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HMRC revokes pickup truck commercial rules

Double-cab pickup trucks are firm rural favourites, but an HMRC tax rules change is set to remove their commercial vehicle status
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What is the Best Document Management System? It Depends.

Effective document management is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. But with a plethora of Document Management Systems (DMS) available, choosing the "best" one ...
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Updated Eligibility for R&D Tax Credits

The R&D tax credit scheme has been expanded to include two new categories of eligible costs - cloud computing and dataset purchases. This change came ...
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The Power of Now: Unleashing the Benefits of Real-Time Accounting

In today's dynamic business environment, where agility and informed decision-making reign supreme, traditional accounting practices can feel sluggish. Here at Ballards LLP, we believe the ...
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Property Watch – September 2024 UK residential property transactions

Property Watch – August 2024. Have a look at the UK residential property transactions for UK housing market for the year to 31 August 2024 ...
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How Much Does Cyber Essentials Cost? Understanding Costs and Value

Cyber security is no longer an optional expense – it's a critical investment for businesses of all sizes. Frameworks like Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials ...
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How to Choose the Best Payroll System for Your Business?

With a plethora of payroll software options available, many business owners grapple with the question: "What's the best payroll system?" The truth is, there's no ...
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Fresh Faces and New Spaces: Ballards LLP’s Double Scoop of Growth

We're thrilled to announce the addition of a new cohort of graduates to our ranks. These graduates have joined various teams within the organisation, including ...
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Local Businesses Raise Over £3,000 for Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust

Ballards LLP and Four Squared Recruitment have joined forces in an impressive fundraising campaign for the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust.
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The Value of Independent Audits: Building Trust and Credibility

In today's competitive business landscape, trust is paramount. Stakeholders, investors, and even customers rely on accurate financial information to make informed decisions. That's where independent ...
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Effective IT Leadership: Bridging the Resource Gap Through Fractional CIO Services

The complexities of managing IT infrastructure and digital transformation initiatives demand senior-level technology leadership, yet many organisations face challenges in securing and justifying full-time IT ...
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Is Outsourcing Practice Manager’s Support Services Right for Your Business?

At Ballards LLP, we have assembled a specialist team with extensive knowledge and understanding of GP finances. We recognise the challenges faced by GP practices ...
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Strategic Cost Transformation: Beyond Traditional Cost Cutting

Strategic cost transformation represents a fundamental shift from traditional cost-cutting approaches, presenting opportunities for businesses to reimagine their operational framework while maintaining competitive advantages.
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Supply Chain Risk Management: Building Resilient Business Operations

Supply chain vulnerabilities have become increasingly complex, requiring businesses to adopt sophisticated supply chain risk management strategies that go beyond traditional supplier diversification.
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Why is a Business Plan Important? Charting Your Course for Success

A well-defined roadmap is essential for reaching your destination. This roadmap is your business plan – a comprehensive document that outlines your company's goals, strategies, ...
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How to Kickstart Your Company’s Digital Transformation Journey

In today's ever-evolving business landscape, digital transformation is no longer a question of "if" but "when." Businesses that fail to embrace digitalisation risk falling behind ...
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Navigating the 24/25 GMS Increase and Staff Pay Rises

The recent announcement of the 24/25 uplift in the Global Sum has significant implications for GP practices across the UK. Here's what you need to ...
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How to Select an ERP System

An ERP system streamlines core business processes – from finance and accounting to inventory management and customer relationship management – by integrating them into a ...
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The Importance of Regular Financial Audits: Ensuring Accuracy and Compliance

Maintaining accurate and reliable financial records is paramount. These records form the backbone for informed decision-making, building trust with stakeholders, and ensuring compliance with regulations. ...
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Digital Transformation Roadmap: How Ballards LLP Can Help Your Business Thrive

In today's digital age, businesses of all sizes need to embrace digital transformation to stay competitive. Digital transformation is the process of using digital technologies ...
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Property Watch – August 2024 UK residential property transactions

