Phil Billingham of Perceptive Financial Planning As a child who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s I definitely feel we were promised individual jetpacks by now I have similar feelings when I look back over the last 15 or 20 years of change in financial services especially as it relates to the operation of a Financial Planning firm.. My prism for this article is: “What did we have and do that was better than before I guess the first area to look at is IT – especially back office systems but I see very little operational improvement from the days of First and Quay They are all born out of new business processing and commission tracking systems And Prestwood can put their hands down as well – it works very well if you ran the business according to Prestwood I saw some examples of ‘AI’ powered systems recently and the underlying assumptions were strikingly similar – it's all about taking on a new client but I am also sure there are a whole bunch of small firms like ours who want the shoe to fit the foot The other let down is sort of IT related – and it's about obtaining data on clients legacy products It should be about clients and IFA portals We all know that not only is the reality a million miles from this It takes hours of time and weeks of delays to get anything out of many companies made up charges (amazing how many zero charge funds there are…) I would say that as a sector we missed an opportunity to actually be of real service to clients and used it – without putting too fine a point on it – to simply rip off consumers targeted at the consumer need to save more and protect families far too many resources were devoted to developing opaque products I would contend that the reason we had so many of these failures is that faulty regulation created the moral hazard in that those who created these toxic products were immune from the horrible but predictable outcome when – not if – they went wrong I accept that many IFAs should have done better on ‘Due Diligence’ but for those brought up to believe that these big branded firms somehow cared about client outcomes and the story of Banking ‘Apps’ probably sums it up But the minute a critical mass was achieved using these bits of IT then the banks could say: “You can do everything on the App the vulnerable and those who do not quite fit the boxes in the drop down menu were left to one side we have since seen a rise in financial fraud We were promised a world where IT allowed better consumer outcomes Next time I want to look at what we have done well – and there is a long list Phil Billingham FPFS CFP Chartered Financial Planner, Chartered Fellow (Financial Planning) is a Financial Planner and a director of Perceptive Planning, a Chartered Financial Planning firm based in London and Essex. https://www.perceptiveplanning.co.uk/ Biography: Phil joined the profession in 1982 and is a past director of the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP) which merged with the CISI in 2015 He is a past member of the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) Regulatory Advisory Panel He is a specialist in helping advisers cope with regulatory change and has worked with advisers He writes this column most months for Financial Planning Today While many political commentators will jump on today's election results as a litmus test for the Government's popularity perhaps local leaders should instead be considered as increasingly important in their own right 23 councils and six mayors in England are up for election Among rising global uncertainty – economically and politically – local leadership is more important than ever The choices made are increasingly important as local leadership may be the surest bet to demonstrate why political choices still matter Polling by Ipsos for the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) ahead of today's local elections confirms local leaders are more trusted than either MPs or the Government Local leaders are also considered as having the most impact over people's quality of life in their area: 59% of those surveyed considered local councils to have the biggest impact on the quality of life in their areas compared with 12% for Parliament We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Work on a project to restore wetland habitat open up 55km of river for fish and introduce natural flood management measures at Billingham Beck has completed Delivered in partnership between the Environment Agency the project aimed to restore ecological connectivity between the beck and its floodplain after decades of modification As well as the removal of a historical weir to enhance fish passage and migration the first phase of the project created scrapes or dips in the ground that can fill with water All of these features allow the river to reconnect to its natural floodplain and will encourage species of plants insects and animals that thrive in wetland habitats to return The second phase of the works involved landscaping to enhance Billingham Beck country park for both visitors and wildlife The upgrades included improved drainage systems as well as the planting of 5,000 trees to enrich the local ecosystem Natural flood management measures have also been installed including the construction of two ‘woody debris’ dams These innovative structures consist of trees or logs that are placed into a rivers channel They are often designed to replicate naturally fallen trees and create a good habitat for wildlife without impacting on the movement of fish We are immensely proud of the project at Billingham Beck which will bring a much-needed boost to both the local community and nature This has been a fantastic example of partnerships working in action to deliver multiple benefits and our thanks go to Tees Rivers