Chestnut Morgan

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, followed by Chestnut Morgan's best practice article

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Chestnut Morgan is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett

Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles

www.chestnut-morgan.com

1CHESTNUT MORGAN |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE

CEO David James Morgan

Pochard Fishing Lodge

Chestnut Morgan is a property development and contract

management start-up based in Leighton Buzzard,

Buckinghamshire. Founded in 2015 by CEO David

Morgan, it won an award for the best small commercial

development after completing its first project at the Pochard

Fishing Lodge. This was quite an achievement and really helped

to launch the business with immediate recognition for the

quality of its work. David tells

The Parliamentary Review

more.

With a wealth of knowledge in the sector, having been in the building industry

for most of my working career, I take a very hands-on approach to the day-to-day

work of the business. I try to carefully envision each project, considering the end

result before starting any work. This gives an extra dimension to the service that

is offered as we refuse to simply follow a plan that isn’t working because certain

aspects of the project haven’t been considered.

I am very much involved from the beginning to the end of each project and I will

personally spend time with the client and project site manager. We also place a

significant emphasis upon sourcing the best materials and ensuring that they fit

with the customer’s requirement. Understanding the client, their needs and their

final vision is of the utmost importance to us, a set of values that gives us the edge

over our competitors. This a key factor behind our recent projected turnover figures

for 2019 reaching £1 million.

FACTS ABOUT

CHESTNUT MORGAN

»CEO: David James Morgan

»Director: Nadine Morgan

»Founded in 2015

»Located in Corner Croft,

Hollingdon

»Services: Property development

and contract management

»No. of employees: two

full-time and 20 regular

subcontractors

»Winner of the 2017 LABC

award for Best Small

Commercial Building

»www.chestnut-morgan.com

Chestnut Morgan

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW

Highlighting best practice

2| CHESTNUT MORGAN

Flexible skills, suited to each

job

Other than our director, Nadine

Morgan, we do not employ any

full-time members of staff, instead

working with 20 trusted self-employed

subcontractors with whom we have

developed a professional relationship

over the past four years. Because

of the complexity of each build,

renovation or conversion, we have to

adapt accordingly. Therefore, we will

employ or instruct the relevant skilled

labour that suits the particular job

requirements.

We work on a range of sensitive

projects including the restoration of

listed buildings, for example. This type

of project requires a certain skill-set,

whereby staff are required to be

sympathetic to the building and ensure

the correct use of suitable materials.

In this scenario, it suits us to rely on

skilled contractors on a part-time basis,

rather than re-training full-time staff.

As a company that is relatively new to

the sector, we have been keen to work

on a wide range of projects. Our day-

to-day responsibilities include:

»Project planning

»Programming schedule of works

»Liaising with customers, architects

and surveyors

»Liaising with site managers and

contractors, structural engineers,

specialist material suppliers, specialist

contractors, local authorities and

utility providers

»Involvement in the design and build

process

»Invoicing

»Purchasing and scheduling labour.

Culture and values

Attention to detail is at the centre of

our business. We deal with high-end,

custom-designed projects where it

is vital that we go the extra mile for

the customer and fit their designs to

exacting specifications. We aim to

provide the best service and quality

possible and encourage a sense of

team spirit through co-operation and

taking pride in our work.

We are supportive of the personal

progression of our staff and we believe

in giving people the opportunity to

prove themselves. Initially, we offer

them guidance and offer courses to

promote their level of understanding.

This helps to build a better team,

which in turn provides a better service.

The company has grown a lot over

the past few years and it has been a

real learning curve getting to grips

with the daily operations in terms of

understanding welfare and insurance

while also providing a service that

follows our vision. Initially, becoming

established had been our primary

aim, but we have already been

successful in running up to four jobs

at once. Therefore, we are looking

to expand quickly, building on our

solidfoundations.

We are currently involved in a barn

conversion equating to £650,000

worth of work, while tendering

Historic and listed

buildings

We work on a

range of

sensitive

projects

including the

restoration of

listed

buildings, for

example

“

3CHESTNUT MORGAN |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE

for new work all the time. This

potentially includes projects such

as a £600,000 modern barn with a

glass link to a Grade II listed building

and a wrap-around extension to a

Victorian home. Other specialist works

include a basement conversion and

waterproofing project.

