Contract Journal articles from October 2004

Contract Journal archives from October 2004

Ringway recruits as orders reach [pounds sterling]580m.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... n Firm takes initiative in a bid to meet demand for skilled highways maintenance staff. Ringway, the highway maintenance specialist, has lifted its current orderbook to a record [pounds sterling]580m. After a busy period hiring additional...

Acquisitions at WYG give profit a boost.(White Young Green )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... A string of seven acquisitions has helped consultant White Young Green (WYG) to increase turnover and profit for the seventh successive year. Latest results (12 months to 30 June) show a turnover of [pounds sterling]84m ([pounds sterling]77m)...

BIW insists tax issue will not affect firm.(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2004... Sir, I must protest strongly about your article concerning my company ("Auditors' warning to BIW", CJ 29 September). The story is unnecessarily sensationalist, one-sided and misleading. There is no uncertainty over BIW's future. The auditor's...

back bites.
October 6, 2004... Blairs' bricks and mortar Following Cheriegate, where Cherie Blair naively enlisted the help of Australian Peter Foster in the purchase of two Bristol flats, it is not surprising that any foray the Blairs now make in the property market is...

Balfour and McGinley fined after man's death.(Health and Safety at Work Act 1974)(Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services)(McGinley Recruitment Services)
October 6, 2004... n Death of worker prompts rail industry to revise its Rule Book to ensure workers are adequately supervised. Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services (BBRIS) and McGinley Recruitment Services were fined a total of [pounds...

Industry warned over occupational health.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... TGWU national secretary Bob Blackman has warned that the construction industry must become more aware of the impact of occupational ill health. Recent figures published by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that construction employees...

CC voices its concerns to Chancellor.(Construction Confederation)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... A lack of infrastructure delivery, worries about CIS, a reduction in VAT, and CSCS accreditation are issues raised by the Construction Confederation (CC) in its letter to Chancellor Gordon Brown. Writing to the Chancellor before his pre-budget...

Taylor made.(Peter Taylor, managing director John Laing Partnership)
October 6, 2004... When Peter Taylor led a management buyout of the John Laing Group's social housing arm 12 months ago, he brought to an end three decades' service at the once mighty Laing empire. But as Will Mann finds out, he's only looking forward now. ...

A-Plant order tops [pounds sterling]6.5m.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... A-Plant has confirmed it has placed an order worth more than [pounds sterling]6.5m for new kit this year. The investment, which includes 133 light commercial vans, 98 cars and 99 trucks, will extend A-Plant's transport fleet to more than 1,500...

Cutter with bite from Atlas Copco.(Atlas Copco Construction Tools)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Atlas Copco Construction Tools has introduced a new generation of hydraulic demolition cutters, branded CC 3300, in both universal and steel-cutting versions. According to the company, the attachment's cutter jaws are mounted on one central...

Rollers get green light.(from Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... The Highway Authorities and Utilities Committee (HAUC) has published a statement on its website announcing single drum rollers have successfully completed their trials and achieved the required compaction specification for continued use in...

Mini thefts on rise.(construction equipment industry)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... 'Easy to sell, easy to steal' excavators lead list of stolen kit. More than 3,500 equipment thefts with a value of [pounds sterling]35m were reported to the National Plant & Equipment Register (TER) in 2003, with the South East accounting...

Platform adds self-drive to fleet offering.(Platform Company )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Access hire and sales firm the Platform Company has added a vehicle mount division to its 2,000-plus machine fleet. The company said the move was in response to customer demand for self-drive truck-mounted machines, and it has purchased 40...

2005 arrivals due from Komatsu.(Komatsu Equipment Co.)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Komatsu's 2005 European line- up includes six telehandlers and three ADTs. The telehandlers have lifting capacities from 3t to 4.5t and 9m to 16.1m lift heights, while the ADTs have payloads of 27.3t, 32.3t and 36.5t. All the telehandlers are...

UK debut for amphibious pair.(Alaska Environmental Contracting )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Alaska Environmental contracting's US-built undercarriages put Volvos to work in Norfolk Broads sanctuary. Alaska Environmental Contracting is using the UK's first two amphibious excavators. The units have Volvo EC210B superstructures...

EU safety directive to include site hoists for first time.(European Union )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Construction-site hoists intended for workers, equipment and building materials are to be subject to new common technical standards on lifts imposed by a European Union (EU) safety directive. The EU Council of Ministers has approved expanding...

Joyce puts plant online.(Joyce Construction)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Joyce saves thousands by designing computer system to trace whereabouts and status of equipment. Building contractor Joyce Construction has developed its own computer system to keep track of all items of plant that it owns or has on hire....