Trust Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and National Highways for their invaluable support and contributions I look forward to delivering many more restoration projects in Stockton-on-Tees in the coming year as part of the Tees Tidelands Programme Billingham Beck Valley has long been known as an area rich in wildlife and we’re delighted to have been involved in this project which has seen the wetland at the Country Park restored This work contributes to the aims of our 10-year Environmental Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Strategy It’s been a pleasure to work on this project alongside partners who share the same ambition to protect and enhance the environment We have been involved with this project since 2017 and it is great to see the work now completed We have really enjoyed the challenge of delivering this work through our Nature Based Solutions Ltd trading arm and have had great support from our sub-contractors The NWG Blue Spaces Fund has also enabled us to carry out 31 school visits and work with community volunteers to plant trees and control invasive species the Tees Tidelands programme will realign flood defences and remove tidal barriers so migratory fish can return to rivers where they have been absent for hundreds of years Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details We use cookies on this site to enhance the user experience You can follow the link provided here to tailor your experience It's less than a month to go until Festival of Thrift brings its renowned celebration of sustainability creativity and community spirit back to Billingham in the Tees Valley Over the weekend of Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September Billingham town centre and John Whitehead Park will play host to the festival's signature mix of outdoor arts performances playful installations and over 100 stalls selling goods from north east artisan businesses A packed schedule of free activities from 11am to 5pm each day is part of a diverse and captivating programme that promises something for everybody Across the festival site visitors will find performances and free workshops in The Imagined Meadow area activities focused on the natural world in The Allotment Patch slow fashion shows and stalls in Slow Fashion Alley and Festival of Thrift's famous Fix-it Café in Billingham Library food and drink will be on sale from a host of stalls located around the site Renowned designer and Festival of Thrift Co-founder Wayne Hemingway MBE will also return to speak at the festival and present a series of Best In Show thrifted fashion awards expressed her enthusiasm for the event's return to Billingham: "We are so delighted to be returning to Billingham People will get to explore previous favourites like Best in Show for the stylish and fashion-forward thrifties but also experience plenty of new surprises especially for fans of all things retro." "This year we're also excited to be partnering with Base Camp Industries for the first time who will be bringing in fantastic local and regional musicians," she said "Don't miss this exceptional weekend celebrating sustainability Festival of Thrift's return to Billingham promises to be an unforgettable experience for both newcomers and long-term thrifties alike." Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Health said: "We're thrilled to be welcoming back Festival of Thrift to Billingham town centre and once again we are expecting thousands of visitors from the Borough and beyond when the festival arrives next month there'll be fun for the whole family whilst also having the opportunity to learn more about the very important messages on sustainability so make sure your diary is free on September 21 and 22!" Performances and free workshops including: demos and insightful talks focused on the beauty and importance of the natural world biodiversity and the joy of nurturing nature's bounty including: An area filled with sustainable and slow fashion Acts and artists will also be popping up around the site throughout the weekend including the mad delights by Markmark Productions' Maniax the Great Fiasco and their Team BGee celebratory street spectacular a special DJ set showcasing The Fab Four like you've never heard before with the Beatles Dub Club WE Great Ladies' Habadashery Gals spreading magic and joy food and drink will be located around the site Festival of Thrift takes place on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September 2024 Parking is available including a park and ride option and a pre-bookable ticket per car via the festival's website Festival of Thrift is funded and sponsored by Arts Council England, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Thirteen Housing, Evolve Estates and Education Training Collective. For more information visit the Festival of Thrift's website or follow the festival's social media feeds @festivalofthrift on Facebook and Instagram and @FestoThrift on X/Twitter For Council news direct to your inbox sign up to our My Council Newsletter There are some very odd conversations happening at the moment around fair value Royal London’s Meaning of Value Report last November was encouraging that consumers overwhelmingly value adviser skills year-by-year increases in client satisfaction The report concludes by saying ‘consumers paying for advice say they are increasingly receiving good or excellent value for money’ clients want decent returns and to save money but these are always further down the list Fane is bringing you a spectacular series of autumn events including the chance to hear the unforgettable story of Billy Billingham MBE If you're a fan of modern-day tales of elite military operators and leave you with a profound sense of awe Billy Billingham MBE QCB is as tough as they come Chief Instructor