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Issue:- 5 April  2012

New log book shines a spotlight on hidden horrors at home!

HOUSEHOLDERS and those looking to sell, buy or rent a property, can find out exactly what horrors it may be hiding, thanks to a pioneering new service.  The Institute of Specialist Surveyors and Engineers (ISSE) Home Log Book is set to revolutionise the property industry by providing the most in-depth, detailed examination of a property ever available.

People planning to improve their home, buyers wishing to purchase a property and tenants preparing to sign a lease will all benefit from the scheme, which uncovers hidden, internal as well as external, problems, such as toxic mould, not covered in standard surveyors’ reports.

For an agreed fee, ISSE trained and certificated surveyors carry out a thorough examination of a property to establish if hazardous decorative or structural materials have been used, determine the adequacy of ventilation, identify security features and examine the likelihood of external environmental impact, such as flooding.

The ISSE then issues the client with a full breakdown and report on the interior and exterior of the property, identifies what remedial work is required and can even provide quotes from professional tradesmen for the cost of carrying it out.

The ISSE Home Log book is then stored on a cloud-based system, along with supporting documents and guarantees, providing an easy-to-access paper trail showing what work has been carried out, when and by whom.

William Kidd, Chairman and Fellow of the ISSE – which aims to improve standards and training within the industry - said:- "House buyers will be able to see at a glance what needs doing to a property and gain immediate access to documents and guarantees in relation to historical repairs and improvements.  This will speed up property transactions because, for the first time, everyone involved in the sale or purchase will have access to accurate and updated information.  In addition the Home Log can be used by tenants to prove there are no underlying issues with the property, such as damp. It will also give householders a reputable breakdown of any home improvements they wish to carry out with quotes from reputable tradesmen, meaning they are no longer at the mercy of cowboy builders."

Further information about the ISSE and the Home Log Book, which is operating as a pilot scheme at present prior to being rolled out across the UK, can be obtained by calling the ISSE on:- 0800 136779 or visiting its website.

New Art Month For Liverpool!

THE Visual Art is set to dominate the city this May as ‘The Liverpool Art Month’ is officially launched. The Liverpool Art Month is a new initiative aimed at showcasing the city’s artists during the Liverpool Art Prize exhibition.

Metal, the organisers behind the Liverpool Art Prize, have formed a new partnership with Liverpool John Moores University’s School of Art and Design and some of the city’s leading independent arts organisations, studio groups and artists’ networks including: Arena studios and gallery, the Bluecoat’s studio artists, the Bridewell studios, dot-art, Redwire artst’s studios, The Royal Standard, The Gallery Liverpool, Wolstenholme Creative Space, and POST female artists network.

Liverpool Art Month will bring the city’s artists together in a new series of events and exhibitions that will be spread across a number of exciting and undiscovered locations. The network of artists and gallery spaces is hoping to attract the region’s art lovers to Liverpool city centre to see the Liverpool Art Prize exhibition alongside the creative emerging talent found in the city’s exciting making spaces.

As part of Liverpool Art Month, the inaugural Liverpool Art Show will be unveiled at Camp and Furnace on Thursday, 3 May 2012. Taking place until Sunday, 6 May 2012, the Liverpool Art Show is presented by Merseyside art consultants, dot-art and Matt Ford. Combining live performance and music with fine art exhibition, The Art Show will feature four breakthrough artists from Liverpool shortlisted for their experimental perceptions of the local cityscape. Sponsored by venue Camp and Furnace, there will be live performances from The Sense of Sound Singers and DJ sets from 'Cant Mix, Wont Mix, Shdnt Mix, Don't Mix'.

On Friday, 4 May 2012, Arena Studios and Gallery will present their 10th annual art auction with artwork available to bid on including work by each of the five shortlisted Liverpool Art Prize artists. This is an opportunity to buy contemporary artwork by some of Liverpool’s rising stars, viewings of the work from 6pm auction starts at 7pm.

