Husband and wife, John Joseph Power (65) and Helen Catherine Power (66), were directors of Power Installations Limited and Power Security Installations Limited. They were later joined in the management of the companies by their son, Daniel John Power (42), who was also a director.

Operating from premises in Barton le Clay, Bedfordshire, Power Installations Limited was incorporated in June 1996, and Power Security Installations Limited was incorporated in January 2005.

The two companies supplied and installed electrical and security equipment across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, principally within London and the Home Counties. But after experiencing trading difficulties, Power Installations Limited and Power Security Installations Limited both entered into liquidation in January 2017.

A Liquidator was appointed to wind up the affairs of the companies, before reporting to the Insolvency Service about the conduct of John, Helen and Daniel Power.

Further investigations revealed that overdraft facilities were provided to Power Installations Limited and Power Security Installations Limited on a joint basis.

As security, the bank held joint and several personal guarantees, limited to £269,000, provided by John and Helen Power. These were further supported by a legal charge over their jointly-owned residential property.

However, in the period between discussing formal insolvency options with the eventual liquidator in October 2016 and the weeks leading up to the companies entering into liquidation in January 2017, the Powers caused the two companies to retain trading receipts of just over £320,000.

Retaining trading receipts reduced the overdraft borrowings which they had guaranteed, and while this personally benefited the Powers’, their other creditors remained unpaid and/or liabilities were permitted to increase.

More than £51,000 due to the tax authorities during the period remained unpaid and other money owed to creditors increased by more than £33,000 to at least £967,000.

On 20 September 2019 the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted Disqualification Undertakings provided by John Power, Helen Power and Daniel Power. Husband and wife each received 7-year bans, while Daniel accepted a 5-year disqualification.

Effective from 11 October 2019, the family of directors cannot, without the permission of the court, be involved in the formation, promotion or management of a company, directly or indirectly.

Rob Clarke, Chief Investigator for The Insolvency Service said:

The Power family clearly put their own personal financial interests above those of creditors when the two companies were facing liquidation. Such actions not only damage business confidence but are also corrosive to the health of the local economy.

These bans should serve as a warning to other directors tempted to help themselves first, that you have a duty to your creditors and if you neglect this duty you could be banned for a significant period of time.

John Power resides in Maulden, Bedfordshire, and his date of birth is 28 January 1954.

Helen Power resides in Maulden, Bedfordshire, and her date of birth is 29 January 1953.

Daniel Power resides in Maulden, Bedfordshire, and his date of birth is 24 November 1976.

Power Installations Limited (Company Reg no. 03212152) and Power Security Installations Limited (Company Reg no. 05329823).

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings. Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of restrictions.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

A Rough Sleeping grant of £1.9 million has today, Tuesday 22 October 2019, been awarded to 6 projects involving partnerships between Local Authorities (LAs) and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

These 6 projects will test and evaluate models that improve access to health services for people who have both mental ill health and drug and alcohol dependency needs – who are currently experiencing, or at risk of returning to, rough sleeping. Learnings from these projects will help to inform national policy and local commissioning of health and support services.

The funding has been awarded to projects based in Lambeth, Newcastle, Westminster, West Sussex, Portsmouth and Leeds. They are expected to launch in February and run for twelve months.

In West Sussex, people who sleep rough will be directed away from A&E and supported to access more appropriate and suitable healthcare services. In Lambeth and Leeds, specialist teams will work on the street to support and co-ordinate the care of those experiencing rough sleeping. Portsmouth, Westminster and Newcastle projects include placing nurses and other specialist staff, such as care coordinators, in homelessness services to provide wrap around and intensive support.

All projects have been informed by people who have lived experience of rough sleeping.

People who experience rough sleeping have much poorer health than the general population. Many have both mental ill health and substance misuse needs, physical health needs, and have experienced significant trauma in their lives.

In 2018 there were an estimated 726 deaths of homeless people in England and Wales, an increase of 22% since 2017, driven largely by a significant increase in the number of deaths related to drug poisoning.

The numbers of people experiencing rough sleeping have increased by 165% since 2010, and on a single night in Autumn 2018 4,677 people were recorded as sleeping rough in England.

Of the people seen sleeping rough in London in 2018 to 2019:

• 50% had mental health needs
• 42% had alcohol misuse problems
• 41% drug misuse problems

The government’s Rough Sleeping Strategy, published in August 2018, sets out the vision for halving rough sleeping by 2022 and ending it by 2027. It recognises the need for action to support people sleeping rough now to move off the streets, including targeted support to enable access to health services.