on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins Billy has seen extreme combat and gruelling missions aplenty Billy will share stories of his astonishing experiences; from leaving school at 11 and running with gangs in Birmingham before joining the Royal Marine cadets and Parachute Regiment to rising to the rank of sergeant major in the SAS and undertaking dozens of classified and extremely dangerous missions He’ll consider the 20 years he spent serving in countless warzones winning a commendation for bravery and being awarded an MBE by the Queen before embracing the life of a bodyguard to celebrities such as Angelina Jolie Billy will take us behind the scenes of SAS: Who Dares Wins where he has gained a reputation for excellence but also intimidating and inspiring the contestants who take on the demanding challenges each week and with the chance to pose your questions to the man himself this event will inspire those wishing to seek a challenge and conquer it – the SAS way Don’t miss the chance to spend an evening with this extraordinary figure Secure your tickets now and prepare to be inspired to push your own limits – always a little further Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141; Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) A North East landlord has evacuated 87 households from a tower block after planned inspections exposed fire safety issues Thirteen Group said it had evacuated all the residents of Dawson House in Billingham “Planned checks alerted us to the risk that we may not be able to safely extract all of the smoke from the emergency exits in the event of a fire,” the housing association said in a statement “It is in the best interests of customers to not be within Dawson House during the evolving ongoing assessments of the building,” said Matt Forest Mr Forest said it was unclear how long the task of making the building safe would take “We now know that this will not be a quick process so we have taken the decision to offer those affected alternative accommodation Thirteen said it would cover all moving costs and provide accommodation “We appreciate this is unsettling for customers and we are doing everything we can to support [residents] to move,” Mr Forest said At the start of this year, Orbit confirmed it was investigating several blocks built by the same developer in Hastings after it was forced to evacuate 17 families from one building in the run-up to Christmas Residents were evacuated after a fire service inspection identified a number of serious fire safety issues Fire safety is uppermost in the minds of housing association staff in the wake of the final Grenfell Tower Inquiry report which did not hold back in delivering criticism of the key players from social housing providers to architects To date, up to 7,000 buildings that require remediation are not yet included in the government’s cladding safety scheme “Counting the buildings we know about is not enough,” she said “We estimate there are as many as 7,000 buildings that need remediation that have not yet applied for the cladding safety scheme.” Ms Ali said the figure was a maximum estimate but those responsible for these buildings have no excuse for failing to apply and we will work with regulators to make sure they are identified.” New to Inside Housing? Click here to register and receive our fire safety round-up straight to your inbox Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters We have had an interesting interaction with a very old fashioned provider this week Our client had discovered that they had a couple of Child Trust Funds with this provider but were struggling to get any information and the two bits of paper we could see had different addresses and make sure the money does not actually get lost in some admin rabbit hole Imagine our surprise to have an email back to us – and this is a direct quote – that says: “Please be advised that it is our Company Policy not to provide information to any third party even if a letter of authority accompanies the request.” In translation – “We will refuse to honour client instructions even if that results in harm to our clients.” Now let’s just forget about Consumer Duty for a minute What sort of arrogance does it take to tell clients not to bother giving written instructions as we are much too self-important to bother to comply And just in case the word ‘Arrogance’ seems a little harsh "Please note; There is no availability to transfer agency or servicing rights on any (name withheld to protect the guilty) policy as we do not use the services of Independent Financial Advisers." And it’s in bold here because they put it in bold in their email How astonishing is it that they think that IFAs somehow exist to provide services to legacy providers rather than looking after the interests of those that actually pay us – our clients I then went and looked at their reputation online What was interesting was that their Trust Pilot reviews are full of praise for the ‘Free Advice’ that they are giving their clients and I do get that they are just desperately defending their declining role in the market Horse carriage makers probably did the same when cars were invented it brings back memories of the old ‘Industrial Branch’ firms of the 1980s and 1990s Their culture and processes could not cope with increased consumer sophistication and just withered in the face of regulation Seeing it again was a real blast from the past – like seeing a Morris Marina on the roads… It goes to show how far we have come and how much better for consumers 99.9% of our sector is now than before We have experienced true Darwinian evolution in that only the ‘fittest’ (most adaptable) survived and now deliver – with a few exceptions – far superior service to consumers at much lower costs Biography: Phil joined the