Competing and expanding

Competing with organisations that

don’t charge VAT can be challenging

and it makes it difficult to win the job

in the first place; in addition, we have

put work into planning projects that

don’t come to fruition. Dealing with

people can be another big challenge,

as they often change their minds. This

is understandable, since ideas can

evolve over the course of a build.

Materials arriving late and the weather

have proved to be unexpected

challenges, while finding skilled people

who can offer the service that we want

to provide is an issue affecting the

entire sector. Investors are also holding

back at the moment because of

Brexit and have resisted commencing

projects until they see how they will

be affected. Brexit may also impact

material prices, which will in turn

influence the pricing of each job and

the customer’s ability to afford a build

that follows their vision.

CIS payments for the tax office have

also had a significant impact on time

spent sorting. Government websites

are not simple and can be very difficult

to understand, which therefore slows

down the process. Pensions are

another consideration that prevents

us from taking on full-time staff and

present an issue that we will have to

tackle in the future.

Despite these challenges, we are

looking to grow the company and

get it to the point that I can take a

step back and oversee the projects. I

want to continue offering guidance

but would like to cut back my day-

to-day involvement. This will only be

possible if we can find high-quality

staff that also match our vision for

the organisation. Finally, we would

like to expand into several divisions,

with high-end barn conversions, new

builds, listed building restorations and

contemporary builds all forming part of

our future repertoire.

Attention to

detail is at the

centre of our

business. We

deal with

high-end,

custom-

designed

projects where

it is vital that

we go the

extra mile for

the customer

and fit their

designs to

exacting

specifications

“

Bespoke barn conversion

www.chestnut-morgan.com

This article was sponsored by Chestnut Morgan. The Parliamentary Review is wholly funded by the representatives who write for it. The publication in which this article originally appeared contained the following foreword from Rt Hon Michael Gove.

Rt Hon Michael Gove's Foreword For The Parliamentary Review

By Rt Hon Michael Gove

This year's Parliamentary Review comes at a momentous time for parliament, as we collectively determine the destiny of the United Kingdom.

On October 31, the UK will leave the European Union. The successful implementation of this process is this government's number-one priority.

Three years after a historic referendum vote, we will deliver on the decisive mandate from the British people. Trust in our democracy depends on it. Until that final hour, we will work determinedly and diligently to negotiate a deal, one that abolishes the backstop and upholds the warm and close relationship we share with our friends, allies and neighbours in the EU. But in the event that the EU refuses to meet us at the table, we must be prepared to leave without a deal.

As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, it is my job to lead on this government's approach, should that scenario happen. Preparing for Brexit is my department's driving mission. But while I am leading this turbocharged effort, the whole of government is committed to this endeavour.

Ministers across Whitehall are working together to ensure that every possibility is considered, every plan is scrutinised and every provision is made. A daily drumbeat of meetings means that we are holding departments accountable, so that preparations are completed on time.

The chancellor has confirmed that all necessary funding will be made available. And we have mobilised thecivil service, assigning 15,000 of our most talented civil servants to manage our exit from the EU.

We will make sure that on November 1, there is as little disruption to national life as possible. Our trade relationships will continue to thrive, thanks to agreements with countries around the world worth £70 billion. Our country will remain secure, thanks to nearly 1,000 new officers posted at our borders. And the 3.2 million EU nationals now living and working among us can remain confident, with absolute certainty, of their right to remain in the UK.

Above all, our goal is to be transparent. Soon, we will launch a public information campaign so that citizens, communities and businesses are ready and reassured about what will happen in the event of “no deal”.

In my first few weeks in this role, I have travelled to ports and tarmacs, borders and bridges, all across the UK –from the seaside of Dover to the rolling green hills of County Armagh. I have heard from business owners and border officials, farmers and hauliers. They are ready to put an end to uncertainty. And they are ready to embrace the opportunities ahead.

Our departure from the EU will be a once in a lifetime chance to chart a new course for the United Kingdom. Preparing for that new course will be a herculean effort. But this country has made astounding efforts before. We can do it again.

Rt Hon Michael Gove
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster