Latest news with #DavidAllen
ITV News
2 days ago
- ITV News
'People don't want to leave their house': New crackdown on summertime anti-social behaviour
A charity says some people are too scared to step outside because of fears over anti-social behaviour. Cumbria Police are partnering with community groups to launch a Safe Streets Summer project, which hopes to combat the issue by keeping young people engaged with activities throughout the summer holidays and by ramping up enforcement. Harley Day, a Remedi Community Engagement Officer, said: "Some people don't even want to leave their house. It can be very scary, especially when they live on their own and they're older; it has a massive effect. "It could just be that youths are just knocking on their door, but we don't know what they've been through in the past. You know, people have quite traumatic stress." Police say there's been a decline in the number of anti-social behaviour incidents in Cumbria, with 985 fewer reports in the year leading up to March. David Allen, Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: "For me, coming back into Cumbria and the policing sphere, it broke my heart to see that we withdrew from the public that we serve. "We're now turning that dial back, providing visible policing and neighbourhood police officers who know the patch." Cumbria Youth Alliance says there is a lack of facilities for young people across the county - but it's not the whole picture. Chief Operating Officer Sophie Birkett, from Cumbria Youth Alliance, said: "There were around 586 different youth services around Cumberland, not all youth groups, but something offering something for young people, for them to do. So I don't think it's a lack of provision. I think it's a lack of awareness." This summer initiative follows the launch of Operation Enhance in July 2024, in which the force pledged to carry out extra patrols in 18 hotspot areas, including Carlisle, Workington, Maryport, Cleator Moor, Whitehaven, Penrith and Kendal. Lauren Woodward, from Cumbria's Fire and Rescue team, said: "It's quite rare in Cumbria, but one is too many, so we just ask people to be mindful and share messages with their children about the impact it can have on us if you hurt one of our firefighters, they're not able to do their job."
STV News
24-06-2025
- Business
- STV News
Businesses urged to help ‘shape future workforce' by investing in young people
Experts have urged Scottish businesses to help 'shape the future workforce' by investing in upskilling young people, as a survey suggests the next generation of workers is not being given the support it needs to plug the nation's skills gaps. According to the Open University business barometer survey, more than half (56%) of Scottish businesses are currently experiencing a skills shortage but only about a third (35%) have specific initiatives in place to recruit, retain or train under-25s. The survey, of more than 2,000 UK organisations and 1,000 'Gen Z' adults, also found that while the majority of Gen Z respondents are aware that Scotland has a skills gap, two-thirds (66%) have never been told they lack specific skills. Meanwhile, 71% of Gen Z respondents said they would stay longer with an employer that offers training and development while 72% said they are considering careers based on where skills are most needed in the UK. Researchers said the 'disconnect' between employers and young people is particularly stark in the field of AI. According to the survey, just under half (47%) of Gen Z in Scotland say they are already working in, or interested in working in, AI, but a fifth (20%) of Scottish employers say they lack the confidence to deliver their AI strategies because of a skills deficit. Baroness Martha Lane Fox, chancellor at The Open University, said: 'Employers have an incredible opportunity – and responsibility – to shape the future workforce. 'The talent is out there. Young people are motivated, they're digitally savvy and they want to contribute. But they need clear training pathways, practical support and employers willing to invest. 'While there are economic challenges at this moment for employers, the smartest organisations won't just wait for skills to arrive – they'll build them, inclusively and proactively, to fuel growth and resilience.' The survey found many businesses in Scotland were finding it difficult to recruit and train staff because of the increase in national insurance rates (58%), an increase in the minimum wage (51%) and economic uncertainty (70%). However, the results also made clear the impact the skills shortage is having, with 44% of respondents saying it is increasing the workload for other staff, 39% pointing to reduced productivity and 35% saying they have scaled back growth or expansion plans. David Allen, senior partnerships manager at The Open University in Scotland, said: 'Scotland's skills gap is one of the biggest long-term challenges facing our economy – but it's also one of our greatest opportunities. 'With 56% of employers who offer apprenticeships set to hire or train more apprentices and 51% recognising they have a responsibility to fund staff training, there is real momentum building. 'However, with a third of employers citing funding as a barrier and many still without a formal skills plan, action is urgently needed. 'Flexible, inclusive training delivered in partnership with tertiary education providers can help employers retain talent, address skills shortages before they escalate and help support long-term succession planning within the business. 'We need to meet learners where they are, equip them for the future and make development a shared priority. 'The organisations that do will be the ones shaping Scotland's growth and resilience for years to come.' The survey also indicated continuing support for equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) initiatives among Scottish businesses, with 87% of firms saying ED&I was important to them, and 56% saying it will become even more important over the next five years. However, the data shows a quarter (24%) of employers currently have no initiatives in place for underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, including returners, career changers and workers with disabilities or neurodiversities. The researchers said this was a 'missed opportunity' to broaden the talent pipeline and reduce economic inactivity, particularly in sectors facing acute workforce shortages. