• PCG chairman's new year message

• Improvements to member services

• Introducer scheme quarterly winner

• Calling for volunteers for an ACCA focus group

• Rogers Review of local authority regulatory priorities

• Consultation on HMRC penalty regime

• Quality Accountant - more new practices

• New affiliate member

• Member benefits - January bargains from Nexus Cars

• Regional meetings

• Contract opportunities for members
   

PCG CHAIRMAN'S NEW YEAR MESSAGE
David Ramsden has issued a New Year message to PCG members, looking at last year's achievements and forward to 2007, calling on government, industry and trades unions to recognise the 'third way' of working. Read more >>
 

IMPROVEMENTS TO MEMBER SERVICES

Legal advice at a time that suits you    
PCG members are now able to access the dedicated legal helpline 24-hours, 365 days a year.
The helpline is run by a team of over 50 qualified experienced lawyers, barristers and solicitors. Read more >>

PCG's PEI (tax investigation insurance) now offers you even better cover
As well as being covered for up to £75,000 worth of professional fees, PCG's PEI now covers you for Aspect Claims up to £1500. Read more >>

INTRODUCER SCHEME QUARTERLY WINNER
Congratulations to affiliate member SJD Accountancy, for winning this quarter's PCG new member introducer scheme. SJD Accountancy are experienced chartered tax advisors and accountants to contractors and freelancers. They move to top spot after being a close second last quarter. Runners up this quarter are ARM and Abraxas Plc. The scheme recognises the organisation which generates the highest number of new PCG membership subscriptions per quarter with the winner receiving £150 of Amazon vouchers.

CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR AN ACCA FOCUS GROUP
PCG has been asked by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants whether any of its members would like to take part in a focus group next week looking at how micro-businesses use their financial reports and information. Full details are below.

• When: 13.00 - 15.00, 18 January 2007
• Where: ACCA, 29 Lincoln Inn Fields, Holborn, London. WC2A 3EE
• What: ACCA, in support of the International Federation of Accountants, is hosting a focus group for an international research project into how micro-businesses (fewer than 10 employees) use their financial reports and information. Participants will be able to convey to the researchers what they want from their financial reports in the future and how they currently use their reports and the difficulties that exist. The findings of this research will influence the way all SMEs file their accounts in the future.
• Ideal attendees: Any limited company (not accountancy firms) with fewer than 10 employees
• Contact: James Meyrick at james.meyrick@accaglobal.com 

ROGERS REVIEW OF LOCAL AUTHORITY REGULATORY PRIORITIES
The Government has commissioned a review to examine more than 60 policy areas that local authorities' regulatory services currently enforce. If PCG members have experience of local authority regulation and would like to feed their views into the Review, PCG will compile a response. Further details are available on the Policy forum. Comment may be submitted there, or via email to policy@pcg.org.uk.

CONSULTATION ON HMRC PENALTY REGIME
HM Revenue and Customs have launched a consultation on changes to their penalty regime. PCG would like to hear members' views as it compiles its response, and invites comment either on the Policy forum or via email to policy@pcg.org.uk.

QUALITY ACCOUNTANT - MORE NEW PRACTICES
Four more accounting practices have been certified as Quality Accountants on the PCG (QA) scheme, bringing the total to 25.

All PCG Quality Accountants have received relevant and up-to-date training in freelancer-specific issues. PCG's full list of Quality Accountants is also available to non-members. The four new accredited practices are:

• Gibbons & Company
• Ensors
• Malcolm Veall & Co
• Grant Matthewson-Wymondham

More feedback has also been received on a number of firms. Click here to read feedback for PCG (QA) firms.

NEW AFFILIATE
This month we welcome Hillier Hopkins LLP as the latest PCG Affiliate member. HH Contractor Services Ltd, one of the Hillier Hopkins group companies, was established to deal specifically with Hillier Hopkins' growing contractor and freelance client base. Staff have over 10 years experience in providing specialist services to contractors. Hillier Hopkins are also a PCG (QA) certified practice.

MEMBER BENEFITS - JANUARY BARGAINS FROM NEXUS CARS
Volvo S40 1.6S with metallic paint with metallic paint £193 per month
Volvo S60 2.0T S with metallic paint £269 per month
The all-new Volvo S80 2.4D £289 per month
Al these deals are over 3 years 3+35 payments
Read more >> 

REGIONAL MEETINGS
Regional meetings, traditionally known on the forums as "RLMs", encourage members to socialise, network and discuss PCG issues. These meetings are open to all members, and in many cases non-members are welcome to come along too. If you would like to attend or propose regional meetings, please post to the relevant thread on the RLM forum, or email the local co-ordinator.

• London/AICS - Tuesday 23 January

The events diary holds information about RLMs and other PCG meetings, and includes a facility to register online, where appropriate.

CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS
For information about the latest job, project, contract and work opportunities, see PCG's Commercial and Members' Commercial forums. The Commercial forum may be accessed by Affiliate members, and PCG welcomes postings by agencies. If you are willing to have your commercial post published in the fortnightly newsletter, please include the words "newsletter OK". Current opportunities include:

• Struts/Hibernate/Spring developer - London/home based
• Testing/QA Lead - London

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