Our legal expert has sent some updates – click on the links below for more information:

Tax and national insurance rates and thresholds for 2012-13.

Increased allowances for tax-free mileage reimbursement, and volunteers now eligible for ‘passenger payments’

36 tax reliefs to be abolished from April 2013.

Updated HMRC guide on tax and NI treatment of employer-supported childcare and vouchers.

“Real time” PAYE information to be introduced from 2013

Attention groups working in North Solihull.

There are 2 forthcoming free training sessions delivered by Fircroft College as part of the ‘Confident Communities’ programme.

• Fundraising:-  Tuesday 31st Jan 1:30pm-4:30pm at Seeds of Hope, Overgreen Drive, Kingshurst, Birmingham B37 6EY
• Running Effective Meetings:-  Tuesday 14th Feb 1:30pm-4:30pm at  Seeds of Hope.

To book your place, please email Alan Crawford on alanc@solihull-sustain.org.uk or ring 0121 711 3148

Social Enterprise West Midlands has organised an event aimed at Social Enterprises and VCO’s delivering services to Children & Young People.

Location: Enta CIC, on Tuesday 28th February 2012.

Enterprising Future is for Social Enterprise start-ups and VCO organisations looking to move to a social enterprise model within children and young people’s services.

The day will include social enterprise inspiration, with speakers and experts from the sector, practical workshops on topics such as business planning, contracts and finance, as well as the opportunity to sit down for a one-to-one session with a specialist social enterprise business advisor.

Register for the event here

For enquiries, email holly.brereton@socialenterprise.org.uk.

NCVO has produced a guide to delivering public services and commissioning entitled “Before signing on the dotted line – all you need to know about procuring public sector contracts”

You can download the guide below or visit NCVO website for more information and detailed guidance.

Before Signing Guide

BBC Children in Need have announced the launch of their Emergency Essentials Programme.

The Emergency Essentials Programme provides struggling families with items that meet children’s most basic needs such as a bed to sleep in or a cooker to give them a hot meal.

For further information on the programme and how to apply please click on the link below.

http://www.buttleuk.org/pages/grant-programmes-small-grants-programme-42.html

Under the Sita Trust’s Enhancing Communities Programme Core Fund, grants of up to £60,000 are available to not for profit organisations, community groups, parish councils, local authorities and charities for projects that make physical improvements to community facilities and historic buildings / structures.

The next closing date for applications is 10am on the 20th February  2012 for the Fast Track Fund (formerly Small Grants Scheme) scheme and 10 am on the 19th March 2012 for the Core Fund (formerly Large Grant Scheme).

http://www.sitatrust.org.uk/community-funding

Enable-Solihull has been contacted by someone who has an Easy-life Total Strider walker/exercise machine (friction fed, not electric) to give away.

It was bought about 4-5 years and is in very good condition, having been used very little.  Thrson concerned would like to give it away to someone who would find it useful. He doesn’t want to be paid for it.  To see what the item looks like go to http://www.easylifegroup.com/total-strider-2415

Anyone who is interested should contact Vince Price on 07854 685 316.

Solihull Council is asking people who live and work in the borough what they need from local library services.

The Council is asking people who live and work in the borough to share what they think of library services now as well looking ahead to what they would like to use libraries for, when they want to use them and how they want to use them.

People who currently don’t use a library are also being asked to take part and the overall results of the consultation will be used to review how library services are provided.

The consultation runs until Wednesday 29 February 2012 and can be found at http://www.solihull.gov.uk/consultation/

Young Solihull is offering Basic First Aid courses on 22 January, 18 February and 18 March.  For details contact Rob Wyatt on 0121 704 6059 or email rwyatt@solihull.gov.uk or

Download course information and booking form