A series of exhibitions and installations will be presented on Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout May by Red Wire Artists Studios and arts organisation Wolstenholme Creative Space. This includes the exhibition, DIRT, from 9 May to 12 May that presents video, drawing, sculpture and sounds around the perception of dirt by four artists. Spectrum, at Wolstenholme Creative Space from 10 May to 17 May, features 15 solo exhibitions with five Liverpool-based artists, duos and collectives exhibiting each week.

On 25 May to 1 June 2012, there will also be the opportunity to see the LJMU School of Art and Design final degree show at the Art and Design Academy (ADA), on Duckinfield Street (next to the Catholic Cathedral). The School’s degree show is always a key event in the city’s cultural calendar. This year’s event runs over the weekend so there’s no reason not to pop in to the ADA for a look around and a chat with the students and staff.

The final weekend in May will feature the inaugural Liverpool Art Fair, oganised by dot-art, an exciting new open submission selling event over five days, designed to connect local artists with new art buyers on a large scale, break down barriers, and make affordable art accessible to all. It will take place across 2 large exhibition spaces in the newly rejuvenated Camp and Furnace (previously the A-Foundation) in Liverpool's Baltic Triangle; launching on the evening of Thursday, 31 May 2012, and open to the public from 11am to 6pm from Friday, 1 June to Monday, 4 June 2012.

Also look out for the many events happening across Liverpool’s Light Night on Friday, 18 May 2012.

The Liverpool Art Month is currently accepting donations from individuals and organisations who want to see the event get even bigger and better, both this year and for the future. To achieve this, they have created a ‘Crowdfunding’ site, where donations can be made easily. In return, there are numerous tokens on offer including the opportunity for a Liverpool Art Prize Nominee to lead a workshop at your workplace or venue.   There is also a video on the site explaining a little more about the art month.

This announcement is in addition to Metal’s 2 fantastic new award prizes that will be up for grabs as part of this year’s Liverpool Art Month. The prizes join the 5th annual Liverpool Art Prize and are announced as a year long studio residency at Metal and a month-long international residency in Shanghai, China.

The 2 new Residency prizes exist alongside the main Art Prize with a separate nominations and judging process, which is now open. For the first time, artists based outside of the Merseyside area are eligible to apply. Full details of who can apply and downloadable application forms can be found online.

The Liverpool Art Prize is a competition of contemporary art, which was inspired by the Turner Prize and began in 2008. It is open to all professional artists based or born in the Liverpool City Region or in the surrounding boroughs of Liverpool, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley, Halton and Sefton. 

More information can also be found at:- liverpoolartprize.com. You can also find out more via taking a look at:- metalculture.com and liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.


Review of intellectual property must protect small businesses stung by licensing bodies

THE Forum of Private Business are calling for legal reforms to reflect the dramatic change in the way music is consumed in the workplace and to protect small firms from being stung by licence enforcement bodies.

Responding to a consultation on copyright issues from the Intellectual Property Office, the Forum is arguing that the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 should be reformed to take into account the explosion of new digital technologies and online consumption since the late 1980s.

The Forum believes that the concept of employees being considered an ‘audience’ should be reviewed; and that firms should not pay for a licence unless they are playing music to customers. At the very least, small business owners should not be forced to pay both the Performing Rights Society (PRS) and Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) for two separate licences.

Instead, the not-for-profit employer organisation is suggesting a fairer, more co-ordinated approach with monies split between the collecting societies.

"Entrepreneurs are the UK's real innovators and it is essential that they can better protect their ideas and avoid falling foul of intellectual property and copyright laws.”
said the Forum’s Senior Policy Adviser, Alex Jackman, who last year gave evidence at a Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee inquiry following the Forum’s response to the Hargreaves Review of intellectual property.

“A central issue is how workplace music licences operate and are enforced. We believe existing laws do not reflect the realities of how people; including employees; consume music today, and should be reformed to take into account the internet and the explosion of digital technologies. Ideally, a licence should only be required if customers can hear the music being played; at the very least, firms should only have to pay once, for a single licence. Our members continue to report that they do not understand the complex tariffs, rules and regulations, that not enough guidance is available and that, while licensing bodies are using underhand tactics to unfairly exploit this situation, there is little information about how to complain about mistreatment. This is not the direction we should be heading in to help small businesses and the economy.”
the Forum added.

