Business lobby group the Forum of Private Business (FPB) has appointed a Small Business Crown Representative to help lobby the UK government over late payments legislation.

Martin Traynor served as Group chief executive of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce for 14 years. He has extensive experience in the leisure and hospitality industry, having worked in hotel management for over 20 years.

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The UK government has reiterated a desire to include more small businesses in government contracts. With this consideration, Ian Cass, managing director of the FPB, expects Traynor to bring a focus to two specific areas.

Cass said: “Having someone nominated to champion improved access to government contracts within the heart of government is good news, but he will have to walk the talk if we are to see real changes. Firstly we will be looking for government to blacklist any company, whatever its size, with payment terms of in excess of 60 days, and who are not signed up to the Prompt Payment Code.”

“We are hoping to see a changed mentality within government whereby those who actually do the job should be contracted, not umbrella corporations like Carillion, who take the profit, and subcontract to small businesses at every decreasing margins. At the Forum we look forward to working with Traynor on both counts.”

The Forum of Private Business is a not-for-profit comprehensive business support organisation founded in 1977. Its membership is spread throughout the UK and primarily made up of companies that employ between 1-50 employees, intended to help them to manage employees, saving time, giving advice, support and protection where a business needs it.

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This month independent plant hire group Hawk Plant entered into administration with the loss of 83 jobs. In its 2017 results, filed in November 2018, managing director and majority shareholder Mike Hawkins said that the liquidation of Carillion had disrupted its contract pipeline.

“The liquidation of Carillion in January 2018 has meant some timing disruption as contracts previously awarded have had to be rescheduled. Due to the high level of credit insurance in place on Carillion Plc there will be a minimal write-off of balances outstanding at the time of liquidation,” wrote Hawkins.