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It's healthy to have a bit of competition for the two directorships at TMOR.

Whichever pair wants to be elected should have to make a compelling case as to why shareholders should vote for them at the forthcoming EGM.

Though if a pair of proposed replacements has an exciting track record, then that alone could excite the market.

And the incumbents may feel that they have to deliver something tangible ahead of the vote to fight off strong challengers, which could perhaps be why they have used stalling tactics to delay the EGM.

It could all potentially make for a nice win-win situation for TMOR's share price, whoever wins.

"Integrating Physical with Digital Security: A Comprehensive Approach to Business Safety

... In the realm of cybersecurity, physical security aims to minimise risks to information systems and data. Access to systems, equipment, and operating environments should be limited to authorised individuals, virtually and physically.

Why Should the Two Approaches Work Together?

The physical and digital realms are too interconnected to adopt separate protection strategies. If there is a gap in entrance control, for example, a criminal can easily install viruses or malware in a company’s network using a simple USB. If a hacker can access an air conditioning system, they can increase the temperature to the point of rendering network servers inoperable, causing massive disruptions to the operations. If an attacker can infiltrate the telecommunications of a business, they can interrupt communication with emergency services during a physical attack.

Criminals may use physical access to install hidden devices, such as hardware or network interceptors, to intercept data or conduct surveillance. These devices can capture network traffic, record keystrokes, or eavesdrop on communications.

In today’s interconnected world, where the lines between physical and virtual reality are blurred, physical and digital security is necessary to improve the safety posture of your business.

The Benefits of Integrating Physical and Digital Security

The convergence of cyber-physical security offers numerous advantages:

Cost Savings ...

Improved Incident Response ...

Risk Reduction ...

Cybersecurity as a Foundation for Physical Security ...

Safetell’s Solution

Physical and cybersecurity function as two sides of the same coin. Each has a unique, overlapping role to play in the overall protection of a business, its employees, its customers, its assets, and its data.

If you would like to improve the safety of your workplace, get in touch with Safetell. With decades of experience improving the physical safety of businesses in a number of sectors, we can work with your physical and cybersecurity team to address your concerns and develop bespoke solutions that match your business needs."

https://www.safetell.co.uk/insights/integrating-physical-with-digital-security-a-comprehensive-approach-to-business-safety/

"Integrating Physical with Digital Security: A Comprehensive Approach to Business Safety

09 August, 2023

As more transactions and interactions move online, businesses are increasingly focused on and concerned with cyberattacks. But with the move to the cyber world and the Internet of Things, more devices are being used to connect to the Internet and access sensitive data; businesses have to protect an interconnected web of cyber-physical systems that requires a balance of cybersecurity and physical security.

Mobile devices and physical servers are becoming valuable targets for cybercriminals, and physical and cybersecurity have to go hand-in-hand. Access control, surveillance, and the use of security employees have an important role to play in the protection and monitoring of data and IT systems, and vice versa. In 2023, IFSEC Global found that 36% of IT and security professionals will invest in cybersecurity tools designed to enhance physical security.

A Multi-Faceted Approach To Safety

The main difference between physical security and cybersecurity strategies lies in the assets they protect. Physical security focuses on safeguarding tangible assets like buildings, equipment and people, while cybersecurity focuses on safeguarding intangible assets such as data and networks.

Physical security aims to prevent physical access to assets, whereas cybersecurity aims to prevent digital access. Both strategies employ multiple layers of prevention and detection.

Another distinction is that physical security is location-based, while cybersecurity is not dependent on location. This means that securing physical assets requires different strategies compared to securing information and data.

Physical security encompasses the protection of people, property, and physical assets from various physical risks like violence, theft, vandalism, and terrorism. Common physical security measures include entrance control solutions, security doors, glazing, walling and transfer units.

If physical security and cybersecurity aren’t integrated and function as standalone measures, there is a higher likelihood of successful attacks resulting in theft, economic damage, and the disruption of critical functions.