The Forum is welcoming the decision to provide protection via an ombudsman, a move originally announced in 2009, and the Government’s decision to publish minimum standards for voluntary codes of practice.

Despite indications that complaints have declined since the PRS introduced its voluntary Music Code of Conduct in 2011, there remains a high level several of complaints, with business owners expressing dismay and anger at the activities of both organisations.

Criticisms include complex, multiple price tariffs and licence requirements; a lack of information to help firms make sense of them; and even that PRS and PPL representatives appear to have an agenda to catch firms out, often posing as researchers in order to ask questions about music being played in the workplace.

Forum member Tony Wade owns the Otley-based Trade Labels Ltd, which supplies to the printing industry. After receiving a call from PRS telling him he must pay for a licence, he investigated and found he does not have to pay.

"Apparently, because only one person can hear the radio, we don't have to pay, but I can't explain why. The system is completely confusing. When they initially called there was the assumption that we would have to pay. I can only presume they are geared towards getting the maximum amount of money they can. I knew nothing about an ombudsman. I had never heard this was available, nor did any other business I've discussed the PRS with."
said Mr Wade.

Coinciding with the new government "Get it Right – First Time" initiative to help business owners protect their intellectual property, the Forum is focusing on small firms’ IP rights more broadly as part of its consultation response.

In particular, while supporting the principle of general copyright notices from the Intellectual Property Office, the Forum asserts that members need the IPO to provide better, more accessible and affordable support.

The idiosyncratic nature of the copyright problems often faced by small business owners means that general, overarching notices relating to court cases are of little value. Better help, including personal, more bespoke support where necessary, would be of more use.

Further, clearer guidelines regarding the use of "orphan works", which are non-attributed works, including the impact of any future Digital Copyright Exchange (DCE) on searches, would be welcome.

"Orphan works"
is a major issue for all involved in art and the media as well, and the NUJ and other media and art bodies are warning that changes might destroy the industry!

As a single access point for all copyrighted materials, the DCE would have the full backing of the Forum if it allowed small businesses to access what they need more quickly and efficiently, with a clear idea of what fees are involved.

However, the Forum believes that any DCE should be free at the point of use and, ideally, be run by the Government or the IPO rather than a private sector provider.

While authorising bodies should be allowed to offer a search function, this should be not be at the expense of creating a more transparent system allowing small businesses to do it more easily, and should be embraced primarily in the interests of these firms.

Finally, the Forum also sees merit in the proposal to publish an awaiting claim list on a central public database that may remove altogether the need for a search facility. Further, an exploration of cost sharing between businesses which pay for diligent searches of orphan works and those which benefit from those searches through reduced costs for using the same works would be valuable.

For more information about the PRS, PPL and the music at work licensing requirements, click here.

Merseyside Red Squirrel Champion Honoured!

THE work of one of Merseyside’s hard working volunteers has been honoured by national conservation charity, the Red Squirrel Survival Trust (RSST). Launched last year (2011), the awards, which are supported by HRH The Prince of Wales, are designed to reward the vast army of volunteers working around the country to preserve our native red squirrels.   A member of Red Alert (now Red Squirrels Northern England) on Merseyside since its inception in 1993, Gillian Hill, not only runs their trap loan scheme in and around Southport where she lives, but also works closely with householders in the area, especially at times of crisis such as during a recent squirrel pox outbreak. All this she does cheerfully, and with a smile, alongside running her own business and acting as a volunteer at the local fire station. In this year’s awards, she is named as one the red squirrel conservation movement’s Unsung Heroes.  "We are delighted to be able to recognise the hard work of our volunteers with these awards. There are an estimated 3,000 volunteers involved in red squirrel conservation throughout the UK, but the north of England is where the biggest battle is being fought. This work could not be achieved without the tireless work of our volunteers. Highlighting their contribution to red squirrel conservation is long overdue." said Miles Barne, RSST Chairman.  The awards will be presented by His Grace the Duke of Northumberland at a special event to be held at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland on 27 June 2012.

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