:00:00. > :00:00.Good evening and welcome to the late Look North.
:00:00. > :00:10.A budget for small businesses or not - we look at the impact
:00:11. > :00:13.And best foot forward - leading businesses come together
:00:14. > :00:20.to promote Leeds' bid to be European Capital of Culture 2023.
:00:21. > :00:31.What a lovely sunny afternoon we had. We'll be sunshine last? Join me
:00:32. > :00:36.for the updated forecast. -- will be sunshine. Thank you for joining us.
:00:37. > :00:43.One of the main bullet points from today's budget
:00:44. > :00:45.was the announcement of ?435 million to help small firms facing
:00:46. > :00:53.The Treasury said that 16,000 businesses would benefit
:00:54. > :00:55.from the ?150 million of targeted support for smaller
:00:56. > :00:57.companies, while others may receive sums from the 305 million
:00:58. > :01:05.Each local authority will receive at least a ?100,000
:01:06. > :01:07.from the fund to distribute as they see fit to those
:01:08. > :01:10.So what do Yorkshire businesses think?
:01:11. > :01:11.Here's our Business Correspondent Danni Hewson.
:01:12. > :01:14.Keeping control of the finer details is a necessity for every
:01:15. > :01:20.It is why this year's re-evaluation of business rates has
:01:21. > :01:28.The owner of this salon in Halifax is the former and will benefit
:01:29. > :01:33.It has meant I have been able to expand and also take on
:01:34. > :01:35.an apprentice at the salon, which has been fantastic.
:01:36. > :01:38.I want to grow my business and that's a really good
:01:39. > :01:41.way to do it and I've really enjoyed training as well.
:01:42. > :01:43.Without the rate relief, what would it mean to your business?
:01:44. > :01:47.It would have to come from somewhere.
:01:48. > :01:49.On the flip side, this Wakefield travel agent is facing
:01:50. > :01:51.a hike of ?9,000 per year, money which could support
:01:52. > :01:54.It's a massive jump, one faced by many
:01:55. > :01:58.businesses and one the Chancellor was under pressure to deal with
:01:59. > :02:00.I will provide local authorities with a ?300 million fund
:02:01. > :02:03.to deliver discretionary relief to target individual hard cases
:02:04. > :02:12.No guarantees this business will qualify for help but a
:02:13. > :02:21.I'm very confident the Government did take the measure to
:02:22. > :02:23.help us, to understand what the small business needs.
:02:24. > :02:26.Now it is down to the council to see what they can
:02:27. > :02:30.If you're not a business owner and you are wondering
:02:31. > :02:35.Well, at the moment, almost half of the many affected
:02:36. > :02:38.goes to the local authority and that
:02:39. > :02:41.cash is used to help fund services as diverse as the refuse
:02:42. > :02:51.By 2020, buisness rates and council tax will provide the lion
:02:52. > :02:53.share of council funding, and some fear that
:02:54. > :03:01.It looks like by the end of the decade, nearly 80% of everything
:03:02. > :03:03.that Leeds Council does will be adult and children's care.
:03:04. > :03:05.That's a vital public service and we know our population
:03:06. > :03:09.is changing, we know the need is there and we want to meet
:03:10. > :03:13.To make businesses more successful, we need a better environment
:03:14. > :03:14.and better infrastructure and business rates
:03:15. > :03:18.The Government has promised to take another look at business rates but
:03:19. > :03:20.it is clear that are choppy waters ahead.
:03:21. > :03:22.Sandy Needham is the chief executive of the West
:03:23. > :03:24.and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.
:03:25. > :03:28.She told me the reaction of businesses she'd spoken to today.
:03:29. > :03:32.The topic of conversation for the last few weeks
:03:33. > :03:35.has been about business rates because people have got their
:03:36. > :03:40.A lot of concern about what a huge bill it is for many
:03:41. > :03:42.companies and how unfair the system is.
