JW Accountants Ireland’s Post

The proposed change to the standard method kicks out some very interesting figures locally! North Warwickshire sees a whopping 133% increase, Stratford on Avon an equally whopping 99%, with Warwick DC a less whopping but still significant 65%. Rugby Borough’s requirement increases by 22%. These increases will have implications for emerging plans and the Green Belt. The new(ish) Northants authorities are looking at increases of 11% (North) and 22% (West), this must therefore influence the allocations in their respective emerging plans. Elsewhere: in Buckinghamshire the annual target increases by 42% - there is a call for sites consultation running until June next year and, in Cherwell, a 55% increase. For more info on these areas and others, as well as the NPPF consultation, feel free to get in touch on 01788 562233 or rugby.enquiries@dlpconsultants.co.uk #NPPF #planning #greybelt #housing

On my way to the rugby last Saturday in traditional Twickenham sporting attire – brilliant entertainment and a grand day out with clients and colleagues. Not quite the result or taxi ride we had in mind, but as Ronan Keating would say, “Life is a rollercoaster!” But my true highlight of last week was being invited to the 5th Flock event, run by the Exclusive Collection. This two-day conference, titled ‘Comfortable with the Uncomfortable’, offered a wealth of insights. Standout moments included deeply impactful presentations by Sinéad Burke and Sam Conniff who challenged us with raw, personal, and inspirational stories. Taking time out to reflect is a rare luxury. My thoughts coalesced around the delicate balance between individuality and the collective. We all desire respect and recognition as individuals, yet we’re part of a society, a community, a team – a dynamic that calls for compromise and a perception of fairness and equal treatment for all. Often, I believe, decency and common sense are the best guides but there is an inevitable tension. The takeaway? It starts with individuals feeling valued and managing their own responses. Grand strategies don’t go far unless each person feels inspired and motivated to act. As leaders, we must understand this distinction. In commercial disputes, this perspective is invaluable. Recognising how a conflict makes people feel is crucial. Even the best legal knowledge and tactical strategies fall short if we don’t address underlying feelings, wants, and needs. That’s what drives success in resolving disputes. If you’re facing a dispute and feel misunderstood or unheard, reach out to me or someone from our team.

WINDSOR RFC MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR THE 2024/2025 SEASON Following a review of the Club’s finances and looking at the budget for the 2024/2025 season, the General Management Committee have agreed that it will be necessary to increase the annual subscriptions for the coming season. This decision has not been taken lightly but is necessary to help cover the increase in costs that the club is facing on and off the field. Since COVID the General Management Committee decided not to increase annual subscriptions to enable the Club to recover and grow its playing sections across the club. With the rising costs being faced which include Pitch Fees ( a minimum 100% increase but still under review with the Council) the cost of electricity ( an increase of 30%),increase in staff costs due to changes in the National Minimum Wage, and costs of food and drink, ( circa 10% increase), the club can no longer cover these additional costs. This is highlighted by the fact that the club made a loss in 2023/2024 season which significant but less than the budgeted loss. With more rugby being played at all levels there are also increased costs associated with this including coaching ,physio costs, costs of hiring all weather facilities when the club’s training area is unusable and the provision of post match food. With the latter some clubs have taken the decision only to provide post-match food for league and cup games (ie not friendlies) to reduce their costs. As a committee we are committed to providing the best rugby experience for all players on and off the field so that we continue to grow and thrive as a Community Club. Click link below for more information: https://lnkd.in/eYZMyguS 🟢🔴🟠⚫️ #WINDSORRUGBYCLUB #WRFC #WEAREWINDSOR #WINDSOR #ONECLUB #HOMEPARK #RFU #RUGBY #JOINWINDSORRUGBY #ENGLANDRUGBY #SUPPORTYOURLOCALCLUB #GRASSROOTS #GRASSROOTSRUGBY

Andy Goode makes some very good points here - https://lnkd.in/epRKdHEF The RFU is an organisation that is in desperate need of change. It tries to wear two heads. One for its 3000+ member clubs and one for professional and international rugby. Sadly it does neither very well. The exec board at the top of the RFU seems to operate with impunity. They are unimpressive individuals that are solely interested in filling Twickenham and maintaining the premiership monopoly to the detriment of the rest of the game and their 3000+ member clubs. 10 fiscally unstable Premiership clubs receive £33m a season whilst the rest of the game starves and withers. Rugby likes to promote it's core values of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship, values that the Exec board seem to be sadly lacking (apart from Enjoying spending their huge pay packets). I've met so many members of RFU staff and they are hardworking, knowledgeable, passionate and determined to improve the game of rugby for EVERYONE. Why are we not seeing these individuals taking the top spots in the sport? The soul and fabric of the RFU appears to be driven by those that believe you must populate the top of the sport with soulless suits who put more time into negotiating their dubious performance related pay than improving the game for everyone at all levels.