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'We welcome this report which affirms what we already know – that Scotland's young people have talent, knowledge and enthusiasm that we want and need in our economy. 'That is why we are already undertaking a major programme of reform of the skills system to ensure that it meets Scotland's needs and we are providing £185 million this year to deliver 25,500 new modern apprentices, 5,000 foundation apprentices and 1,200 graduate apprentices. 'We will also continue to provide support for 38,500 apprentices already in training.' The spokesperson added: 'A major driver of the skills shortages which are holding Scotland back is Brexit and UK immigration policy, and the Scottish Government has put forward proposals for a Scottish Graduate Visa to ensure we can benefit from the skills of people who want to live and work here.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Mint
12-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
The two-minute investment rule that can transform your finances
David Allen revolutionised productivity with a deceptively simple idea in his bestselling book Getting Things Done. Among his many insights, perhaps the most transformative is the two-minute rule: if something takes less than two minutes to do, do it immediately rather than adding it to your to-do list. The logic is elegant, the time spent writing it down, remembering it, and eventually doing it far exceeds the time needed to complete the task right away. This principle, born in the world of personal productivity, offers some valuable lessons for managing your investments. Just as Allen discovered that small tasks left undone create disproportionate mental overhead, small investment-related tasks left unattended can snowball into outsized financial problems. Read this | This CEO has no fixed-income investments, and has never done an SIP Consider a common scenario: you receive dividend payments, maturity proceeds, or some other lump sum that sits idle in your savings account for months. The two-minute action of transferring these funds into a liquid fund or setting up a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) helps preserve purchasing power. Yet most investors defer this simple step, watching their money quietly lose value to inflation. The same applies to other routine tasks - updating nomination details, reviewing insurance coverage annually, reconciling portfolio statements, or ensuring your SIPs are running smoothly. Each of these typically takes just a couple of minutes, but ignoring them can lead to major headaches later. Allen's rule recognizes a fundamental truth about human behaviour: we tend to overestimate the effort needed for small tasks and underestimate their cumulative impact. In investing, this leads to a dangerous pattern—deferring minor maintenance until it turns into major problems. Take the simple act of reviewing your mutual fund statements each month. Most investors either ignore them or promise to do a 'proper" review later. But what does a proper review really entail? For most retail investors, it means little more than checking if the funds are performing reasonably and ensuring no unexpected charges have crept in. That's a two-minute job per fund. Yet catching issues early can prevent years of underperformance. If you use a platform like Value Research Fund Advisor, it becomes even easier. And remember, this isn't just financial housekeeping—it is return on investment (ROI) in its purest form. ROI is the gain on an action divided by its cost. While this is usually applied to large investment decisions, it holds just as true for micro-tasks. Move ₹50,000 from a 3% savings account to a 7% liquid fund, and in the 90 seconds it takes, you'll earn around ₹2,000 more over a year—that's equivalent of making over ₹80 lakh an hour for that minute-and-a-half of effort. Few corporate projects deliver such yields. In that light, procrastination isn't harmless—it's a silent wealth tax. Two minutes trumps indifference—because the market rewards speed and inflation punishes delay. Read this | The one number every investor must know—but rarely does This approach challenges the notion that good investing requires slow, careful deliberation over every decision. While big investment calls do deserve thought, much of successful portfolio management is just routine hygiene—small, regular actions that benefit from speed, not perfectionism. The rule also helps counter one of the most destructive forces in retail investing: procrastination disguised as preparation. Many investors delay getting started because they want to research the 'perfect" allocation or find the 'best" mutual funds. But the two-minute rule offers a better path: if you can identify a reasonable investment option quickly, act on it. You can always refine later. What you can't do is get back the time lost to inaction. The most important thing is to begin—begin somehow, with anything. Most importantly, the two-minute rule helps maintain what professionals call 'portfolio hygiene." Just like personal hygiene involves small actions that prevent illness, portfolio hygiene involves timely actions that prevent financial messes. Also read | Ask yourself these questions to avoid emotional investing So the next time you receive an investment-related alert or communication, ask yourself: Can I address this in two minutes or less? If yes, do it immediately. Whether it's updating contact details, checking balances, or making a small adjustment, these little acts compound over time. Successful investing isn't just about choosing the right stocks or funds—it's about consistently taking care of the small stuff before it becomes big stuff. Sometimes, the best financial advice isn't about what to buy, but about what to do now. Dhirendra Kumar is the founder and CEO of Value Research, an independent investment research firm.