Property Watch – August 2024. Have a look at the UK residential property transactions for UK housing market for the year to 31 August 2024 ...
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Leveraging Digital Transformation for Competitive Advantage in Mid-Size Enterprises

Digital transformation has become a critical factor in driving business growth and maintaining competitiveness in today's rapidly evolving marketplace. For mid-size enterprises, the strategic implementation ...
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Leveraging Data Analytics for Strategic Decision-Making in Finance

Financial directors and IT leaders in mid-sized enterprises are increasingly recognising the transformative power of data analytics in driving strategic decision-making. This insight explores the ...
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Supply Chain Optimisation: Driving Efficiency and Resilience

Supply chain optimisation stands as a critical component for businesses seeking to enhance their operational efficiency and maintain a competitive edge in today's market. By ...
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Maximising Working Capital Efficiency in SMEs

By optimising the balance between current assets and current liabilities, businesses can ensure they have sufficient cash flow to meet short-term obligations while maximising their ...
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The Future of Work: Financial Implications of Hybrid Models for UK Mid-Market Firms

The landscape of work is undergoing a profound transformation. As organisations navigate this new terrain, understanding and effectively managing the financial implications of hybrid work ...
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The Role of Accounting in Risk Management: Protecting Your Business’s Future

Navigating uncertainty is a constant challenge. Whether it's fluctuating market conditions, potential fraud, or unforeseen operational disruptions, risks can quickly threaten a company's financial health ...
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The Art of Leadership and Team Building: Key to Business Success

Leadership and team building are two key ingredients for a successful business. While these topics are often talked about broadly, the real power of good ...
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The Impact of Accounting on Global Business: Shaping the Economy and Driving Growth

In the intricate world of global business, success hinges on effective financial management. At the heart of this lies accounting – a seemingly mundane discipline ...
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Property Watch – July 2024 UK residential property transactions

Property Watch – July 2024. Have a look at the UK residential property transactions for UK housing market for the year to 31 July 2024 ...
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Choosing the Right Accounting Software: A Guide for Businesses of All Sizes

Having the right accounting software can be a game-changer. It streamlines financial processes, saves you time and money, and empowers you to make informed decisions ...
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Autumn Budget: How Potential Changes Could Impact You

The Autumn Budget, scheduled for October 30, 2024, is expected to introduce significant changes. Key points include:
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Measuring Success: The Often Overlooked Digital Transformation Challenge

One of the most frequently overlooked digital transformation challenges is effectively measuring the success of these initiatives. While organisations are often eager to embark on ...
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The Hidden Digital Transformation Challenges: Security and Data Privacy

As companies embrace digital transformation, they inadvertently expand their attack surface, exposing themselves to new cybersecurity risks. This presents one of the most pressing digital ...
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Navigating the Top Digital Transformation Challenges in 2024

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, organisations that fail to embrace digital transformation risk being left behind, while those that successfully navigate the challenges stand ...
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Urgent Action Required: McCloud Remedy Pension Statements Deadline Approaches

As we approach the end of 2024, a crucial deadline is on the horizon for those affected by the McCloud Remedy regarding pension savings. The ...
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Navigating Turbulent Waters: Economic Forecasts and Market Trends for UK Businesses

As we move further into 2024, the economic landscape continues to evolve, presenting both challenges and opportunities for companies across various sectors. Understanding the current ...
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Fuelling the Engine: Growth and Scalability Strategies for Owner-Managed Businesses

In today’s market, owner-managed companies face a unique set of challenges and opportunities when it comes to growth and scalability. While the entrepreneurial spirit that ...
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The Inclusion of GPs in ARRS Funding: Opportunities and Considerations

The UK government's recent announcement allocating £82 million for hiring GPs through Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) funding has been met with enthusiasm from the ...
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Start-Up Advice for Small Businesses: Launching Your Dream with Confidence

The entrepreneurial spirit burns bright in many – the desire to turn a passion into a thriving business. But navigating the complexities of starting a ...
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Property Watch – June 2024 UK residential property transactions

Property Watch – June 2024. Have a look at the UK residential property transactions for UK housing market for the year to 30 June 2024 ...
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Reasons to Outsource Payroll: Streamline Operations and Focus on What Matters Most