Physical security plays a role in protecting cybersecurity by limiting access to spaces where data is stored. Conversely, electronic security components connected to the Internet, such as key card door locks and surveillance cameras, can be targeted by hackers.

Physical security is essential for preventing unauthorised access, protecting intellectual property, and mitigating workplace violence, while a robust cybersecurity strategy ensures the security of sensitive data retained by physical systems. ..."

https://www.safetell.co.uk/insights/integrating-physical-with-digital-security-a-comprehensive-approach-to-business-safety/

"Importance of Customised Security Solutions: Safetell’s Approach

09 August, 2023

Businesses across the UK are always at risk of crime, from threats from the public to burglary to terrorism. Over 600,000 crimes and over 100,000 burglaries are reported against businesses and commercial properties in the UK every year.

Implementing security measures such as security doors, entrance control solutions, and security screens can have a great impact towards protecting your staff, your building, and your assets, but a one-size-fits-all solution won’t be sufficient in every single scenario. You may need a bespoke solution that takes your specific business needs into account.

Why Is a Customised Solution Necessary?

While many companies are selling ready-made security solutions, typically limited to one type of product, they aren’t always suitable for your organisation’s needs. Here’s why a bespoke security solution is the best approach for most companies:

Address Specific Needs ...

Ensure Compliance with Regulations ...

Allows Optimal Resource Allocation ...

Enhances Effectiveness ...

Easy Integration with Existing Systems ...

Future Scalability ...

Why Choose Safetell?

One of the key advantages of Safetell’s bespoke solutions is their commitment to understanding the unique needs of each client. Rather than providing generic products and services, Safetell’s multi-disciplined team engages in a detailed design phase, working closely with clients to outline principles and processes. This collaborative approach ensures that every aspect of the project is tailored to the specific requirements of the business.

By taking the time to understand the client’s objectives, challenges, and site conditions, Safetell is able to offer comprehensive solutions that address their specific security concerns.

Customised Solutions ...

Strong Relationships

Successful Installations ...

Get In Touch With Safetell

Safetell has made hundreds of businesses in the private, public and retail sectors a safer place to work for more than 30 years. If you are interested in securing your business, get in touch with one of the experts at Safetell today, or request an obligation-free quote."

https://www.safetell.co.uk/insights/importance-of-customised-security-solutions-safetells-approach/

Three more excellent articles have just been added to Safetell's website, highlighting the excellence of the company's offering:-

"The Evolution of Physical Security Measures in the UK

09 August, 2023

Over the years, the United Kingdom has witnessed a significant evolution in physical security practices, driven by changing threats (including the risk of terrorist attacks and an increase in violent crime), technological advancements, and an increased emphasis on safety.

Roughly 69.2 crimes are being committed against UK businesses every single hour, which is why physical security is a priority for every company. Let’s take a look at how security has evolved.

Locks and Bars ...

Safes ...

The Rise of Bullet and Attack Resistant Screens ...

Security Doors ...

Hostile Vehicle Mitigation ...

The Advent of Digital Security Systems

As technology rapidly advanced, the UK witnessed a paradigm shift in physical security measures with the emergence of digital security systems. Traditional physical barriers, while effective to some extent, were now complemented by sophisticated electronic surveillance, access control, and alarm systems. These digital security solutions revolutionised the way security is managed, monitored, and responded to.

Digital security systems encompass a wide range of technologies, including closed-circuit television (CCTV), biometric access control, intrusion detection systems, and remote monitoring. CCTV cameras, in particular, have become ubiquitous in public spaces, commercial premises, and residential areas, providing real-time monitoring and evidence-gathering capabilities.

The Safetell Difference

Safetell has been keeping businesses in the public and private sectors safe for more than 30 years. Both safety technology and crime have changed over the years, and so have we. We’ve not only kept up to date with the latest innovations; we’re proud physical safety pioneers.

