Ashley-Middleton

Apologies all, it's an essay! I thought it pertinent to make a response. I’m not one for backwards and forwards arguing across the internet, but when comments are made that I believe are in relation to me and not entirely factual, then it’s the time to speak out. I believe I am the member of staff that Al (Old Mill Tree Care) is relating to in his post stating a member of staff left in a tantrum. I don’t feel I left in a tantrum; yes, it may have been unexpected and with no notice, but that is one of the disadvantages to using self-employed staff. You can’t take all the benefits such as being able to drop them when you want (like you have done) and not expect them to exercise their right to choose when they work and who for. I turned up to work, told you I would no longer work for you as I felt you did not appreciate, respect or value me. I took my kit and left. Not exactly the definition of a tantrum. You say I thought I should be rewarded massively for my short service working for you. My “short service” was in fact a period of 22 months almost to the day. At no point did I expect to be rewarded massively, I just wished to be rewarded fairly. You also say that I had no comprehension of the cost to your business for my development; I disagree. Whenever money was discussed, I said numerous times I understood that I was not fully productive whilst in a harness and even attempted to agree a different rate so that when you gave me experience in the harness, I would charge you less. I’m not naive, I know the investment but your biggest asset in an arb company are your staff, not the £2 ratchet strap that’s gone missing. I hope I am not an example of feeling entitled and wanting everything now. At no point in my 22 months did I ask, request or demand for anything unreasonable. In fact, I can remember one instance of notifying you of a day where I was unavailable, with 3 weeks and 4 days’ notice, for you to tell me it was an issue and I couldn’t have it off. You then told other staff they could not work as I had taken it off last minute and could not rearrange. I find it coincidental, that if I had stuck around for just one more day then I would have found out how valued I was. Surely it should not take almost 2 years to be found valued. That should happen from day 1 and continue thereon. I would love to know what was literally about to be handed to me; really, I would. You also mention in another post about how long someone was destined to stay; I assume this relates to me as well. I was open from the beginning, that if I was given the right opportunities then I had absolutely no intention of going elsewhere. It got to a point where I felt I wasn’t getting the right opportunities on top of the other issues. This is quite evident to me as there are many occasions where I went several weeks without putting a harness on. Furthermore, after stopping working for you I have moved into a completely different field of work. I have not jumped ship into a different company. So that’s kind of the end of my response to your posts, but for those who are interested here is some more information that explains the situation a bit more. I did not go to a college, I took the route of self-funding my NPTC’s at Kingswood and obtained my 30, 31, 38, 39, Grinder and Chipper tickets. I also have a full clean driving license and I too funded my B+E trailer licence. I started with Al completely green. He gave me plenty of work for which I am grateful. I started on £75 per day as a labour only sub-contractor. After I obtained my qualifications it remained at £75. Over the course of the 22 months it increased in small increments to £100 per day, but only ever when I asked (I understand, a subby sets his own rates, but Al does not treat his staff like subbies). The £100 day rate was literally for the last 2 weeks, so basically it rose from £75 to £95 over 21 months. For this day rate, I provided myself, climbing kit, saws, running the ropes, leading on jobs, I was driving your van and towing (towing license was essential as it was not a sub 750 chipper). Whenever I spoke about money, your reply would be that you had been meaning to speak to me about it, but hadn’t; you would have to check with your wife what you could afford; and that everyone on Arbtalk and Facebook lie about what they charge and what they pay staff. Therefore, I felt undervalued. Take out the not being 100% productive in a harness, I was a groundsperson providing all kit, self-employed, driving, towing and running jobs for £95 a day. At one point, your wife spoke to me and said that you saw me as a team leader/foreman and that I should speak to the other groundsperson (now left) about their attitude. This groundsperson left because they felt they were bullied and always blamed for general mishaps. This groundsperson was PAYE and stated to me they were on £75 per day (I work that out to be bang on minimum wage). I think you possibly forget about the instances when you were in absent for prolonged periods of time. I will not mention details on here, but apart from quoting, invoicing and office admin, I virtually ran your company during these periods. Quite often you would send us out to jobs with the wrong kit. I get it, it happens; but it happened a lot. Yes, it makes the job longer, harder and that affects your pocket. What doesn’t affect your pocket is staff safety. This was compromised several times during my short 22 month service. Three instances of corner cutting are in my mind; two roadside jobs when we were sent understaffed and without any appropriate traffic management; and a large dismantle where an old, out of LOLER rigging rope snapped and fortune was the only reason nobody was hurt. One of the last jobs I was on I thought I was about to see you get crushed due to a poor fell with no planning. This industry is dangerous enough, it doesn’t need to be made any more dangerous by not taking the appropriate kit and cutting corners. I can admit, that throughout my time working for you, I didn’t raise all my personal issues (safety wise both myself and another climber did) with you. The reason is I found it very hard to approach you. You tend to tell people they are wrong and what they’ve seen/heard/know is incorrect. You are not always right, whether you agree with that is another matter, but you never admitted to my knowledge that you were wrong in any instance. There was always a reason or an excuse for what happened. If things changed, I would consider working for you again. I have noticed your latest advert on indeed (I assume via an agency) and it states from £23,000 to £40,000. I do hope this is true as I never really saw it. If you wish to attempt to reconcile our relationship, I’m still on the same number and email. I will not be posting any further to this thread, hence the incredibly long essay covering everything I wish to say in one post. Some may say my response is defamatory and unnecessary. If I had any intent on airing this publicly, I would have done so three months ago when I left. I am merely replying to the post that, in my opinion, was about me and untruthful.