Aggregate goes mobile with its crushing plant.(from BL Pegson Scotland)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Aggregate Industries' Marybank Quarry on the Isle of Lewis has purchased mobile crushing plant from BL Pegson Scotland as replacement machines for its previously stationary production facility. In a bid to increase the firm's productivity, a...

Collaborate with subbies.(Letter to the Editor)
October 6, 2004... Sir, Curiosity was the main reason for reading the submissions of "leaders of our industry" on their view of construction in the next five years to 10 years (Crystal ball gazing, CJ 22 September). In looking forward it is worth looking back...

Construction Jobs makes its debut.
October 6, 2004... Contract Journal is this week relaunching its recruitment section under the banner Construction Jobs. The move, supported by a campaign entitled View from the Top, aims to highlight the seniority and influence of the publication's readers and...

Five fight it out for [pounds sterling]28m Suffolk roads.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Five firms have hit the road for a [pounds sterling]28m Highways Agency deal in Suffolk. Not surprisingly, East Anglian rivals Jackson and May Gurney are on the starting grid for the A14 Haughley New Street to Stowmarket upgrading. Birse,...

[pounds sterling]20m Bristol court PFI re-opens five years on.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... The Court Service has acquitted its preferred bidder for a [pounds sterling]20m PFI court complex in Bristol and re-opened the tendering - five years after the scheme first came up for grabs. According to insiders, Classic Contract, a group...

[pounds sterling]300m regen for grabs in Coventry.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Five teams are knocking on the door of a [pounds sterling]300m regeneration scheme featuring 3,000 new houses in Coventry. The city council, Whitefriars Housing Association and Coventry New Deal for Communities have shortlisted Lovell, Crest...

Two line up [pounds sterling]35m Ealing schools deal.(Ealing Council)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... A potential workload of [pounds sterling]35m has opened up for two contractors, courtesy of Ealing Council in west London. The local authority has chosen Wates and Willmott Dixon as its partners to carry out new build and refurb work to...

Higgins bags [pounds sterling]14m housing job.(Higgins Construction in contracts with Ealing Council )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Essex-based Higgins Construc-tion has won a [pounds sterling]14m housing deal with Ealing Council in west London. Work on site will begin in January to regenerate half a dozen 16-storey tower blocks on the South Acton estate. Under the scheme,...

HA picks six to bid for M1 job.(Highways Agency )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Costain, Laing O'Rourke, Mowlem, Skanska and an Amec/Alfred McAlpine jv in frame for [pounds sterling]117m contract. The Highways Agency (HA) has gone for nearly the same six contractors to pitch for the massive M1 Junction 19 road deal as...

Four firms vie for second phase of Arlington project.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Four firms have been cleared for take-off for a high-profile Arlington Securities project in Fareham, Hampshire. The line-up for the scheme, at the Solent Business Park, consists of Arlington regulars Warings, Kier, Sir Robert McAlpine and...

Croydon sets up scheme to battle skills shortage.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Croydon Council wants its contractors' most experienced trades people to pass on their skills to students at Croydon College. In an effort to solve the skills crisis in south London, workers on Croydon Council's projects will be trained in...

Editor's comment.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Get safe, get certified Last week the Central Criminal Court imposed hefty fines on Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services (BBRIS) and labour agency McGinley Recruitment Services (MRS) for the death of a rail worker in 2000. Leaving...

Retentions target on track for March.(trade regulation)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... The government expects to be on target for 70% of its projects to have ditched retentions after March next year. The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has finally responded to criticisms from the trade and industry select committee...

BuildOnline sees the benefits as more schemes go virtual.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... There has been a 30% jump in the size of the internet project software market in the past 12 months, according to BuildOnline director Mark Suster. The rise is a result of a growing proportion of large schemes opting to replace paper-based...

Highways Agency aims for offsite sustainability targets.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... The Highways Agency will target offsite manufacturing to achieve greater sustainability in roads construction, its senior technical advisor Gary Thomas said. Speaking at Asphalt 2004 last week, Thomas said the agency would support both onsite...

IHI illuminates cathedral.(mini telescopic crawler crane )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... An IHI mini telescopic crawler crane proved to be the ideal workhorse for setting up lighting towers for an outdoor event inside the ruins of the old Coventry Cathedral. Birmingham-based AGD Equipment supplied a 2.9t capacity CCH30T crane...

Jarvis 'de-preferred' by another council.(Kirklees Metropolitan Council)
October 6, 2004... n Kirklees ditches troubled contractor from schools deal after not receiving reassurances. Kirklees Metropolitan Council has decided to ditch Jarvis as preferred bidder for its [pounds sterling]25m schools PFI deal; but other councils...