:03:43. > :03:44.So there is disappointment that there isn't an overall reform.
:03:45. > :03:46.It is seen as an unfair tax on business,
:03:47. > :03:58.and if you improve your own premises, you pay more.
:03:59. > :04:04.Many people are saying, for instance in the retail
:04:05. > :04:07.world, why do I pay a lot more for being on the high
:04:08. > :04:09.street than somebody who
:04:10. > :04:14.is doing online trading from a warehouse somewhere?
:04:15. > :04:17.Do we want to invest in our towns and cities or not?
:04:18. > :04:18.So a lot of disappointment about that.
:04:19. > :04:21.Ultimately, it could change the look of the high street.
:04:22. > :04:23.Each local authority is to receive ?100,000
:04:24. > :04:25.from the fund and they can then distribute that as
:04:26. > :04:27.they see fit, to those who are facing rate hikes.
:04:28. > :04:29.Do you think that is going to be enough?
:04:30. > :04:32.I do not know and how is it going to work in one
:04:33. > :04:38.local authority decides to do something for businesses of a
:04:39. > :04:41.certain size or type and another one gives a different decision
:04:42. > :04:44.I think there are people whose rates will be
:04:45. > :04:47.going down from next year but it is a whole year.
:04:48. > :04:50.So you do not want them to disappear off the high street or
:04:51. > :04:53.from wherever they are premises are, while they are waiting for the
:04:54. > :04:58.Maybe that money going to the local authorities could actually
:04:59. > :05:07.Although, Leeds City Council say it is not going to be enough.
:05:08. > :05:13.Like most things you get in the budget, you have to look
:05:14. > :05:16.Very briefly, no mention of the Northern Powerhouse.
:05:17. > :05:19.No, we are doing a lot of lobbying to
:05:20. > :05:21.Transport for the North and had the secretary of state
:05:22. > :05:23.Chris Grayling here in January and everyone admits
:05:24. > :05:25.that the north has had underinvestment
:05:26. > :05:29.want a commitment for road and rail for the north of England.
:05:30. > :05:31.So people talk about the Northern Powerhouse
:05:32. > :05:32.but let's see the reality and the investment.
:05:33. > :05:46.Many women from Yorkshire were among thousands of protesters in London
:05:47. > :05:49.today highlighting concerns over changes to the state pension scheme.
:05:50. > :05:54.They want the Government to implement fairer arrangements
:05:55. > :05:58.for women born in the 1950s who have had up to six years added
:05:59. > :06:00.to their pension age with little notice.
:06:01. > :06:02.The Department for Work and Pensions says the decision is a long-overdue
:06:03. > :06:08.More and more women are becoming aware of it
:06:09. > :06:09.because they were not aware of it
:06:10. > :06:12.and they are joining the group and we are going to fight
:06:13. > :06:17.My husband has also missed out on my pension on the money
:06:18. > :06:20.It has affected everybody, our children and grandchildren,
:06:21. > :06:24.because we can't look after them because we have to go to work -
:06:25. > :06:30.Northern Rail has announced details of a reduced service next Monday,
:06:31. > :06:34.The RMT union balloted for the strike over fears that
:06:35. > :06:38.new trains planned for 2018 would no longer require conductors.
:06:39. > :06:40.Northern Rail says it will run 40% of its usual timetable
:06:41. > :06:51.Sheffield's Women of Steel statues have been dressed up in bishop's
:06:52. > :06:54.robes and hats by protesters who are unhappy with the new Bishop
:06:55. > :06:57.Bishop Philip North doesn't agree with the ordination of women,
:06:58. > :07:11.The protest was timed to coincide with International Women's Day.
:07:12. > :07:14.Leeds has officially launched its bid to be
:07:15. > :07:16.the European Capital of Culture in 2023 by asking local businesses
:07:17. > :07:20.The people behind the bid need to raise an extra ?500,000
:07:21. > :07:22.to help put the city on the map.