Back at Old Trafford with Sam to watch Manchester United v Bournemouth in the Premier League. While the team obviously isn’t where Ruben Amorim wants them to be yet, it’s been exciting to see the young strikers Amad, Garnacho and Højlund doing well this season. By contrast to the football pitch, strikers in any other workplace aren’t in the least bit exciting for employers. The good news is that Robinson Ralph has years of experience helping UK employers navigate the intricate trade union laws on industrial action, collective consultation and recognition agreements. So, if your organisation: • would benefit from a policy and/or training session; • is defending an employment tribunal claim; or • needs legally privileged advice from qualified, experienced and regulated employment solicitors, about any trade union issues, please email RR at info@robinsonralph.com, call 0113 212 3240 or book a free initial chat here https://lnkd.in/eZPQZuWa. For those of you who are sick of these tenuous posts from The Theatre of Dreams, you’ll be happy to hear that because this one took me ages to think of and still isn’t very good, I don’t think there will be any more, unless inspiration (wait for it) strikes! #micdrop! #employmenttribunal #policiesandprocedures #traininganddevopment #industrialaction #employmentsolicitors #tenuouslink

Harry Kane Focused on Preserving Team Culture as England Prepares for New Era Under Tuchel Harry Kane has recently sparked conversations about the importance of maintaining a strong team culture within the England squad. His comments about the significant number of player withdrawals during a demanding season have been a talking point, though he later clarified that his intention was to highlight the need to protect the team’s cohesion. For #England #HarryKane #NewEra #Preservingteamculture #Tuchel >>> Read more

Lee Carsley seems a nice enough guy and appears to tick all the boxes that the FA require. Familiar with the England operation, already involved within the organisation, a Euro winner with the under 21’s and he’s someone with the ability to say yes, nod without supervision or instruction and is a man that can roll out the FA mandate on cue, as box ticking go’s it’s a breeze. But is he the man for the England managers hot-seat ? well, yes and no in all honesty. He’d cause zero drama and would easily avoid any controversy and he follows the FA recruitment blueprint of promoting from within but will Carsley be able avoid picking players he likes rather players that deserve to be selected on their form and more importantly can he deliver a trophy. When Southgate got the job I’ll admit to being bemused. He did an OK job at the under 21 level but there was no track record, in fact he’d been a failure with Middlesborough overseeing their relegation in 2009 yet despite this the FA were undeterred. Reflecting on Southgate’s reign is an experience that disappoints when involved at every major football tournament on the planet. It was like standing outside a sweetshop bulging with mouthwatering goodies but suddenly realising it was closed. Tantalising and annoying it means that the only option left was to lick the window. Yes he did well to get as far as he got consistently but when it came to getting over the line he lacked the knowhow and the intelligence that successful managers have. Fast forward to Carsley who is the heir apparent to the throne. One suspects the English football hierarchy are involved in some murky production line churning out agreeable and inoffensive cyborg managers with different faces but with the same flaws. Despite all the blustering about selection processes it seems as if Carsley was always the number one choice even when the media rolled out its usual list of headline grabbing suspects for the role. Klopp, Potter and Howe were said to be candidates but apart from Klopp can we say the other two can cope with the rigours of the international stage and be a roaring success. The England job is a poison chalice for many and the criticism that comes with the job is harsh and sometimes extremely personal. Carsley is on a hiding to nothing because although Southgate never delivered the Holy Grail he came close on many occasions making him England’s most successful manager without claiming any elusive silverware. Carsley or whoever would need to get to a semi final minimum or be compared to some sort of vegetable for his perceived failure. If you are currently asking who I’d like to see as England manager I’d be slightly stumped. Who has the experience and credentials as well as being English. Right now Carsley not only looks a safe bet but probably the only one that can take it and that says a lot about clubs and English managers.