Confederation up in arms on working hours.(Construction Confederation)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... The Construction Confederation (CC) is promising to mount an intense lobbying campaign in Brussels this autumn against the latest proposals from the European Commission for amending the EU Working Time Directive (CJ 29 September). The CC is...

Councils lack PPP skills.(Prepositioned Procurement Package)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Almost two-thirds of local authorities believe they do not have the necessary skills to implement large PFI/PPP projects, according to a recent survey by the Public Private Partnership Programme (4Ps). The survey looked at local authority...

CJ offers new credit check site.
October 6, 2004... CJ readers can de-risk their supply chain and ensure they don't work for cowboy clients by using CJ's instant credit check facility. The service is provided by aRMadillo and can be accessed via www.contractjournal.com. There are three...

Left wing 'hijacks' social housing plan.
October 6, 2004... n Tenants and contractors must wait after Labour activists vote for publicly funded housing. Social housing contractors could face a hiatus in work after a resolution to introduce publicly funded council housing programmes won support at...

Asphalt industry urged to think green.(to maintain energy efficiency)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... The asphalt industry should adopt Construction Products Association guidelines on sustainability to provide a strong voice for the industry, said Tony Parry, Transport Research Laboratory senior research fellow for sustainable construction....

Fury over scrapped CTRL bridge project.(Channel Tunnel Rail Link)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... n Bidders voice anger as [pounds sterling]7.5m Ruckholt contract is scrapped. Bidders are up in arms after Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) pulled the plug on its [pounds sterling]7.5m, 15-month Ruckholt Road bridge contract 80% of the way...

Ringway targets HA contracts.(Highways Agency )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Although Ringway is the number one player in road maintenance work for local authorities, its volume of work won from the Highways Agency isn't as much as it would wish. "It is a key objective to re-establish ourselves with Highways Agency work...

SEC calls for manifesto changes.(Specialist Engineering Contractors Group)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... The Specialist Engineering Contractors (SEC) Group is canvassing the three main political parties to include project insurance and payment protection in their forthcoming election manifestos. SEC Group chief executive Rudi Klein said: "By...

Black secures new post at Mears.(Stuart Black appointed at Mears Group )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Stuart Black is moving to Mears Group as chief operating officer. Currently group business development director with Mouchel Parkman, Black will take over day-to-day responsibility for the operational activity of Mears on 15 November. Black,...

Tunnel worker's employers fined.(Deverson Direct )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Hochtief, J Murphy & Sons and Kent-based Deverson Direct have been fined a total of [pounds sterling]100,000 after the death of a scaffolder who was working on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Paul Ross lost his balance while trying to position a...

Unsecured creditors to get nothing from Lark.(Lark Construction)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... n Receiver at Lark Construction says secured creditors will get a fraction of money due. Unsecured creditors will not get a penny following the collapse of Cornwall-based housebuilder Lark Construction, according to receiver Grant...

Waterman results 'solid'.(financial results of Waterman Group)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Waterman Group, the engineering and environmental consultant, has delivered a "solid set of results", said managing director Bob Campbell, despite the market remaining challenging. A workload of [pounds sterling]65m produced a pre-tax profit of...

When overheads are part of compensation.(cases)
October 6, 2004... In January 1999 employees of a contractor, Geraghty & Miller, were working in the vicinity of a petrol station in Honiton Road, Exeter. They were trying to locate a diesel leak from the tanks of the service station. While they were drilling a...

Wienerberger storms into UK brick market.(aquires thebrickbusiness (TBB))(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... n [pounds sterling]100m takeover of thebrickbusiness gives Austrian firm a firm foothold in UK market. Continental brickmaker Wienerberger last week made itself the UK's third-biggest brick manufacturer with an acquisition of nearly...

Castle warns of cement price hikes.(Castle Cement)(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... Castle Cement has that warned cement prices are set to rise by 10% to 15% early next year. Mike Eberlin, Castle Cement's commercial director, said the move has been prompted by "an exceptional set of conditions". "If anyone is tendering, we...

Alderney takes over FC Shepherd premises.(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... FC Shepherd creditors are angry after a new contractor, Alderney Construction, started trading from its premises, writes Richard Stirling. A winding-up petition for FC Shepherd was presented on 5 September by Brent Fabrications after it waited...

'Erotic gherkin stabber' cleared of murder.(James Kerlit )(Brief Article)
October 6, 2004... A London jury has acquitted a cleaner working at the Swiss Re building of murdering a colleague earlier this year. The jury last week cleared James Kerlit after he was charged with the murder of Michael Bowen in February. Kerlit appeared in the...

