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LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

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1. Statement from the Board of Directors:

1.1    At John Alison we care about the future of UK business and believe that anti-bribery legislation is directly beneficial for business, because it creates clarity, the principle of free and fair competition and a level playing field, all of which can be diminished by a bribe offered or accepted. The legislation is tough as the Bribery Act 2010 creates offences of offering or receiving bribes and of failure to prevent a bribe being paid on an organisation’s behalf and this Policy sets out the steps that our team must take to prevent bribery and corruption in our business and to comply with the legislation.

1.2    We run our business with integrity and this Policy is a source of information and guidance  for our clients, consultants and staff. For our staff, it helps them recognise and deal with bribery and corruption issues, as well as understand their responsibilities.

 2. The Policy

2.1    John Alison Land & Research Ltd is committed to conducting business in an ethical and honest manner, and is committed to implementing and enforcing systems that ensure bribery is prevented. We are committed to acting professionally, fairly, and with integrity in all business dealings and relationships, wherever in the country we operate.

2.2    John Alison Land & Research Ltd will consistently uphold all laws relating to anti-bribery and corruption in all the jurisdictions in which we operate. We are bound by the laws of the UK, including the Bribery Act 2010, in regards to our conduct both at home and abroad.

2.3    John Alison Land & Research Ltd recognizes, that any person guilty of bribery is subject to fines or up to ten years of imprisonment. If our company is discovered to have taken part in corrupt activities, or fails to have adequate procedures in place, we may be subjected to an unlimited fine, be excluded from tendering for public contracts, and face serious damage to our reputation. Notwithstanding this, there is a moral issue here about engaging in good and fair business and it is with this in mind that we commit to preventing bribery and corruption in our business, and take our legal responsibilities seriously.

3. Who is covered by the policy?

3.1    This anti-bribery policy applies to all employees including members of the Board (whether temporary, fixed-term,or permanent), consultants, contractors, trainees, seconded staff, home workers, casual workers, agency staff, volunteers, interns, agents, sponsors, or any other person or persons associated with us (including third parties), or any of our subsidiaries or their employees, no matter where they are located (within or outside of the UK).

3.2    In the context of this policy third-party refers to any individual or organization, that our company meets and works with. It refers to actual and potential clients, customers, suppliers, distributors, business contacts, agents, advisers, and government and public bodies – this includes their advisors, representatives and officials, politicians, and public parties.

 3.3    Any arrangements our company makes with a third party is subject to clear contractual terms, including specific provisions that require the third party to comply with this policy.

4.    Definition of Bribery

4.1    Bribery refers to the act of offering, giving, promising, asking, agreeing, receiving, accepting, or soliciting something of value or of an advantage so to induce or influence an action or decision.

4.2    A bribe refers to any inducement, reward, or object/item of value offered to another individual in order to gain commercial, contractual, regulatory, or personal advantage. There are many names given to such payments which seek to divert the attention of the unwary from the fact that they are actually Bribes, such terms as ‘Facilitation Payment’, ‘Kickback’, ‘Grease Payment’ and for the avoidance of doubt all constitute Bribes and fall within the scope of this Policy.

4.3    Bribery is not limited to the act of offering a bribe. If an individual is on the receiving end of a bribe and they accept it, they are also breaking the law.

4.4    Bribery is illegal. Employees must not engage in any form of bribery, whether it be directly, passively (as described above), or through a third party (such as an agent or distributor). You must not bribe a public official. You must not accept any payment for your services from a client or consultant employed by John Alison, or make any payment to a client or consultant employed by John Alison, if it is offered outside of our normal terms and conditions of engagement. If you are uncertain about whether something is a bribe, or a gift, or act of hospitality, you must immediately seek further advice from the Managing Director.