profession in 1982 and is a past director of the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP) which merged with the CISI in 2015. He is a past member of the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) Regulatory Advisory Panel. He is a specialist in helping advisers cope with regulatory change and has worked with advisers, planners and regulators in the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, South Africa and Australia. He writes this column most months for Financial Planning Today. The visit – organised by club associate partner Stockton Machine Company – saw Dan answer questions before posing for pictures and signing autographs The event was hosted by Stockton Machine Company Managing Director Mark Smith as the Billingham Town junior players got the chance to put their questions to the midfielder Dan spoke about his career so far and his hopes for the season ahead with Boro as well as the best players he has played with He also provided the youngsters with advice as they continue their own football journeys Find out more about Stockton Machine Company here. Zoë Billingham CBE has been reappointed as Chair of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) and the National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Body (NCARRB) by the Prime Minister Zoe was first appointed in January 2022 and this will be her second term in the role She will be in the role for three years starting 13 January 2025 This reappointment was made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments Zoë has spent much of her career inspecting public services to promote improvement Serving as Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue for 12 years she shone a light on all aspects of policing and created the new fire inspectorate She led the inspectorate’s national work on value for money mental health and protecting the most vulnerable Zoë is Chair of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and a member of the Transport for London Board The PRRB makes independent recommendations concerning the pay allowances and conditions of police officers to the Home Secretary and the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice The NCARRB makes independent recommendations to the government on the pay and allowances of NCA officers designated with operational powers To read similar articles, check out our People & Skills channel James looks after the Daily Digest as well as keeping the website fresh with the latest blue light sector stories All articles by James > How can we critically reassess the process of heritage-making and how do we invent new ways to preserve marginalized pasts A showcase of the artist’s distinctive storytelling methods The curated sequel to a show about an imaginary romance Examining informal networks of resistance in times of war info@aapmag.com The talented playmaker showed great quality during her first spell at the Club notably scoring in a 2-0 victory over Cardiff Metropolitan University in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup final in 2022 She was also part of the side that secured a league and cup double in the following season Fiona Barry and Laura Curnock so far this summer Lily said: “I’m really excited to be back at Cardiff City The Club have had a lot of success and I want to come back and be a part of that “Everyone in the squad is working hard to prepare for the Champions League and the Adran Premier season it will be another successful year for us.” Head coach Iain Darbyshire added: “I’m delighted to welcome Lily back to Cardiff City technically gifted and I’m really confident that our environment will allow her to absolutely thrive and show her qualities.” Designed & built by Other Media You are viewing your 1 free article this month Brown has acquired three new novels by number one Sunday Times bestseller Mark Billingham agreed the major deal for UK and Commonwealth rights with agent Sarah Lutyens at Lutyens & Rubinstein The novels will include a third novel in the new DS Miller series and the landmark twentieth book in the award-winning Tom Thorne series Billingham achieved his 24th consecutive Sunday Times bestseller with The Wrong Hands is shortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year an award Billingham is one of only two authors to have won twice before Brown has sold more than six million Mark Billingham novels Wood said: "Mark is one of the most versatile and psychologically incisive novelists in the country today showcasing the full range of what crime fiction can do And as for next year’s dark and shocking Tom Thorne novel What the Night Brings… readers will be absolutely blown away—and be dying to know what comes next Brown will be bringing that follow-up and more to readers." Billingham adeded: "I’ve now spent almost 25 years as a Little Brown author and I could not be more delighted that this new deal will push it that little bit closer to 30 I’m fully expecting some very flashy jackets To be serious—for a change—I’m thrilled and hugely excited at the prospect of working on three more novels with the best team in the business." What the Night Brings will be published in hardback next year and the first novel in the new contract will publish in 2026 The Black Country is set for a new teenage representative at the top of the eight-ball pool with Jaden Billingham poised to turn professional is the talk of the sport at a national level and is already a world and European champion in the under-18 age group who trains and represents recently-opened Paco's Pool Lounge in Blackheath town centre was recently crowned a double world champion at singles and doubles in the World Championship held in Blackpool Those titles added to already-crammed CV boasting a European crown the title of Ultimate Pool tier