War of woods.(sustainable timber schemes )
October 6, 2004... Sustainable or not sustainable? FSC or PEFC? The ethics of sourcing timber is back on the agenda - and not for the reasons you might think. Richard Stirling reports. High-profile contracts are being targeted by environmentalists, not in a...

A question of quality.
October 13, 2004... Sir, I read with interest your recent article on the Department of Trade & Industry's plans to replace Quality Mark (QM) with Quality Scheme (QS) (CJ 22 September). The changes being advocated under the QS are welcome, but they fail to take...

Arup to contest Rugby site collapse breach.(Ove Arup and Partnership Ltd.)
October 13, 2004... n Ove Arup looking to recover the [pounds sterling]844,000 it was ordered to pay Galliford Try last year. Ove Arup is hoping to recover the [pounds sterling]844,000 it was ordered to pay Galliford Try following a High Court ruling about an...

BAA urges delivery rethink.(BAA PLC)
October 13, 2004... Contractors told they can make significant savings by addressing key delivery issues. Contractors need to work more closely with materials suppliers over "just in time" delivery and cut down on wastage, said BAA facilities strategy manager...

back bites at the CJ Awards.(Contract Journal)
October 13, 2004... Getting off to a bang In celebration of CJ's successful industry awards last Thursday night, back bites is devoting this week's back page to the glittering event that saw nearly 1,100 movers and shakers celebrating construction best practice at...

[pounds sterling]40k damage to Bath Spa windows.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... There was further bad news at Mowlem's [pounds sterling]36m Bath Spa project for Bath & North East Somerset Council (BANES) after vandals caused [pounds sterling]40,000 of damage to windows at the weekend. Bath Police are appealing to witnesses...

Benefits company attracts [pounds sterling]326m.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... The value of receipts for holiday pay, EasyBuild pension premiums, and accident and death cover attracted by the B&CE benefits company soared by 16% last year to a total of nearly [pounds sterling]326m. In the year 2003/04, holiday pay...

Billington and Taywood head CJ Awards winners.(Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards 2004)(Billington Structures )(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Eleven hundred guests witnessed Billington Structures and Taylor Woodrow collect a pair of trophies each at the Contract Journal Construction Industry Awards 2004 at London's Grosvenor House Hotel last week. Billington was named Specialist...

Portsmouth shares its PFI lessons with Birmingham.(Private Finanace Initiative)(Portsmouth City Council)(Birmingham City Council)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Portsmouth City Council (PCC) is to help salvage Birmingham City Council's (BCC) [pounds sterling]2.2bn highways maintenance PFI. CJ has learnt that PCC officials have contacted BCC offering advice and consultation to the PFI team and council...

Bobcat loaders arrive in China.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... The first Bobcat skid steer loaders have rolled off the production line at Ingersoll-Rand's (IR) plant in Wuxi, China. The S150 and S160 models will be distributed in China and select markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The Wuxi plant is the...

CITB go-ahead for levy exemptions.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) was expected this week to formally agree to press ahead with its next levy proposals. These involve a continuing freeze on the current rates of 0.5% for PAYE and 1.5% on labour-only subcontracting...

Brandon acquires three new depots.(tool hire specialists)(Brandon Hire PLC)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Brandon Hire has bought three more plant and tool depots, bringing the total number of acquisitions this year to 11. It has bought the assets and business of Hiramix in Burton-on-Trent for [pounds sterling]275,000 in cash; Yorkshire Tool Hire...

Hughes and Salvidge reaches for the top.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Portsmouth-based demolition contractor Hughes & Salvidge has taken delivery of three Hitachi 47t Zaxis 460LCH excavators, consisting of two standard rig machines and one ultra-high 26m-reach unit. The acquisition brings the total number of...

SGB assumes full control of Mastclimbers.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... SGB has taken full ownership of Mastclimbers, the specialist hirer of mast climbing work platforms. In 2001, SGB took a majority shareholding in the Scottish company, which now operates nationwide. The company has the UK's largest fleet of...

Chepstow Plant to provide Barhale with bespoke Volvo EC360 excavator.(Barhale Construction Services )(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... n Modified machine is designed to dig to 28m below ground level. Chepstow Plant International has entered a long-term hire agreement to supply Barhale Construction Services with a highly modified Volvo EC360B excavator. The two companies,...

HSE proposes changes to vibration test rules.(United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Employers may be able to test for vibration levels using manufacturers' generic figures. Proposals to be put forward by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) will, if accepted, mean employers will not have to undertake individual machine...