5.    What is and what is not acceptable

5.1     Gifts and hospitality

5.1.1  John Alison Land & Research Ltd accepts normal and appropriate gestures of hospitality and goodwill (whether given to/received from third parties) so long as the giving or receiving of gifts meets the following requirements:

a.   It is not made with the intention of influencing the party to whom it is being given, to obtain a business advantage or reward the retention of a business or, as an explicit or implicit exchange for favours or benefits.

b.   It is not made with the suggestion that a return favour is expected.

c.   It is in compliance with local law.

d.   It is given in the name of the company, not in an individual’s name.

e.   It does not include cash or a cash equivalent (e.g. a voucher or gift certificate).

f.   It is appropriate for the circumstances (e.g. giving small gifts around Christmas or as a small thank you to a company for helping with a large project upon completion).

g.   It is of an appropriate type and value and given at an appropriate time, taking into account the reason for the gift.

h.   It is given/received openly, not secretly.

i.   It is not selectively given to a key, influential person, clearly with the intention of directly influencing them.

j.   It is not above a certain excessive value, as pre-determined by the company’s compliance manager (usually in excess of £100).

k.   It is not offered to, or accepted from, a government official, or representative, or politician, or political party.

5.1.2  Where it is inappropriate to decline the offer of a gift (i.e. when meeting with an individual of a certain religion/culture who may take offence), the gift may be accepted so long as it is declared to the compliance manager, who will assess the circumstances.

5.1.3  As good practice, gifts given and received must always be disclosed to the compliance manager.

5.1.4  The intention behind a gift being given/received should always be considered. If there is any uncertainty, the advice of the compliance manager should be sought.

5.2     Facilitation Payments and Kickbacks

5.2.1  John Alison Land & Research Ltd does not accept and will not make any form of facilitation payments, kickbacks or grease payments of any nature. We recognize them as a form of bribery to induce officials to perform routine functions they are otherwise obligated to perform or offered/received for securing unfair business advantage.

5.2.3  John Alison Land & Research Ltd, recognizes, that despite our strict policy on facilitation payments and kickbacks, employees may, even in the UK, face a situation where avoiding a facilitation payment or kickback may put their/their family’s personal security at risk. Under these circumstances, the following steps must be taken:

a.         Keep any amount to the minimum.

b.         Ask for a receipt, detailing the amount and reason for the payment.

c.         Create a record concerning the payment.

d.         Report this incident to the Managing Director.

5.3     Political Contributions

5.3.1  John Alison Land & Research Ltd will not make donations, whether in cash, kind, or by any other means, to support any political parties or candidates. We recognize, this may be perceived as an attempt to gain an improper business advantage.

5.4     Charitable Contributions

5.4.1 John Alison Land & Research Ltd supports the act of donating to charities – whether through services, knowledge, time, or direct financial contributions (cash or otherwise) – and agrees to disclose all charitable contributions it makes.

5.4.2  Employees must be careful to ensure that charitable contributions are not used to facilitate and conceal acts of bribery.

5.4.3  We will ensure that all charitable donations made are legal and ethical under local laws and practices, and that donations are not offered/made without the approval of the Managing Director.

6. Employee Responsibilities

6.1  As an employee of John Alison Land & Research Ltd, you must ensure that you read, understand, and comply with the information contained within this policy, and with any training or other anti-bribery and corruption information you are given.

6.2     All employees and those under our control are equally responsible for the prevention, detection, and reporting of bribery and other forms of corruption. They are required to avoid any activities that could lead to, or imply, a breach of this anti-bribery policy.

6.3     If you have reason to believe or suspect that an instance of bribery or corruption has occurred or will occur in the future that breaches this policy, you must notify the Managing Director.

6.4     If any employee breaches this policy, they will face disciplinary action and could face dismissal for gross misconduct. John Alison Land & Research Ltd has the right to terminate a contractual relationship with an employee if they breach this anti-bribery policy.

7. What happens if I need to raise a concern?

7.1   How to raise a concern

7.1.1  If you suspect that there is an instance of bribery or corrupt activities occurring in relation to John Alison Land & Research Ltd, you are encouraged to raise your concerns at as early a stage as possible. If you’re uncertain about whether a certain action or behavior can be considered bribery or corruption, you should speak to the Managing Director.

7.1.2  John Alison Land & Research Ltd will familiarize all employees, with its whistleblowing procedures so employees can vocalise their concerns swiftly and confidentially.