If you would like to know more about improving physical safety for your business, get in touch with one of our experts today."

https://www.safetell.co.uk/insights/the-evolution-of-physical-security-measures-in-the-uk/

Some more great news about a further impressive strengthening of the GT team:-

"Insights | Company News

Growing Together

Introducing fresh talent to Grosvenor Technology

Colin Leatherbarrow

Managing Director

Grosvenor Technology has strengthened its development team by appointing Bobby Dykes as Mechanical Design Engineer. Bobby will have full oversight and authority of all mechanical design projects reporting to Stephen Woolhead, our Head of Development. He has had a varied career specialising in injection moulding for various applications in both the retail and travel hospitality industries. His skills in this area prove to be a huge asset to Grosvenor as our clocks are mainly injection moulded and require the highest design standard.

Commenting on his appointment, Bobby said he was excited to develop new clocks with a great look and feel, always with a mind on manufacturing techniques to ensure a good mechanical born cost. He is currently working on a new HCM solution from concept and internal ideas to customer feedback and onto full production. This will be a nice addition to our product entry range, allowing us to diversify and reflect emerging market needs that will continue to improve time management and HR protocols within businesses.

Bobby is looking forward to making the role his own and introducing new features to the clocks that improve their functionality for clients and create a fresh look and feel to market-leading economical and environmentally made projects.

Colin Leatherbarrow, Managing Director of Grosvenor Technology said “Bobby brings a much-needed wealth of relevant mechanical design experience. Grosvenor’s forward-thinking and modern approach to hybrid working and employee wellbeing was a key factor in drawing in this new talent. We look forward to witnessing his growing connections and contributions to the team”.

Please join us in welcoming Bobby to the team."

https://www.grosvenortechnology.com/insights/growing-together-introducing-fresh-talent-to-grosvenor-technology/

Welcome Bobby.

"Live long and prosper" on GT's 'trek to the stars'.

"Summary of the ACS Crime Report

09 August, 2023

... Burglary and Organised Crime

While a significant number of incidents are opportunistic in nature, 65% of retailers believe that incidents involving organised crime groups have increased in the past year as well. There have been more incidents of distraction theft (59%), gangs targeting local sites (36%), coordinated shop theft (27%), distribution fraud (14%) and theft from delivery vehicles as well (14%).

At the same time, not all retailers report crime. Only 16% of all retail crime is reported to the police due to the:

• a perceived lack of interest from the police,

• a lack of confidence in the willingness or ability of the police to follow up their investigation, and

• the time and effort it takes to file and process reports, as stated by participants.

Crime Prevention

Many retailers are taking a proactive stance to protect their business. As the report states, “Every pound invested by a business in preventing crime increases the feelings of safety and positivity among local citizens about their communities.” ...

Safetell has decades of experience in the convenience retail sector and is a leading provider of state-of-the-art security solutions tailored for various sectors. ...

Speak to an expert today

If you believe that your store could benefit from security screens, partitioning, or doors, reach out to Safetell without delay. Our expertise in the industry enables us to provide top-notch solutions that meet your needs and deliver the protection you need. Let Safetell help you safeguard your business and assets effectively."

http://www.safetell.co.uk/insights/summary-of-the-acs-crime-report/

It's sad to read that the upsurge in retail crime is continuing.

But great that NWT is able to assist so robustly:-

31st Jan 2023 7:00 am RNS Half-year Report

" ... We have also seen significant demand for our safety screens in the retail sector given the current economic climate and the need to protect their staff. We are pleased with the progress made so far as we delivered two large retail projects in H1 FY23, with another one secured for H2. ..."

https://www.lse.co.uk/rns/NWT/half-year-report-22phs4l5im1fv8m.html

"Summary of the ACS Crime Report

09 August, 2023

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) have recently released the results of their annual crime survey. The survey, which was conducted between 13th February and 31st March 2023, examines the incidents and cost of crime experienced by convenience retailers over the past 12 months. Here’s what they found:

The Cost of Crime Is Increasing

The vast majority of retailers surveyed (79%) say they believe the cost of living crisis has led to an increase in theft. More than 1.1 million incidents of shop theft were reported in the past year. Crime against convenience stores costs the industry more than £125 million, or £2,574 per store. Consumers are effectively paying a crime tax of at least 6p per transaction.