DVLA proposes fee for SORN vehicles.(United Kingdom Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency)(Statutory Off Road Notification)(Association of British Drivers )(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... The DVLA has issued a consultation document proposing that all registered vehicles be subject to a [pounds sterling]4.50 tax even if they are not currently taxed for use on the road. Such a move could hit plant owners who register items like...

CPD well ahead of first-year targets.(Continual Professional Development )(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... The events-based CPD system, Continual Professional Development & Events, has easily beaten its first-year target. Set up by Construction Industry Council South East last October, the system brings together the events programmes of five key...

Capital venture.(Capital Roofing )(Interview)
October 13, 2004... Blackheath-based specialist flat-roofing contractor Capital Roofing is having a very good year. Its trophy cabinet is full to bursting after winning a hat-trick of major industry awards. And its new training centre is in constant demand. Rob...

Coins' e-invoicing cost saver.(Coins Electronic Trading Community)
October 13, 2004... n Dean & Dyball trims invoice handling costs by 50%, thanks to ETC hub that offers automatic matching. Dean & Dyball, one of six major construction groups to have signed up to Coins Electronic Trading Community (ETC), has subsequently cut...

Hackney retenders [pounds sterling]80m regen.(London Borough of Hackney )(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... The London Borough of Hackney has re-advertised its [pounds sterling]80m regeneration scheme for the Haggerston West and Kingsland estates following the withdrawal of John Laing Partnerships from the scheme. London and Quadrant Housing...

MoD lines up recruits for Pirbright.(United Kingdom. Ministry of Defence)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... The Ministry of Defence is inspecting five outfits for a [pounds sterling]6m deal to design and build a medical reception station at the Army Training Regiment in Pirbright, Surrey. The line-up features McNicholas plc, Dean & Dyball, Henry...

Two submit bids for [pounds sterling]340m Plymouth PFI.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... At least two contractors are hoping to gain admission to a delayed [pounds sterling]340m PFI deal to upgrade Plymouth's Derriford Hospital and to build a new care centre. Impreglio and Multiplex have sent in prequalification bids and are...

Site accidents cost [pounds sterling]1.9bn.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... The full cost to employers of all site accidents and work-related ill health in construction is as much as [pounds sterling]1.9bn a year, according to an updated analysis by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). In construction, the HSE said the...

Crest Nicholson and Grosvenor partner on Bath Western regen.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Crest Nicholson will partner with Grosvenor on the [pounds sterling]1bn regeneration of Bath Western Riverside. The scheme involves the regeneration of 26ha of brownfield land to the west of the city centre. The capital development value is in...

Early completion issues.
October 13, 2004... Most standard forms of construction contract contain provisions for the contractor to submit to the employer a programme showing the manner in which the contractor intends to carry out and complete the works. That requirement may range from a...

Editor's comment.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
October 13, 2004... Yo, ho, heave ho! There are still 72 days until Christmas, but the high-street stores and supermarkets are already selling their festive wares, and employees' thoughts are now turning to their yuletide celebrations. Companies vary in their...

Ennstone's bid for Johnston revived.(Ennstone)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... n [pounds sterling]48m takeover bid back on after Tarmac pulls out of race. Ennstone's [pounds sterling]48m takeover bid for the Johnston Group, back in play after Tarmac's counter-offer bit the dust, is making good progress, with almost...

Playing for time.
October 13, 2004... Designed to enforce a maximum 48-hour working week, the Working Time Directive is being hailed as the single biggest financial burden on business to come out of Europe. Is this true, or will the directive benefit employers and employees alike?...

Five battle for HA's Cumbrian road job.(Highways Agency)(contractors, road construction)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Five contractors are due to pick up the tender paperwork later this month for one of the few road deals to come up for grabs in Cumbria. The line-up for the Highways Agency's (HA) [pounds sterling]16.4m A66 Temple Sowerby bypass includes local...

Greenpeace to check on sustainable wood.(Greenpeace)
October 13, 2004... n Mowlem, Allenbuild, Kilby & Gayford and Multiplex face site visits over timber use. Greenpeace has warned that it will be making site visits in the coming weeks to the four projects that have still "failed to respond" to its queries...

HWA snaps up; Gibson Music.(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Holloway White Allom (HWA), the Mayfair-based specialist builder with a focus on the refurbishment of large private houses in London, has bought Gibson Music. The services offered by Gibson Music include integrated multi-room audio, home...

Hanson cancels Christmas.(Christmas parties)(Brief Article)
October 13, 2004... Hanson has denied charges that it is a construction industry "Scrooge" for withdrawing funds for Christmas parties. Managing director Partick O'Shea warned staff to cut expenses, including Christmas parties. O'Shea singled out senior and middle...