In Brief: Blacks; SME trade debt; University of Hull

LEEDS law firm, Blacks Solicitors, has acted on behalf of IT service provider, Comms-care on a significant acquisition deal.
 
Comms-care has bought Platform Consultancy Services, of Runcorn, for an undisclosed sum. The deal takes annual revenues for the Northwich business to more than £30m and its workforce to over 250.

Dave Paterson, partner in the Corporate Department at Blacks said: “It’s been great to work with such a highly regarded and well established company in the IT service provider sector. Comms-care has big plans for the future and we look forward to seeing how the acquisition benefits the firm’s continued growth strategy.”

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EACH Yorkshire SME was burdened with £1.6m of trade debt during the last financial year, according to new research.

Micro-SMEs with up to nine staff and a turnover of less than £2m were proportionately the hardest hit, each contending with £73,000 worth of trade debt and 8% in severe debt trouble.
 
The findings, by online commercial debt recovery law firm Debt Guard Solicitors, were based on account details submitted to Companies House by 506 Yorkshire SMEs.
 
Compared to the national trade debt average of £1.3m, Yorkshire firms were in a worse financial position. Sheffield SMEs suffered the most and had a higher average debt level than their Leeds counterparts – £2m compared to £1.4m.

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WOMEN and charity sector leaders are the target for two bursaries worth £20,000 for the University of Hull Business School’s Executive Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree.

The Executive MBA is a part-time postgraduate degree that aims to transform managers into leaders through a business relevant, internationally recognised programme.

Course leader Gavin Betts said that by offering financial support to these under-represented groups, the scholarships were helping to level the playing field.

“The Executive MBA offers world-class expertise to leaders and potential leaders of business,” he explained. “The skills that the students learn massively expand their frame of reference, enabling them to compete and achieve in whatever business setting they find themselves,” he said.