Margaret Docwra from CKLG attended the bi-annual Cambridge area Companies House Focus Group meeting at The Holiday Inn, Impington. Companies House was represented by Ian Smith and Anne Dart Customer Care Managers alongside the Customer Liaison Manager Marie Connors, all are based at Companies House in Cardiff.

At this informal meeting Ian Smith and Marie Connors provided updates on the company register, current services and enhancements and future developments.

 Three of the main points raised were:

 1 - As of January 2011, any accounts filed late for a second consecutive time will be subject to a double filing penalty.

 2 - iXBRL - this began in October 2010 and is a convenient method for companies and their agents to produce and submit the different sets of company accounts they need to send to HMRC and Companies House from a single set of data. Audit exempt full and small abbreviated accounts can be filed via this method.

 3 - Companies House will soon start sending email reminders to companies, for accounts and annual returns instead of paper reminder letters.