NHS England has recently announced that it will be providing £30 million in additional funding for specialist mental health services in parts of the country with the highest levels of rough sleeping. At least 20 areas are expected to receive this funding by 2023 to 2024.

Rosanna O’Connor, Director of Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco and Justice, Public Health England said:

It is vital that people who experience rough sleeping get access to the health services they need. This grant is funding promising projects that will test models that help people who experience rough sleeping with substance dependency and mental ill health get the treatment and support they need.

People sleeping rough on the streets have often been through very traumatic experiences and desperately need to receive appropriate treatment and follow up care. They should be able to look after their health problems instead of facing a ‘revolving door’ situation while their health deteriorates.

The 6 projects being awarded funding all explore different approaches to supporting those experiencing rough sleeping. They will help us learn more about what works in improving access to treatment that is right for them and I look forward to the findings.

Nadine Dorries, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), said:

Everyone should have a roof over their head and access to the care they need, no matter who they are. We are determined to stamp out the injustice of rough sleeping once and for all, but in the meantime we are committed to ensuring rough sleepers are supported with their health issues.

This funding will help better equip local authorities to protect society’s most vulnerable, and ensure no one slips through the net.

Rough sleeping grant projects awarded funding

Lambeth

Supporting people experiencing rough sleeping to access mental health and substance misuse services by working with the peer advocacy group Groundswell and the Rough Sleeping Outreach Team in Lambeth.

The project will create specialist roles including a rough sleeping approved mental health professional and a substance misuse navigator to help those experiencing rough sleeping receive specialist mental health and substance misuse support.

Portsmouth

Providing health interventions for those at risk of rough sleeping through weekly surgeries in the local day centre, night shelters and homeless hostels to improve their physical, substance misuse and mental health needs and engagement with mainstream health services.

Westminster

Working with Groundswell, a multi-disciplinary team and those with lived experience of homelessness, the model will adopt a trauma informed approach that has been developed by psychological experts. It will provide wrap around health care for rough sleepers with co-occurring mental health and substance misuse needs to help improve health and access to health services.

Newcastle

Providing support and interventions to those experiencing or at risk of experiencing rough sleeping that have disengaged or have experienced challenges or barriers in accessing appropriate healthcare.

The team, made up of 2 link workers and 2 mental health social workers, will visit short term hostels and help those in need access relevant support services and will train hostel staff to help individuals manage their symptoms.

West Sussex

Creating a simpler route into the mental health and substance misuse services by providing the 3 main homeless providers with nurse navigators to provide treatment and care on the street and help high risk individuals enter community-based health systems.

Also providing 3 A&E hospitals with non-clinical navigators to develop treatment support plans for rough sleepers and help them find stable accommodation as well as supporting and training clinical staff.

Leeds

Working with trauma informed healthcare navigators in a range of locations including on the street, at accommodation providers, homeless hostels, the city’s health bus and GP practices. The team will work intensively to support people experiencing rough sleeping with both mental ill health and substance dependency to access the health support they need.

[i] Deaths of homeless people in England and Wales in 2018, Office for National Statistics 2018

[iii] Rough sleeping in London, CHAIN reports, Greater London Authority, 2019

The Environment Agency’s £30 million project to improve the town’s flood defences are right on schedule.

The improved defences, due to be complete in March 2021, will better protect the people of Burton from the risk of flooding, of the likes we saw very recently.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:

We’re proud to be delivering better flood protection for the people of Burton. The recent high river levels are a timely reminder of why this work to protect 4,500 homes and over 1,000 businesses from flooding is essential.

From the rain the other week, we saw The Washlands flooded, with water coming up to the flood defences. Without the existing defences, parts of the town would have flooded, we last saw levels like this in 2000, 2007 and 2012.

The work of the Environment Agency, and their contractors Galliford Try/Black & Veatch, will improve 3.7km of the 9km existing defences, and continues the work carried out in 2007 when other parts of the defences were improved.

Work has started at Blackpool Street and at Paget High School, with work due to start at the library and leisure centre in coming weeks.

Preparatory work has already started on these locations. We are working closely with the local community and we are working hard to minimise the impacts of our construction.

The spokesperson added:

As well as having flood defences, we’re also urging people to know their flood risk and sign up for alerts and warnings so everyone can be prepared when the risk of flooding is high,” said the spokesperson for the Environment Agency.

