DRE & Co appoint agricultural specialist as new head of tax

Shropshire accountants DRE & Co are consolidating the launch of their specialist tax department with a new appointment.

Fiona Wilkinson, a qualified chartered tax adviser, recently joined the firm to head up the tax team and lead the development of taxation services offered by the practice.

Reporting to Caroline Hall, training partner at DRE & Co, Fiona manages the new department which complements and further extends the existing services offered by the firm including company accounts, audits, payroll, acquisitions and mergers and business advice. Based at the Shrewsbury office, the tax department will serve all of DRE & Co's 2500 clients who vary from sole traders to large private companies throughout the UK.

Fiona Wilkinson said: "My aim is to provide a cohesive and unified service to all of our clients, whilst developing the department and expanding the team. Our clients need to know that they will receive efficient support with their tax affairs as well as good tax advice and guidance whenever they need it. Having worked for the Inland Revenue and in the tax profession for many years I have dealt with a wide variety of tax issues. In particular, the experience and knowledge I gained from working in a dedicated agricultural department will be of great benefit to the farming families who make up such an important sector of DRE & Co's client portfolio. Recent developments relating to inheritance tax reliefs for agricultural property and especially farmhouses, together with reforms to the taxation of trusts and tax allowances for farm buildings and equipment are currently raising a lot of important issues. Of course tax is constantly evolving in many areas, for example, the new entrepreneurs' relief unveiled in the Chancellor's last Budget, fundamental changes to the capital allowances regime and the taxation of non-domicilaries. It is DRE & Co's job to keep abreast of the changes and make sure our clients are kept informed with the most up to date advice."

Caroline Hall said: "Tax, whether business or personal can be a minefield and our practice is of a size to require a dedicated department. With that in mind we appointed Fiona. She has settled in very well and her professional, dynamic yet friendly approach is helping to develop DRE & Co's tax services for both current and potential new clients."