In less than 10 weeks over 1m businesses in the UK will have to comply with HMRC's new Real Time Information system - the biggest change to payroll since the introduction of PAYE in 1994.  Whilst HMRC have written to employers advising of the change and what it means, it seems that understanding and awareness within SME's is very low with a survey by the DTE revealed that only 4% of SME's had any knowledge of RTE despite the April cut in date. 

If you are an SME and you aren't aware of RTI get in touch with your payroll provider or Accountant and find out what you need to do!

I'll be running one of our fantastic Internal Auditor training courses in Leeds on 13 and 14 March.  www.qualityauditor.co.uk for more details.  Places available!  The course covers Quality and Environmental auditing skills.

Last year I was lucky enough to 'have my colours done' - no, not a re-touch of roots but an indepth analysis of my skin tones to help me find the colours which work best for me - in clothing and in make up.  I worked with the amazing Carole Green, who is a York based House of Colour Consultant and the 6 hours we spent together gave me a fascinating insight into my wardrobe or more particularly why some things were languishing in it!

This article http://bit.ly/V5zwNh from House of Colour's blog is well worth a read 'if you have had your colours done' or are thinking of it.  Oh and I can highly recommend Carole for her practical and down to earth approach to this fascinating topic!  I just love the final line in the article 'Is your appearance consistent with you, your product or service; is your personal brand congruent, credible and believable and do you deliver in line with the expectations you set?   Food for thought!

Oh and by the way, I am a 'sultry winter' who is working very hard at making the most of her colours!

I wonder how many of you are, like us, anxiously awaiting the arrival of an email or letter this Friday telling us which secondary school our offspring will be attending from September?  Having viewed the schools which we were considering back in September last year, and made our choices and submitted them in October it seems to have taken forever to get to the point where, within a few day, we will know where Ellie will undertake the next stage of her education.  

Whilst I can fully understand that there is a lot of work to be done to ensure everything is done fairly, surely in the modern age the process can be made quicker and slicker?  Of course I remember when . . . you just went to the school in your area and that was that!  So here's fingers and toes crossed for Friday - for us and for everyone else who is going through this process right now.   Good luck!

For me the killer issue is not whether or not I am squeamish about eating horse meat but a growing sense of disquiet about the meat processing industry and the miles and miles which processed meat seems to have travelled before it finally lands on our plates.  If some of this meat had had a passport it would be pretty well stamped up before it hit your plate!

And so, this morning, whilst in the local supermarket I was looking for something which I could quickly cook for tea.  A new range of Italian meals looked delicious and I was immediately drawn to a very tasty looking Spag Bol but then that voice of disquiet crept in so I've got good old Macaroni Cheese instead.  It probably contains cheese that has been made from milk in France which has been shipped to Germany, processed in Russia and grated in Honolulu . . .  and I won't even go into the journey that the pasta will have been on!Here's hoping it tastes good.

Last week was half term, and we spent a very enjoyable week on the North Norfolk Coast.  It's an area which is very special to us as a family and where we have spent some very happy times in the summer sailing, pottering, paddling and generally footling around.  Then it's a mad place to be - full of people, dogs, cars, boats and bon homie.  In winter it takes on such a very different hue - still busy, but now with bird watchers, and  cold, oh so cold, when the east wind blows across the flatlands to catch you unawares.  But still beautiful and still so very special.   I came home feeling I'd really had a good break and all fired up for work.  It's good when holidays do that for you, roll o

We've all come across the document or record which is lost forever because it has been inadvertently shredded, but shredding isn't the only 'record enemy'.  I am constantly amazed at how lax some companies are about record management systems, particularly in respect of document and data held on computer systems.  One of my key lines of enquiry during audits is to ascertain who knows what is kept where, what checks are made that information is being properly backed up and how responsibilities for record management are defined.  It's not just about storing the records, it's about knowing how long they have to be stored for and who can authorise their ultimate disposition, how they will be disposed of and when.  The requirements of ISO9001 are quite simple - records need to remain legible, readily identifiable and retrievable.   Ask yourself whether your records meet these requirements and if not make sure you get your systems set up so that you can retriev

Being made redundant in March 2010 was a big shock to my system, particularly as the nature of the collapse of the business I worked for meant there was no 6 figure payout to rely on.  It did however make me consider my options carefully and I rapidly realised that one of the key things I wanted to achieve from this enforced change was a better work:life balance.  This became a key goal for me, and looking back - nearly 3 years later - I can honestly say that the balance I have now feels so very 'right'.  I'm sat in Norfolk having a lovely half term with the family and fitting some work around some very pleasant family time.  I've reviewed an auditing standard today, looked at some flowcharts for a client and now I'm going to write up a report.  My daughter is snuggled up on the sofa reading Coot Club, just having got back from a lovely morning ride.  My husband is due back from some business calls any time now and tonight we will almost certainly wander across the road for a welcome pint of Adnam's Ale.  I may not be earning a fortune but I am oh so very happy with my lot.  We return to York tomorrow and get back to the reality of school and appointments and business trips but firmly at the front of my mind will be the need to maintain the right balance!  Have you got your work:life balance right? 

Fab cake and hot drinks here today.  Lovely food and service with a real Norfolk smile.  V reasonable too!