The innovative and dedicated work of Hertfordshire County Council’s Amanda Derrick has received the royal seal of approval.

She has been awarded the OBE for services to children and families in the Queen’s 2012 New Year Honours list.

Amanda has been the driving force behind Connect Digitally, a national programme led by Hertfordshire County Council to bring schools and children’s services into the digital age.  

Whether it be the realisation of a lifelong ambition, to provide a work/life balance or just escape the drudgery of a dead-end job, there comes a time in many people’s lives when they dream of starting their own business. 

If you’re thinking of launching your own enterprise, these ‘5 steps to starting a business’ may help you to increase your chances of success.

Registration is open for the FREE ‘Win Business Gold’ business breakfast on Friday 27 January at The Holiday Inn, Elstree, Borehamwood.

The event is the latest in an award winning series of events arranged by Hertfordshire is Ready for Winners, the county’s official partnership supporting the delivery of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Recent surveys carried out by Touch Local in the publishing of their new 2011 Local Business Report have thrown up some interesting statistics. Findings in the report show that Small Business owners are now firmly of the opinion that no one under the age of 50 will be using print directories by the end of 2012, The report also shows that small business entrepreneurs are putting their money where their mouth is, with a staggering 93% of them planning on cutting their advertising spend in print directories in 2012.

With SME’s responsible for almost sixty percent of the country’s private sector employment, giving business owners an opportunity to have their say is crucial.

Richard Fleming, David Standish and Rob Croxen, restructuring partners at KPMG, were today appointed joint administrators to La Senza UK.  Following their appointment they completed an agreement to sell part of the business to Alshaya UK Limited, part of the Alshaya group of companies, a leading international retail franchise operator based in Kuwait.   Alshaya have acquired 60 of La Senza UK’s stores, securing around 1,100 jobs in the UK.