:07:23. > :07:24.It's claimed, if successful, it would bring jobs and millions
:07:25. > :07:33.Around 100 business people from west Yorkshire were at the Northern
:07:34. > :07:35.Ballet studios in Leeds tonight to hear why
:07:36. > :07:36.they should invest in the
:07:37. > :07:42.city's bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2023.
:07:43. > :07:45.They were told this is Leed's moment, and he once in a
:07:46. > :07:55.lifetime opporunity to to put the city on the world stage.
:07:56. > :07:58.Our mission tonight is to show every business in Leeds how
:07:59. > :08:02.they can get involved and how having the capital of culture in Leeds
:08:03. > :08:04.in 2023 will drive that economic growth and attract skilled workers
:08:05. > :08:07.and attract the graduates that we have in our world-leading
:08:08. > :08:09.universities to stay and to make their homes in Leeds.
:08:10. > :08:15.Along the M62, Hull is already reaping the benefits of
:08:16. > :08:19.Tourism is up 40%, and there's been ?80
:08:20. > :08:25.I am thankful that Hull have done what they have done
:08:26. > :08:27.because it shows, although it is not European Capital of Culture,
:08:28. > :08:30.it does give us the idea and the possibilities
:08:31. > :08:32.to dream bigger and better.
:08:33. > :08:35.Some of the big names in Leeds said they were encouraged by
:08:36. > :08:38.what they had heard tonight and hope other businesses would get behind
:08:39. > :08:45.We are a multicultural city, we like to welcome people
:08:46. > :08:48.from right across, not just Europe, but the world.
:08:49. > :08:55.We believe the increase in international tourism will encourage
:08:56. > :08:59.more people to visit the city and what better way to do that,
:09:00. > :09:03.Leeds will launch its bid in London in the coming weeks,
:09:04. > :09:05.with Lord Melvyn Bragg and the Kaiser Chiefs taking part.
:09:06. > :09:11.A final decision will be made in 2018.
:09:12. > :09:22.Brilliant. Spring is on its way, isn't it? It was lovely this
:09:23. > :09:27.afternoon and 13 Celsius. It looks like tomorrow there will be plenty
:09:28. > :09:31.of sunshine. There is the spring like headline, although spoiled by
:09:32. > :09:36.the strength of wind in the morning. A strong and dusty westerly wind.
:09:37. > :09:43.Let's look at the pressure chart. You read of high pressure on
:09:44. > :09:47.Thursday afternoon. This warm front brushing up the western side of the
:09:48. > :09:52.country will produce more cloud and drizzle on Friday morning chiefly in
:09:53. > :09:58.the west. It is fairly quiet out there at the moment. Cloud bringing
:09:59. > :10:03.a few showers to Northern and western parts of Yorkshire will stop
:10:04. > :10:09.elsewhere, dry and clear spells and frost free. Temperature is around
:10:10. > :10:13.five Celsius. One or two showers otherwise a windy morning and plenty
:10:14. > :10:16.of sunshine. The wind will ease through the afternoon and we will
:10:17. > :10:23.see increasing amounts of sunshine. Lots of blue sky for tomorrow.
:10:24. > :10:28.Temperatures of 11 or 12 Celsius. Above average for this time of the
:10:29. > :10:32.year. Late Thursday afternoon, looking fine and sunny. Again,
:10:33. > :10:40.fairly quiet as the head through Thursday night. That warm front I
:10:41. > :10:46.mentioned, there it is. Patchy rain and drizzle but amounts will be
:10:47. > :10:52.small. That will set us up for a cloudy day on Thursday. Dampness on
:10:53. > :10:58.the west but not amounting to very much. The weekend, a lot of fine
:10:59. > :11:00.weather. Patchy rain for a time but dry and bright weather. That is it
:11:01. > :11:00.from outlook, staying mild and Nick has
:11:01. > :11:05.the bigger picture across the UK.