People can check their risk and register to receive free flood warnings online or calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

For information about the scheme please contact email: Burton.FRMS@environment-agency.gov.uk

TRH began the day by visiting the recently opened Army Canine Centre in Islamabad, which breeds and trains Arms and Explosive Search (AES) Dogs to assist in the discovery of explosive devices. The Duke and Duchess joined UK and Pakistani expert dog handlers as they trained dogs to find explosive materials by scent. They also took some of the puppies through their paces on an agility training course.

The Army Canine Centre is modelled on the UK’s Defence Animal Training Centre located at Melton Mowbray. The training witnessed forms part of the UK’s Defence Engagement activity of which, a major part is the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device capacity building programme.

TRH visit was the first Royal Visit since the Prince of Wales toured Pakistan in 2006. During their trip the Duke and Duchess have seen the many sides of the modern, aspirational, dynamic Pakistan – from the vibrant, leafy Islamabad to the cultural capital Lahore, from the fragile to the remote communities in the mountainous north.

Notes to Editors

Army Canine Centre

The UK has provided CIED training and advice to Pakistan for over 10 years. The training aims to increase the capacity of both military and civilian forces to deliver Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD), Advanced Search, Explosive Scene Investigation training and AES dog and handler training.

The programme has been a success. Since the introduction of the programme, the IED threat in Pakistan has reduced significantly and the Pakistani military have opened a National Centre of Excellence for IEDD and search training and a world-class AES training facility (ACC). To date 90 AES dog handlers (Police and Military) and 96 AES Dogs have been taught by UK training teams under Operation HALLEX.

All those taught have been deployed or are currently deployed on CIED operations across Pakistan. They have been responsible for discovering thousands of kilograms of military and homemade explosives and as a result have saved countless lives. Additionally, 54 AES dog handlers have been trained in the UK as Master AES Dog Trainers; these individuals are now instrumental in delivering Pakistan’s AES dog training programme.

The ACC opened in Aug 19 was self-funded by Pakistan and modelled on the UK Defence Animal Training Centre at Melton Mowbray.

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They began their day by visiting the SOS Children’s Village, a charitable organisation at the heart of Lahore that provides a home and family structure to over 150 young children. The Duke and Duchess then joined a birthday party for one of the children, which games, music and traditional Pakistani food.

TRH then visited the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. To enjoy Pakistan’s most popular sport they participated in a match with children from the British Council’s DOSTI programme. DOSTI promotes sport as an integral part of children’s development and encourages social integration, increased self-esteem and the development of important life skills. The Duke and Duchess also had the opportunity of meeting Pakistani cricketing icons Waqar Younis, Hasan Ali, Sana Mir and others at this event.

In the afternoon TRH visited the iconic Badshahi Mosque for a tour and a discussion with faith leaders to better understand how they are promoting interfaith harmony within their communities.

Finally, the Duke and Duchess visited to start-of-the-art Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre. This was visited previously by the late Princess of Wales. The Duke and Duchess took time to visit the children’s ward, talking to patients undergoing treatment at the hospital and some of their families.

Notes to Editors

SOS Children’s Village

There are an estimated 4,400,000 orphans in Pakistan. These children face numerous challenges, including limited access to food, education and financial stability. SOS Children’s Village is an international organisation active in 135 countries. Its head office is in Austria.

This is the largest child welfare organisation in the world. It focuses on providing community projects including schools, medical centres, agricultural projects, vocational training and production centres. There are 10 SOS villages in Pakistan. The Children’s Village in Lahore has been running since 1977 and provides a home for 150 children.

SOS Villages aim to provide a home, family and community for the children. They generally comprise of 15 family homes, a community hall, administration offices, mosque, director’s residence, grocery shop, workshop, dispensary, essential staff residences and large playgrounds.

The SOS Village is run through donations and sponsorship. 25% of the funding comes from private donations. Stories of former orphans can be found here

National Cricket Academy Lahore and the DOSTI Programme

The sport event showcases the British Council’s DOSTI programme. This is a ‘sports for peace’ initiative that aims to break social barriers and promote community cohesion. It helps children facing challenges such as gang-related crime or low school retention. It promotes sports as an integral part of children’s lives and demonstrates the benefits to health, social integration, and self-esteem. There will be an opportunity to speak to the children to hear about how sports have helped their everyday lives and community.

The two teams have a mix of boys and girls from underprivileged backgrounds. One team will be captained by a boy and the other by a girl. There are two sets of children: 10 from Karachi (in the South of Pakistan) who will be playing the cricket match, with their age between 10-14 years. 20 from Sheikhupura (a city in Punjab) who will be spectators, with their age between 8-9 years.

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