Just emailed them. Thanks.

Thanks but even if they did, they are a bit too far away.

Where about approximately in Wiltshire? Thanks

Hi all. Looking to hire a greenmech cs100 for a couple of days for a job to save a long drag and disposal. I am based in Godstone (near Gatwick, Surrey/sussex/Kent border). I have found one place but it is out on long term hire. Does anyone know where may hire one out. Or alternatively any other chipper up to the job of a beech reduction that can get through a 780mm gateway. I've seen the timberwolf 13/75g which I can hire locally but its 800mm wide. Considering looking at seeing if the wheels can be taken off to reduce width. Has anyone done that? Thanks, Ashley

What's the clip on the bungee side called. I like the look of it ?

What I was trying to say is if you've natural crotch redirected and you're going back up through that crotch, is it easy to slide the double one up the line where the rope touches the crotch. It was easy with the single but unsure on double.

I have looked at this but how bulky is it for being hung on your harness and for pushing through crotches on ascents.

I thought that initially but after trying one I found it brilliant. Maybe I don't have the best ropewalking technique, but I find I get an awkward strain in my arms from gripping the rope to keep my body upright. Using the hand Ascender made it so much easier to remain upright. Plus it's useful to create a quick 3 to 1.

Looking for a hand Ascender to make ropewalks a bit more comfortable/ergonomic and a little faster. Have been using a petzl hand Ascender recently but looking to get my own. What do you think is best. Looking at the ct and Kong I think. Ropewalking with a BDB, chest harness, ct foot Ascender and ct knee Ascender.

This is my biggest issue with my simarghu. Mine isnt used daily and i take care of it but within the first 2 months the velcro tore off. Now before every climb I'm retreating it through and even then it still pulls out. Descending today it pulled through the buckle. I would think that if there has been a revision for safety surely old versions should be exchanged.

The issue is, in my opinion, that the threshold is based on turnover and not profit. Therefore depending on what industry you are in it will effect you differently. But I also agree with what has previously said that reducing the threshold will lead to a greater gap between those that comply and those that don't.

All depends on how much hire of the equipment that it happening. Company A cannot hire say a chipper to company B at £1 for a week. It has to be inline with industry average (can't remember the exact phrasing). If company A is hiring so much equipment that it has to become VAT registered, then the hire will be plus vat which company B cannot claim back (assuming company B is going to be non registered doing domestic work). That is where you would loose out tax wise. That is if we are applying it to the original scenario of wanting a domestic work company (not vat reg) and a commercial work company (vat reg)

The HMRC term for this is Disaggregation. The 'normal' occurrence for this is to split one larger business into 2 separate smaller businesses to avoid registering for VAT. However there are slight variations such as the example given of two separate companies for different clients. HMRC have specialist teams for this. There are several elements that are considered to work out if it should just be one company. How is the businesses advertised. Who are the clients (are they potentially the same people). This should be okay as its split domestic and commercial. However the issue is with the service being provided. Is the service the same. Yes. It is the same people running the company, the same people providing the work, and the same tools being used. I would suspect that HMRC would take the view that it should be one entity and therefore if one of the sub companies is vat registered (whether voluntarily or not) then output tax would be due from all sales of all companies. If you were to have two completely separate companies with different crews and tools then you may have an argument. If not, I wouldn't risk it. And the VAT van be backdated. As a matter of course it will be taken back 4 years, but if they can prove that the evasion of VAT has been done 'deliberately' and the evidence has been 'concealed' then it can be taken back 20 years.

Only 4 years for goods still on hand (such as kit), 6 months for services (such as a website or accounting fees).