one champion – which is an open-age competition Ultimate Pool Group is a leading promoter of eight-ball pool It was that success that has seen the teen sensation lined up for professional status from the beginning of the 2025 season in the opening months of next year Those within the sport not only fancy Billingham to settle into the pro tour – but have backed him as a future world champion "Jaden has already been touted on television as a future world champion he's not done bad for a kid from Blackheath!" said Chris Southall where the youngster's dad Richard also plays "He's played in front of the cameras regularly on pool channels and TNT Sport it's nice on the commentary they talk about the club and see him in that light as a future world champion "He trains with seasoned pros who travel to the club and has beaten some top players "Jaden's dad played pool and bought him a table in his back garden when he was little He would wake up go outside and bash the balls about it became his life as he joined local league He's confident when it comes to his pool but he's quite a shy The cueist also enjoyed recent success in the IPA (International Pool Association) British Open in Coventry who went to school at Ormiston Forge Academy in Cradley Heath brought his Ultimate Pool season to a close at Blackpool recently and sits top of the rankings ahead of a prospective professional move It is far from the end of his 2024 on the baize with a trip to Malta this month (November) to feature in the Black Ball World Championship representing England The teen plays across different organisations in the sport which is a growing entity and has in recent years received more backing from broadcasters in helping grow different forms of pool who plays in local and national leagues alongside Billingham Snr and Jnr said that the hope is the youngster can one day look at a possible career in China or the United States "We're really proud of him and it's nice that we've played a part in his success in the last year we've been opened and in the future we will be one of his main sponsors," added Southall "We would like to be part of his journey and help him and other young boys and girls achieve "We're a community club and want to help young kids to bring them off the street." Access to this content is only available to subscribers. If you have an active subscription, please enter your details to log in. If you would like subscribe to Police Professional, please click here If your force, organisation or institution has a group subscription and you have not yet registered your details on the site, please click here Job and news alerts can be sent according to your interest and other users will be able to see your selection You can skip this section and sign up in your account at a later date Zoë Billingham has been reappointed as chair of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) and the National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Body (NCARRB) She will serve for a further three years starting on January 13 The reappointment was made by the Prime Minister in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments Ms Billingham has spent much of her career inspecting public services to promote improvement Ms Billingham is chair of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust The respective fights for survival in National One and National Two North will go the distance – as will the National Two West title race – while Tonbridge Juddians are on their way back to the third tier Survival in National One is now in the hands of Leicester Lions (12th) after their 31-26 bonus-point win over Blackheath (5th) moved them out of the relegation zone. Three victories from their last five games has seen the Lions turn the tables in their favour and they now sit four points above the bottom two after leapfrogging Esher (13th) in Round 25 The EEEs slipped to an eighth successive defeat following a 59-0 hammering away at Plymouth Albion (4th) but the upward trajectory of Leicester Lions continued at Westleigh Park Gareth Collins’ side led 12-7 thanks to a brace from Leicester Tigers youngster Malelili Satala-Navlivou while Findlay Gilmour went over for Blackheath A post shared by Leicester Lions RFC (@leicesterlionsrfc) Fly-half Luke Bouchier then added a penalty for the hosts and after the interval the Lions were able to respond to Blackheath pressure Leicester’s Arthur Allen matched Jake Hennessey’s score before Jack Daly’s 68th-minute try for the visitors made it a five-point game the home side ultimately clinched this bonus-point success when Charlie Bemand who looked certain to score following a kick through was tackled off the ball leading to a penalty try being awarded Blackheath did depart the Midlands with two bonus points thanks to another Hennessey try but this result for Leicester Lions means, for the second time in two years, the scrap for survival will be going to the final day. The Lions are back at home to face Bishop’s Stortford (9th) while Esher host Sedgley Park (11th) Just two points from their meeting with Bishop’s Stortford will be enough for Leicester Lions to secure their safety Other National One Results: Birmingham Moseley (8th) 33-35 Sale FC (7th) Bishop’s Stortford 61-24 Dings Crusaders (10th) Sedgley Park (11th) 63-24 Darlington Mowden Park Hull (12th) staged a brilliant second-half comeback as they beat Tynedale (5th) 29-22 to move out of the relegation zone in National Two North Tyne took a 12-point lead into half-time thanks to scores from Josh Leslie and Dan Baines, which they then extended as Chris Wearmouth grabbed their third try But with Hull staring down the barrel of what looked like a fatal blow to their survival hopes Three tries in eight minutes from Jake Boardman (2) and Paulos Latu wiped out