⚽️ Players' Unions 🤜🏽🤛🏽 A Union is a group of workers who come together (to form an organisation) and use “strength in numbers” to negotiate better conditions and benefits in the workplace. Yesterday morning the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), which is the Players’ Union for all current and former footballers and scholars in the Premier League, the FA Women’s Super League and the English Football Leagues, announced that it was (jointly) taking on FIFA in relation to the Club World Cup. The PFA is concerned about player “burnout” and is fighting for players to have protected breaks every season. The PFA stated that the decision to commence the Club World Cup next year, and every four years after that, was made without the Players’ Unions being involved in any of the negotiations. The PFA pointed out that the 2024/2025 season will more or less blend into the 2025/2026 season for some of the most sought after players. Not long after the EPL season finishes on 25 May, it will be the Champions League final. This is followed by an international window where most of the same players will be going to represent their countries. After that, the Club World Cup starts on 14 June and ends on 13 July. The EPL season follows on in August… Madness ! 😅 From the above reaction we can get a feel for what a Players’ Union stands for and how they protect players’ rights. In fact, the PFA website states that they “protect players' rights, represent their views and provide support through a wide variety of educational, financial and wellbeing services.….”. 💪🏽 Two other Players’ Unions I admire are: 1. The Major League Soccer Players’ Association (MLSPA). I felt the power of the MLSPA whilst representing a Nigerian player who played in the MLS for three seasons. The MLSPA website states that they, “empower the players by establishing a supportive community and unified voice that positively impacts the lives of our past, current and future members”. 👏🏼 2. The Professional Footballers Association Ghana aka PFAG, which was set up in 2013 with ex Ghana international footballer, Anthony Baffoe ❤️ at the forefront of it. I have a soft spot for the PFAG because I remember having many discussions with Anthony when it was being set up about the plans for tbe PFAG. 10 reasons to join the PFAG 👇🏾 https://lnkd.in/eTArR4af Another powerful and well respected Union is the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels, more commonly known as, FIFPRO. Its global headquarters is in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, and it is made up of 66 national players' associations which can be found by clicking on the link below. https://lnkd.in/eic7xcbS My first question was, “Doesn’t Nigeria have a Players’ Union”? Who protects the current and ex players rights? 🙆🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️. If anyone is aware of a recognised Players’ Union in Nigeria, please let me know 🙏🏾 #TBDFootballEducation #PlayersUnions #TBDAIImages

There appear to be some broad parallels between reward packages in UK Higher Education and at least one area of UK sport - for senior management at least.

It was great to see lifelong Wrexham AFC fan #EvaLongaria join her good mates #RyanReynolds & #RobMcElhenney and finally make it to a home match last Saturday. The 3-2 win against Wycombe Wanderers Football Club had even more significance for Eva due to the historical prestige attached to the kudus of being the top team in #LeagueOne beginning with the letter 'W'. The club has bucket loads of what modern society loves the most, celebrity and money, seemingly fueling their unstoppable rise up the #Football ladder. But should we be #championing or #castigating this phenomenon? The influx of #money and #celebrity at #Wrexham after the club's acquisition by Messrs Reynolds and McElhenney, has introduced real challenges for the teams around them. For every Wrexham #win, there is a #loser, for every #promotion there is a #relegation. Here are some of the key issues * #FinancialDisparity: Wrexham's money allows them to attract higher-quality players with competitive wages, creating an uneven playing field for clubs with smaller budgets. * #Pressure: Other teams have added pressure to compete with Wrexham's financial capabilities, leading to #unsustainable spending or risking financial #instability. * #Media Attention Imbalance: The significant media spotlight on Wrexham overshadows other clubs, limiting their exposure, sponsorship opportunities, and fan engagement. * #Inflation of Player Prices: Wrexham’s ability to spend more on transfers can inflate player prices in the league, making it harder for smaller clubs to sign quality players. * #FanExpectations: The attention and success of Wrexham can increase tensions and rivalries, with fans of other clubs feeling their disadvantage, leading to heightened emotions and possible unrest. Something to bear in mind as you like or share their latest TikTok or Instagram post. #EFL #WrexhamAFC #SportsEconomics #FootballFinance #FFP The Football Association EFL (English Football League)