It's certainly not standard work around here and hasn't been for a number of years. Any of the contractors on the council framework who carried out works like this would not work for the council again.

You'd do well to have an HR specialist look at your current contract of employment. The onus to get that right is with the employer, so if there are any errors it strengthens your case. As was said, the 12/24 month timescale only came in recently so those already in employment would be unaffected. Signing under protest is a good way of gaining a bit more time if you need to do more investigation. I personally don't like zero hours contracts. I think they go against the spirit of employing people. If I'm going to employ someone full time there is pressure on me to find them work. Statutory redundancy is only worth a little bit. The process for the company is quite complex and time consuming. It may be possible to engineer to move out the people the company wants out, though this would be a risky strategy. The ACAS website has a whole deal of info on the subject for employees and employers alike.

If it's for a 5837 survey get the client to supply you with a proper topographical survey as they'll need it for planning anyway. If it's just a survey, use the o/s maps as suggested above.

Look at all your costs, not just the wages. As has been said, pay someone minimum wage and jobs will usually take longer. Decent staff cost more and usually produce more. Wages are the largest cost and so will have a greater impact on costs. Add up all your annual costs: wages, rent, heat, light, office, advertising, accountancy, insurance, fuel, machinery, spares, servicing, contigency, etc, etc. Divide by 250 and this will give you a rough idea of the amount you need to earn per day to acheive it. If you want some profit add a bit to your day rate. Working out the price for employees is an iterative process. Start with an average and take it from there. Talk to your accountant and prepare a budget forecast and cashflow forecast. These will help you to plan for the year with outgoings, expenses and unforeseen costs.

We have a wooden spar and mast maker next to us. They must burn 4-5 cubic metres a week. Find a local cabinet maker and come to some arrangement. They are usually glad to be rid of it.

Director. On one site we were referred to in the paperwork as 'Vegetation Clearance Consultants'.

Summarised very well. We, as an industry, need to be pushing change ahead of the curve. We should have a system that demonstrates our professionalism and competencies. Ultimately, there may be legislation that restricts work on trees to those who are on the register in the way Corgi/Gas Safe does.

Local Government Ombudsman • Home Have a read of this. Put your correspondence in a form that'll make them sit up and take notice. If they haven't followed the correct procedures or timescales the ombudsman really likes to know. (I have an uncle who works for them. I was chatting to him about this type of issue at Christmas.)

Dividends are paid from the taxable profits of a company. When a company declares a profit on their annual return, this is taxed at current corporation tax rates. Currently 19% for small enterprises. The directors then hold and AGM to decide how the profits are to be spent. I.e. re-invest, working capital, dividends, pay down debts. If a dividend is to be declared the shareholder/s are given the amount declared and no further tax is payable. Therefore the overall tax burden to the owner is less than if they either took drawings as a sole trader or a decent living wage as a director. As directors are employees the company pays a NI contribution for the privilage of employing them regardless of whether they are paid a wage. If a dividend takes a persons earnings over the current 45% PAYE taxable earnings threshold, the recipient is likely to be taxed on those earnings above the threshold regardless of where they came from and whether corporation tax has been paid on the money. If a company is run deliberately to record a loss they are breaking the law. Directors have a fiduciary duty to ensure their companies are run to make profit. One of the fundamantal reasons is to ensure that any creditors of the company, and this includes staff, are always remunerated.

It's a very good idea. One issue I would have with trying to get a belt and braces system up and running straight away is that it is unlikely to be adopted by the industry and it is unlikely to work. IMO it needs to be introduced gradually, working towards an ideal that is the stringent process of evidential accounting of experiential learning and skill assessment, and with the recognition of training and qualification acquisitions all combined together, enabling arborists to achieve a grade that will recognise their skills, experience, training and qualifications. Also, IMO, the assessment of individual skills and learning should not be limited to a select band of assessors. There should be peer reviews and the endorsed skill set needs to have a decay mechanism, be available to view by potential employers and have a validation rating system similar to ebay. That way erroneous endorsements would be found out and it would be in everyones interest to be a bit more honest about their skills or their ability to judge someone elses skills.

Drove past it today. I grew up just down the road. It must have been there 10-15 years now. We do some stuff for BP. I'll make a couple of calls and see what comes up.

Bloody good point. Been there, done that.

No tips. Just hit it hard in Jan or July. As you say, leave a scaffold. It'll come back. For looks prune back to growth points. (It doesn't really matter though.)

I read the bit about continued employment to mean that if people regularly didn't turn in, the company may have to lose staff or close down. Is that what you meant ELG? If someone regularly didn't turn in, the same performance managing process would apply as if they were not doing their job properly and then continued employent may mean a different thing.

It does sound a little bizarre. Even more bizarre is putting up with it. I guess you love your job. I know I'd rather be outside all weathers than inside all weathers.

It's a similar situation with things like satnav. When they first became available to the masses for sailing, many people came unstuck as they put to sea without knowing the basics of navigation let alone being able to use a sextant or recording their EP. They're great tools and knowing how to function without them is vitally important.

The beauty and relative simplicity of a prussik is that if it starts to lose grip halfway through a job one can turn it round and carry on. (Or grip it with one hand and cut with the other.) Old school indeed. How very dare you. Do they still teach using the end of the climbing rope to form a prussik in climbing tests?

Annual investment allowance Most businesses can claim an annual investment allowance for expenditure of up to £100,000 a year on most plant and machinery, apart from cars. In many cases (depending on your level of expenditure) this may mean that you can claim your entire expenditure on qualifying items against this allowance. A reduction in the annual investment allowance to £25,000 a year from 1 April 2012 for Corporation Tax, and from 6 April 2012 for Income Tax has been announced, subject to legislation. Annual investment allowance only applies for expenditure incurred on or after 1 April 2008 for Corporation Tax or 6 April 2008 for Income Tax. There is more information in this guide on annual investment allowances. Straight from the hrmc.gov website. Go to capital allowances. There are also bigger allowances for start ups in their first year. If your accountant tell you all you need to know in an easy to comprehend way that is up to date for no charge other than his/her annual fee,change accountants.

What? Next thing you know they'll be expecting to get paid for climbing trees:lol:

This is a contingency that is very difficult to plan for as it is so irregular. We endeavour to push on as the lack of income for a few days eats into capital and moral pretty quickly. I try to organise some ground based work if the weather looks a bit cack though this is not always possible. Alaways have some grit on the trucks and shovels. We send teams ahead in the 4wd and the rest clear the roads into an estate. Got a complaint from a miserable b***h one year. We cleared and gritted the long hill up to a snow bound cul-de-sac and she complained the path was covered in snow. From an employers position if guys don't turn in they don't get paid, if you tell them not to they do. Have a discussion with them. Most employees are smarter than they are given credit for and know when things are tight. Talk to them candidly and come to an arrangement where they do lighter or half days in the snow and then make up some of the time later in the year. It's not ideal, it's just an idea.

Bloody good effort. Worth the time I'd say.