Tynedale’s lead and with the scores level Fynlay Hobson’s 76th-minute converted try decided the outcome and completed a remarkable revival Back-to-back victories for Mike Umaga’s side have all of a sudden lifted the doom and gloom around the Ferens Ground as Hull are now up to 12th and three points clear of the one relegation place The Yorkshire outfit now require just two points from their final fixture of the season away at Otley (10th) to ensure their safety There was also a sizable victory for Billingham (11th) as Peter Evans’ penalty three minutes from time clinched a 31-28 win over Sheffield Tigers (9th) National Two North: Relegation Battle – Final Day Fixtures Chester (7th) v Preston Grasshoppers (13th) The North-East side came back from 15-0 down and 28-21 down to seal a fourth win from their last five matches It means Billingham need just a single point from their final game of the season away at table rivals Harrogate (14th) to book their place in National Two North for a third successive year And it is Harrogate who have dropped into the relegation spot after they lost 31-17 on Friday night away at newly-crowned champions Leeds Tykes Despite a late brace from centre Kodie Brook The Aces couldn’t collect any league points Consecutive defeats for Martyn Wood and Dan Scarbrough’s side means they must pick up a minimum of three league points from their final game of the season against Billingham to stand any chance of avoiding an immediate relegation back down to the Regional Leagues Harrogate’s hopes may hinge on the fortunes of Preston Grasshoppers who now sit in 13th after losing 44-31 at home against third-placed Lymm Hoppers were leading 31-29 heading towards the final 10 minutes but scores from Isaac Millachip and Callum Morris – either side of an Alfie Simpson penalty – condemned Preston to a seventh successive defeat Dan Orwin’s troops are now two points above the dreaded dotted line and travel to seventh-placed Chester on the final day any relegation fears in the back of Otley (10th) minds were banished in Round 25 as Kyle Dench’s men secured an excellent 45-22 win away at Hull Ionians (8th) to confirm their safety Sheffield (2nd) recorded their 21st win of the season as they beat Chester 45-20 Tonbridge Juddians ran in 11 tries as they beat Oxford Harlequins (12th) 69-19 to clinch the National Two East title A hat-trick from Joshua Tusler and doubles from Duncan Tout and Connor Lloyd helped TJs seal promotion in style the league leaders knew victory at The Slade in Round 25 would see them make a return to National One for the first time since 2021/22 A post shared by Tonbridge Juddians RFC (@tonbridgejuddiansrfc) any thoughts of Oxford Harlequins spoiling the party were quickly eradicated as Curtis Barnes Tusler and Tout all went over before the break TJs then went into overdrive in the second half as Lloyd Tusler and Tout continued their scoring while Charlie Self Vincent Everitt and Tom Kendrick all got in on the act in front of a crowd of over 1,000 in Kent Michael Onobhayedo did cross for Oxford Quins – who were reduced to 14 men when prop Joel Hopkins was sent off for a high tackle – but this was all about Tonbridge Juddians as they marched to a superb 22nd win from 25 matches to confirm promotion with a game to spare Tonbridge Juddians chairman Darren Grasby said: “National One is where we belong We had a plan to get back there in five years and we’ve done it sooner than that Everyone has worked hard at the club to make it a possibility.” Other National Two East Results: Barnes (3rd) 19-21 Henley (8th) Old Albanian (5th) 36-38 Bury St Edmunds (9th) Worthing (14th) 40-52 Westcombe Park (6th) Clifton (1st) scored eight tries to remain in control of the National Two West title race as they beat already relegated Bournville 50-30 away from home Matt Salter and Luke Cozens’ troops now know that a victory on the final day of the season against Exeter University (11th) at Station Road will see them promoted to National One despite 12 places and 67 points separating the two sides before kick-off the league leaders didn’t have it all their own way at Bournville Clifton did secure their try bonus point before half-time thanks to scores from Tom Anderson (2), Zak Hamid and Matt Smith but Bournville were able to keep in touch Reiss Price and Nathan Decalmer both scooted over before a penalty try cut Clifton’s lead to 24-20 at the break — Clifton Rugby (@cliftonrugby) April 12, 2025 Jacob Fewtrell further reduced that advantage with a penalty but three tries in 10 minutes saw the table-toppers surge clear They capitalised on a yellow card shown to Adam Shaw as half-back pairing Ollie Millner and Mitch Spencer both crossed before Anderson completed his hat-trick for a 45-23 lead Henry Harper got one back for a spirited Bournville but Clifton secured their eighth win in a row with Hamid’s second The Bristol outfit remain three points clear at the summit after title rivals Camborne (2nd) beat bottom-of-the-table Devonport Services 43-26 but like Clifton the Cherry and Whites were also given a scare Camborne found themselves 19-14 down just after half-time following Devonport scores from Charlie Groves and Liam Jarvis (2) but four tries from hooker Ben Priddey across the course of the afternoon – as well efforts from Harry Larkins Jordan Nicholls and Will Tanswell – saw Town run out winners Steve Larkins’ men travel to 12th-placed Macclesfield on the final day of the season hopinh Clifton slip up against Exeter University Other National Two West Results: Exeter University (11th) 53-38 Cinderford (6th) Loughborough Students (4th) 52-26 Redruth (8th) Old Redcliffians (10th) 15-17 Luctonians (7th) Make sure you follow National League Rugby on social media + hit like and subscribe on our YouTube channel Email: ncasecretary@outlook.com