7.2     What to do if you are a victim of bribery or corruption

7.2.1   You must tell the Managing Director as soon as possible if you are offered a bribe by anyone, if you are asked to make one, if you suspect that you may be bribed or asked to make a bribe in the near future, or if you have reason to believe that you are a victim of another corrupt activity. Failure to do so could be considered as gross misconduct and could result in termination of your employment.

7.3       Protection

7.3.1   If you refuse to accept or offer a bribe or you report a concern relating to potential act(s) of bribery or corruption, John Alison Land & Research Ltd understands that you may feel worried about potential repercussions. John Alison Land & Research Ltd will support anyone who raises concerns in good faith under this policy, even if investigation finds that they were mistaken.

7.3.2   John Alison Land & Research Ltd will ensure that no one suffers any detrimental treatment as a result of refusing to accept or offer a bribe or other corrupt activities or because they reported a concern relating to potential act(s) of bribery or corruption.

7.3.3   Detrimental treatment refers to dismissal, disciplinary action, treats, or unfavourable treatment in relation to the concern the individual raised.

7.3.4   If you have reason to believe you’ve been subjected to unjust treatment as a result of a concern or refusal to accept a bribe, you should inform the Managing Director immediately.

8. Training and communication

8.1       John Alison Land & Research Ltd will provide training on this policy as part of the induction process for all new employees. Employees will also receive regular, relevant training on how to adhere to this policy, and will be asked annually to formally accept that they will comply with this policy.

8.2     John Alison Land & Research Ltd, anti-bribery and corruption policy and zero-tolerance attitude will be clearly communicated to all suppliers, contractors, business partners, and any third-parties at the outset of business relations, and as appropriate thereafter.

9. Record keeping

9.1    John Alison Land & Research Ltd keeps detailed and accurate financial records, and will have appropriate internal controls in place to act as evidence for all payments made. We will declare and keep a written record of the amount and reason for hospitality or gifts accepted and given, and understand that gifts and acts of hospitality are subject to managerial review.

10. Monitoring and reviewing

10.1 John Alison Land & Research Ltd, Board of Directors is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of this policy and will review the implementation of it on a regular basis. They will assess its suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness.

10.3    Employees are encouraged to offer their feedback on this policy if they have any suggestions for how it may be improved. Feedback of this nature should be addressed to the Managing Director.

10.4    This policy does not form part of an employee’s contract of employment and John Alison Land & Research Ltd may amend it at any time so to improve its effectiveness at combatting bribery and corruption.

Do you have the necessary skills and experience?

Yes and if we don’t we will tell you and we will not take an instruction (see the outline of our experience and our exciting case studies elsewhere in this document). The best way of finding out if we are any good is to talk to some of our clients and get their recommendation. We will always encourage you to firstly talk to our existing clients so they can tell you about their experiences with the team at John Alison Land & Research Ltd then you can make up your own mind.

What is the ‘Right Agreement’ for my situation? What is the difference between a Conditional Contract, Option, Promotion or Hybrid?

We will talk to you first and assess your personal situation and then
• we take into account all of the above
• we say it doesn’t really matter which agreement type to use because it is simplistic to choose one before the other it is more important than that, so
• we say there is no real difference, they all bind the parties to do certain things and then, once successful, there is a sale price to be achieved by agreement or by market sale. No agreement is inherently better than another and all of them are right in the right situation
• we often fit the agreement to the partner and
• we often fit the partner to the agreement
• we use our experience to get the best out of both the partner and the agreement.

A long way of saying ‘it depends’ and ‘it is different for each site and each landowner’, but that’s the point we do not have a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach we tailor the answer to reflect your requirements and aspirations and we will back-up our recommendation with our reasons. The point of the exercise is to create the best value for you our client.

What is the ‘Right Partner’, Housebuilder or Promoter?

We would talk with you first and assess your personal situation and then
• we look at the site and its constraints and opportunities and size and
• we look at competing sites and
- the Local Authority its development policies and
- the current stage of the Local Plan and - the five-year land supply and
- the track record and the abilities of the partner and
- the personalities involved and
- the level of consultation or combat required and more and then
• we come up with a recommendation tailored to your situation and
• we talk it through with you so you are clear about the strategy and
• we may recommend going out to the market and get competitive bids and
• we may recommend a shortlist and every so-often we might recommend one particular partner.