This figure doesn’t reflect the additional investment convenience retailers have made in crime prevention in 2022. More than £ 228 million has been spent on safety measures in the last year, or £4,698 per store.

Crime not only takes a toll on businesses financially; it can have a negative impact on their staff as well. As Jenny Alleyne, Co-op, Head of Operational Risk & Compliance, says in the report, “The increase in prolific and persistent offenders across retail is having a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of our colleagues as they strive to run brilliant stores in local communities. The fatigue from this persistent pressure from thieves leaves colleagues frustrated, helpless and feeling tense in their working environment.”

Violence and Verbal Abuse

According to the report, there were more than 41,000 incidents of violence reported in the sector, including more than 8,800 incidents of robbery. 13% of these incidents resulted in injury. These incidents are often triggered by staff encountering shop thieves, attempting to enforce age-restricted sales policies or a refusal to serve intoxicated customers. 25% of retail workers believe that incidents of violence have increased in the past 12 months. Knives were present in 44% of all violent incidents, 55% other weapons (axes, syringes, hammers) were present, and firearms were present in 1% of all instances.

Incidents of anti-social behaviour are another area of concern. 87% of workers have experienced verbal abuse in the past year, and 759,000 incidents of verbal abuse were recorded in 2022. More than a third (34%) of these incidents were hate-motivated.

The report states while violent incidents have decreased since the pandemic, “levels of violence remain unacceptably high”.

Customers have been impacted negatively as well as 36% of customers have witnessed incidents of violence or abuse towards staff. More than a third of customers have stated they feel more anxious when they shop. ..."

http://www.safetell.co.uk/insights/summary-of-the-acs-crime-report/

"INVESTMENT IDEAS

How to invest in battery storage

Large-scale battery-storage assets are key enablers of the energy transition. A small subset of London-listed investment trusts offer private investors a way into the sector

August 8, 2023

By Jennifer Johnson

It took a single lightning strike to instantly shut down 5 per cent of the UK's power on 9 August 2019. The bolt hit a transmission circuit just before 5pm, triggering a rare simultaneous outage at both the Hornsea offshore wind farm and the Little Barford gas power station. The loss of these large generators meant that the frequency of the country’s electricity grid fell to 48.8 hertz – below the lower limit of 49.5 hertz at which National Grid's Electricity Systems Operator (ESO) must maintain the power system.

When this kind of drop-off occurs, power is automatically shut off somewhere on the network to prevent frequency from falling further. In this instance, it just so happened that the lights went out in parts of central London as rush hour was getting under way. Traffic lights stopped working, trains ground to a halt and passengers stranded on platforms navigated out of stations using the torches on their mobile phones.

Although power and services were mostly restored within a few hours, the 9 August blackout was the UK’s largest in more than a decade – and it could have been much worse. Batteries were part of the reason the disruption was contained. At the time, National Grid (NG.) had a total of 200 megawatts (MW) of its own frequency-response batteries at its disposal. These assets are able to provide on-demand electricity in the event of a shortfall elsewhere on the network.

The grid operator was also able to call on nearly 300MW of battery storage put in place by other organisations. “When the battery storage assets detected that drop in frequency, they ramped up their output milliseconds later,” explains Markuz Jaffe, an investment companies analyst at Peel Hunt. “This really speaks to the value they have on the grid.”