As a business owner, your time is valuable. You juggle countless responsibilities, from product development and marketing to customer service and sales. Payroll processing, while ...
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Preventing Software Update Disasters: Key Questions for Business Leaders and non-technical staff in charge of IT

As a business leader, understanding how to prevent software update disasters is crucial, especially if your company is a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) without ...
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Beyond the Blue Screen: Broader Implications of the CrowdStrike Incident

The CrowdStrike incident will likely serve as a case study in the importance of rigorous testing, the risks of rapid update deployment, and the far-reaching ...
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Navigating Uncertainty: Effective Financial Risk Management Strategies

Effective financial risk management is not just about avoiding pitfalls; it's about creating a resilient framework that allows businesses to thrive amidst uncertainty.
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Safeguarding Your Business: Essential Strategies for Fraud Prevention

In safeguarding your business against fraud, you're not just protecting your assets; you're investing in the long-term security and success of your organisation.
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How to Choose the Right Wealth Management Advisor? Building a Partnership for Financial Security

Building and safeguarding your wealth requires careful planning and expert guidance. At Ballards LLP, we understand the importance of choosing the right wealth management advisor ...
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Important Xero Package Changes Coming 12 September 2024

Ballards LLP would like to inform you about upcoming changes to Xero Package Changes, which will take effect from 12 September 2024. Please see the ...
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HMRC’s New Campaign Targets Persons Of Significant Control

HMRC has launched a new campaign that could impact Ballard’s clients, especially those with significant control over companies. This initiative aims to ensure that tax ...
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What is Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), and why is it important?

ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It's a framework used to measure a business's impact on society and the environment, as well as its ...
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James Syree Ballards LLP

James Syree FCA

Partner & CEO

James is responsible for the overall running of the firm and works with a number of corporate clients and individuals across a number of sectors. He has a particular interest in technology and how the firm can automate as much of the compliance function in order to free up time to spend providing business and planning advice to clients. James oversees a number of large corporate audits but is equally comfortable supporting start ups. He has experience working with venture capitalist backed projects and private equity houses and is passionate about providing sensible, practical advice to business owners and leaders.

Mark Skellum Ballards LLP

Mark Skellum FCA

Partner & CFO

Prior to working with the firm, Mark spent time working with a number of national and international accountancy firms managing a portfolio of large audit clients. He soon realised that he wanted to work closer with business owners and provide a more personal service delivering timely strategic advice. Mark is an expert in business structuring for operational and tax efficiencies. Mark is also a Head of our specialist Healthcare offering in which he works with a number of private consultants and GP surgeries as well as larger corporate healthcare entities such as Super Partnerships and federated entities. Mark is widely recognised as one of the region’s leading authorities on accountancy within the medical sector.

Ballards LLP Headshots 2

Ben Allman FCA CTA

Partner & COO

Ben works closely with Owner Manager Businesses across the region. He is known for having a very hands on approach and providing tailored services. He is an expert in cloud accounting using software such as Xero and Quickbooks to provide clients with real time management information to support sound decision making. Ben is both a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor which provides an added dimension to strategic discussions. Ben also heads up the firm’s Agribusiness offering which supports clients varying from rural estates and farming families to large corporate agricultural manufacturers and distributors.

Matthew Watson Ballards LLP

Matthew Watson FCA CTA

Partner

Matthew is a second generation dedicated healthcare accountant. As a Head of our Healthcare offering, there are few if any that have more experience than Matthew in this area from an accounting and strategic advice point of view. He works with a large number of GP surgeries, hundreds of medical consultants and Directors and a number of corporate healthcare entities such as federations and Super Partnerships. Matthew works closely with Practice Managers and is very hands on with his approach. He particularly enjoys getting under then skin of clients and supporting strategic planning and streamlining clients internal processes. Matthew is both a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor.