How much do you charge?

We will explain and agree our charges with you at the start. In almost all circumstances we will require the chosen partner to underwrite our fees and your legal costs as well as paying a non-returnable sum to you for entering into the agreement. We also always ask the partner to make a contribution to our management and monitoring costs over the period of the agreement so that as far as possible you can remain cost neutral.

This website is the property of John Alison Land and Research Limited. In using this website, you agree to the terms and conditions set out below. John Alison Land and Research Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales, registered number 7566814. Registered office is Hares Barn, Firs Farm House, Ampney Crucis, Cirencester, GL7 5RY.

Disclaimer

John Alison Land and Research Ltd (JALR) has endeavoured to ensure that all information on this website is accurate and complete, however it is provided for information only and is therefore indicative rather than definitive. Consequently, JALR make no explicit or implicit guarantee of its accuracy, and neither accept responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions, nor for loss that may result directly or indirectly from reliance on its content. This website may be changed, corrected or updated without prior notice and users should not take, or omit to take, any action that relies on any information on the website.

In making this website available, JALR does not imply or establish any client, advisory, financial or professional relationship, nor through its use, is JALR (or other person) providing advisory, consulting or other professional services.

Please note the following information in regard to the use of the Data Room and Development Property displayed on the website

a) Data Room: All written reports, maps, plans, photographs, images and other information available in the data room, have been provided by specialist consultants as instructed by the seller(s). John Alison Land & Research (JALR) and any joint agent(s), provide access to the documents contained in the Data Room, for information only and make no explicit or implicit guarantee of their accuracy, and neither accept responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions, nor for loss that may result directly or indirectly from reliance on its content. Neither JALR nor any joint agent(s) has any authority to make any representations about this information and accordingly any information given is entirely without responsibility on the part of the agents or sellers.

b) Particulars: Any property particulars are not an offer or contract, nor part of one. You should not rely on statements by JALR, in the particulars or made verbally or in writing as being factually accurate about the property, its condition or its value. Neither JALR nor any joint agent has any authority to make any representations about the property, and accordingly any information given is entirely without responsibility on the part of the agents or sellers.

c) Photos, Images or Plans: Any Photograph, image or plan on the website or in the data room may show only certain parts of the property as they appeared at the time of the photograph, image or plan was made. Areas, measurements and distance given are approximate only. Any computer-generated image gives only an indication as to how the property may look and this may change at any time. 

d) Planning Consents and other Regulations: Any reference to the existing or proposed use of, any part of the property does not mean that any necessary planning, building regulations or other consent has been obtained. A prospective purchaser must ascertain through their own means, by inspection or in other ways that these matters have been properly dealt with and that all information is correct. 

e) VAT: The VAT position relating to the property may change without notice.  

f) Changes: Information on the website about a property is liable to be changed at any time. 

Copyright

This website is the property of John Alison Land & Research Limited all information featured on the JALR website, (whether text or images), is protected by copyrights and trademarks, and is owned or licensed by JALR, unless specifically stated otherwise. You may not download, display or print any part of the content except to your own computer for personal use and not for business purposes. You must not change, frame or inline (mirror) any of the content of our website. 

Monitoring

John Alison Land & Research Limited (JALR), does not guarantee that this website will be error or virus-free or free from interruption/delay. The website is provided 'as seen' without warranties of any kind. JALR will not be responsible and will not accept any liability whatsoever for any viruses which may infect your computer by reason of your use of or downloading of applications (including .exe applications) from this website.

Data Protection Act

John Alison Land & Research Limited is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK. We are committed to protecting your privacy and providing a safe, secure website. However, before you continue using we recommend that you read our Privacy Policy. JALR respects the privacy of its website visitors and does not share or sell any person information with third parties. Please note that you are not required to provide any personal information to use this website any information you do provide will be treated in confidence and will only be used for the purpose for which you provided it.