BBC News
31-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Penrith A66 traffic problems hitting businesses, says BID
Businesses are losing over £100,000 each Friday due to traffic congestion, according to a business Broad, chair of Penrith's Business Improvement District (BID), said queues on and around the A66 were putting people off coming into Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner David Allen also said gridlocked traffic was increasing emergency response times.A plan to turn the whole of the A66 between Penrith and Scotch Corner into dual carriageway is currently under review. Mr Broad said the BID estimated it cost each business in town £300-500 every Friday, when the traffic is at its worst, and that this amounted to over £100,000 in total."Penrith in effect on a Friday becomes a place to avoid," he said. According to Mr Broad, the problem is caused by large volumes of tourist traffic, along with freight, using the A66 at Kemplay Bank roundabout and junction 40 of the believes traffic flow measures should be used to stop Kemplay Bank becoming "like a car park".Cumbria's police and fire and rescue services both have their headquarters next to Kemplay Bank Mr Allen said, while his teams met their response targets, it took longer to get to incidents when the roads were said: "If you were leaving police headquarters in a non-emergency scenario, it can take 30 minutes just to get 300 yards to the roundabout." Some locals have suggested switching off the traffic lights at Kemplay Bank or using a yellow hatched box to improve traffic Highways, which manages the A66, said traffic lights improved congested roundabouts and a recent inspection of those at Kemplay Bank "detected no issues". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Press and Journal
22-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Picturesque Lossiemouth church which fell victim to Church of Scotland cuts hits the market
A charming late Victorian Lossiemouth church which was closed as part of major Church of Scotland cuts has hit the market. St Gerardine's Church was designed by the well-known Scottish architect Sir John James Burnet. The church was closed in December 2023 after holding it's final service. The closure was part of a wider plan to unite St Gerardine's and St James' in the town into a single parish under the name Lossiemouth Church of Scotland. It comes as they reduce the number of buildings they own nationwide to reduce pressure on congregational finances and in turn freeing up funds. Church of Scotland is advertising the sale of the B-listed building for offers over £150,000. The church has impressive stained glass windows depicting biblical themes. Church of Scotland bosses say the building is 'full of character and charm'. The church is built in an L-shape which includes an entrance porch that leads to an inner hall. There is a main worship area, a chancel and a vestry with a toilet. A corridor connects to a kitchen and a church hall, which can be divided using concertina doors. The building also has an office, more toilets, and storage rooms. Meanwhile, the building benefits from the large area of surrounding land and stunning views of the beach, sea and countryside. In the sales notice, church officials suggested the building could be converted into a creche, nursery, museum, or gallery without needing change of use consent. Meanwhile, there's also potential for other uses such a cinema, retail space, or community hub and even residential with the right approvals. There are many former Church of Scotland buildings already earmarked for new uses. They include Burghead Parish Church, which could be turned into a new and bigger Scotmid store. It is becoming more common for these type of buildings to be redeveloped into homes or other uses. St Margaret's Hall in Urquhart could become a three-bedroom home for doctor David Allen who is moving to the area. Meanwhile, plans have already been approved to transform the former Rathven Church Hall into a three-bedroom home. Elsewhere, the future of St Giles Church is unclear with church bosses intending to dispose of the building by August 2027. Click here for the full for sale listing for St Gerardine's Church.