James Maynell Ballards LLP

James Maynell FCA

Partner

James joined the firm from global accountancy firm Ernst & Young where he worked on operational and transactional projects with large national and international entities as well as private equity houses. He now works with clients on a range of operational objectives including, sales and purchases, KPI monitoring and uplift, efficiencies, cost reduction and structuring. James is comfortable providing these services as a package or stand alone projects to SMEs and large corporates alike.

Steve Jones Ballards LLP

Steven Jones MCIM

Business Development Partner & CMO

Steven is a partner with the firm and oversees all sales and marketing activities. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and also deals with new client engagement and onboarding. He has a particular interest in digital marketing and often supports clients with their own marketing plans and strategies. Steven also oversees new product development within the firm, diversification, commercial partnerships and client communications.

Ben Powell Ballards LLP

Ben Powell ACA CTA

Partner & CTO

Ben is a partner and Chief Technical Officer for the firm. He is recognised across the region as one of the sector’s most technical accountants gaining prizes from both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and the Chartered Institute of Taxation (and is also qualified in both disciplines). Ben works with a varied range of clients including Owner Managed Businesses, large corporates and private clients. He is also one of our leads within the Healthcare team working with GPs, surgeries and corporate healthcare businesses. Ben has advanced experience of systems implementation and is one of the firm’s leads on cloud accounting.

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Krista Woodman ATT CTA

Tax Partner - Head of Private Client

Having qualified with the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) in 1996 and the Chartered Institute of Tax (CTA) in 1998, Krista has approaching 25 years post qualification experience in advising in tax. This experience has been attained in a variety of firms including Big 4, trust companies and wealth management firms. Her unusual and varied background, both inside and outside of the tax world, helps her to bring a different perspective and understanding to challenges faced by her clients.

Phil Waller Ballards LLP

Phil Waller FCA CTA

Tax Partner

Phil specialises in taxation matters and his experience covers all aspects of the tax spectrum with the possible exception of VAT! He has worked in the area of taxation since 1986 and has developed specialisms in advising owner managers with strategic taxation issues, including group reorganisations and succession/retirement matters. He also has great experience in dealing with the government’s innovative tax reliefs for research and development and patent box, and also shareholder investment decisions involving the many venture capital reliefs, particularly the enterprise investment schemes.

Phil takes pride in helping clients with their business/commercial decisions and how best to take advantage of taxation reliefs which may be available in carrying through those decisions.

Martin Adams Ballards LLP

Martin Adams FCA CTA

Tax Partner

Both a chartered accountant and chartered tax advisor, Martin operates as a mixed tax practitioner who also works closely with our corporate finance team to deliver transactional tax advice for both corporate and property transactions. Such advice includes EIS/SEIS tax relief and EMI management incentives considerations.

As well as tax advice Martin provides valuation services for taxation and commercial purposes, he also takes appointments for contentious valuations in an expert witness/advisor capacity.

Martin is able to advise and help plan for all aspects of a transaction and he regularly provides capital gains tax and inheritance tax advice as part of wider advisory projects. He also enjoys working on R&D tax relief claims.

Sean Devlin Ballards LLP 170321 0147

Sean Devlin

IT & Digital Transformation Partner

Sean has over 20 years IT experience across a number of sectors including Retail, Logistics, Insurance, Local Government and Professional Services. He has helped a number of organisations to define and implement their IT strategy, aligning this to achieve the business goals. Sean has also successfully reviewed, defined and implemented project methodologies and setup PMO for several organisations. Sean is a qualified Prince2 project manager, has successfully delivered numerous complex IT system projects and is an expert at managing 3rd Party IT and system providers.

Andy Bewick web Final Co

Andy Bewick

Partner - Corporate & International

Andy has over 25 years of practice experience delivering business advisory services to a wide range of clients, from start-up companies to multinational groups, supporting them throughout all phases of the business life cycle.

Andy prides himself on being friendly and approachable, resulting in a high standard of service delivery for all the clients that he acts for.

Prior to working for Ballards, Andy worked at an international top 10 firm for 10 years and following that was the international services lead for a firm based in the midlands.

Andy plays a leading role in delivering business services to owner managed businesses, SME’s and businesses with an international footprint within the Midlands, London and throughout the UK.