For the year ended 31st March 2008.

Introduction

I am pleased to present this eight annual report from The NE Group.  The past year has seen the company mature and refine its purpose.  There is clarity of focus and assurance that comes with success within the business, which is pleasing to me as Chairman to see and report on.

Success

Success has characterised the past year and some of the more noteworthy achievements to draw attention to are these:

• We have taken the management of two further properties into our portfolio; Sorby House in Sheffield and Venture House in Boston;
• We have successfully tendered for two new and important contracts with emda, our regional development agency;
• Working with Mansfield District Council we have secured funding for the continuation of MANSKEP, the enterprise agency serving Mansfield and its environs;
• Developed a new relationship with Lincoln College that enables us to deliver training across a range of disciplines to businesses and individuals;
• Achieved accreditation to the Matrix and Customer First standards, together with our on-going accreditation to European Business Incubation Network (EBN) standards;
• Continued to develop projects and proposals in conjunction with colleagues in Hungary to transfer knowledge about economic development and in particular business incubation and job creation.

Each of these achievements will form the building blocks for next year's work which will set us on course to manage over 200,000 square feet of business incubation and managed workspace, together with substantial business support contracts making a fully rounded service to new, growing and developing businesses in the region.

Our Partners

I would like to thank my fellow directors, who have contributed their skills and expertise freely to the company, delivering high level guidance to the executive team, always with due regard to best practice in corporate governance.  My thanks also go to the staff of the company, our customers and partners who have worked together to ensure a real contribution to developing businesses locally and regionally.

R J Budge
Chairman
16 September 2008

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