By the end of the decade, the consultancy Rystad Energy predicts that the UK will have some 24 gigawatts (GW) of battery storage installed – with enough energy in reserve to power 18mn homes for a year. As the country comes to rely on renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, reliable sources of back-up power will be needed for days without a strong breeze or adequate sunshine. ..."

https://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/ideas/2023/08/08/how-to-invest-in-battery-storage/

Looks like better UK battery regulation is coming, which could provide opportunities for safer battery technology and domestic production:-

"E-bike battery fires prompt call for better regulation

27 July

By Tom Gerken & Chris Vallance

Technology reporters

Batteries for e-bikes should be regulated in the same way as fireworks, heavy machinery or medical devices because of the fire risk they pose, a charity has said.

In June, a woman and two children died in a fire linked to an e-bike battery. ...

Meanwhile, the London Fire Brigade said it has been called to a fire caused by e-bike batteries on average once every two days in 2023.

"The huge amount of energy that is released over time when a battery bursts into flames is unlike other fires," said Electrical Safety First chief executive Lesley Rudd.

A room could be destroyed "in a matter of minutes" she said.

"This unique type of fire requires special measures to tackle the increasing problem."

The UK should adopt regulation similar to rules introduced in New York City in March 2023, Ms Rudd believes.

The US city has signed into law legislation which requires e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries to meet standards set by a third party with expertise in battery technology. ...

A government spokesperson told the BBC: "The Office for Product and Safety and Standards is working closely with the fire brigade to ensure product safety issues are properly assessed and action is taken to protect consumers.

"If manufacturers don't comply with product safety regulations, appropriate enforcement action will be taken, such as ordering the removal of the product from the market." ...

"Lithium battery fires can spread quickly out of control, and within minutes have started a large fire," it says. ...

James Metcalfe, founder of e-bike firm Volt, told the BBC there was a proliferation of substandard batteries online and "consumers need to be educated that cheap imported batteries can be extremely dangerous".

He said firms like Volt already had robust quality standards and welcomed any measures that would better protect the consumer."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-66304564

4th Aug 2023 7:00 am RNS Trading Statement

"Parity Group plc (AIM: PTY), the data and technology-focussed recruitment and professional services company, announces a trading update for the six months ended 30 June 2023.

During H1 2023, Parity successfully won a place on the coveted public sector RM6277 framework, which has an estimated spend of circa £2bn over the next four years, though it is not possible at this stage to quantify what level of revenue might accrue to Parity. This framework, which went live on 25 July 2023, represents a significant opportunity for Parity to expand further into the public sector at a time when there are increasing headwinds affecting the broader recruitment market.

In line with many others within the recruitment sector, Parity has seen market conditions become more challenging over recent months with economic uncertainty resulting in clients and new business opportunities deferring hiring decisions. As a result, we are expecting first half revenue to be 10% lower than that achieved in the second half of 2022.

In spite of the lower H1 performance, the business has improved its working capital management and reduced net debt to £0.7m as at the 30 June 2023 (compared with £2.3m net debt as at 31 December 2022).

With market conditions not expected to improve in the near term and a key client signalling a shift towards a more global supply chain, Parity is prioritising resources to exploit its strengths and opportunity within the public sector, and in particular the new RM6277 framework. As a consequence, the new business initiatives targeting the private sector, which included permanent recruitment services, have been scaled back and with a resultant reduction in headcount.

Historically, Parity's core business, servicing contract recruitment within the public sector, has been one of the most resilient areas when recruitment markets turn down. The Company sees this as a core strength of the business and will be looking at how the Company can leverage this to maximise value for shareholders.

Contacts

Parity Group plc Tel: + 44 (0) 20 8171 1729

Mark Braund, Chairman www.parity.net

Mike Johns, Chief Financial Officer

Allenby Capital Limited (Nominated Adviser and Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 3328 5656

David Hart / Dan Dearden-Williams (Corporate Finance)

Tony Quirke (Sales and Corporate Broking)"

https://www.lse.co.uk/rns/PTY/trading-statement-6cx2yutlh9ux4wl.html

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