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Rebecca RileyDeputy Pro Vice Chancellor Regional Engagement and Co-Director at City-REDI, University of Birmingham, and Director of the UKRI funded LPIP Strategic Hub < Speakers < Previous Next > Rebecca Riley Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor Regional Engagement and Co-Director at City-REDI, University of Birmingham, and Director of the UKRI funded LPIP Strategic Hub Rebecca Riley career bridges regional government and academic research. She is currently the Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor for Regional Engagement at the University of Birmingham, where she leads efforts to strengthen partnerships with key stakeholders in Whitehall, Metro Mayors, local government and business. As Co-Director of City-REDI, a research institute focused on driving economic growth and resilience in cities and regions, Rebecca supports local and regional policy-making through evidence-based insights and strategic decision-making. In her role as Director of… Show More

All Speakers Dr Owen Williams OBE Chief Executive,Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust Owen started in post as Chief Executive of the NCA FT in November 2021. Prior to this appointment, he was Chief Executive of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT), a position which he has held since 2012. In 2020 he was granted the degree of Doctor of Business Administration by the University of Huddersfield following the successful completion of his thesis which commenced 6 years previously in 2014. In the 2019 New Year’s Honours list he was awarded an OBE for service to health care across West Yorkshire and was asked to lead a National piece of work across the NHS in England with regards to reducing Health Inequalities. He was previously Vice Chair of the NHS Confederation and prior to joining the NHS he has worked across Local Government including two roles as Chief Executive at Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council and Rossendale District Borough Council. Before working in the Public Sector, he worked in commercial business including his first employment at the Yorkshire Building Society. He is passionate about reducing health inequality and ensuring that no communities - regardless of race, colour or creed - get left behind. Thursday 16 October 2025 14:15–14:55 Local Power, National Plan: Delivering the 10-Year Health Strategy Bury Theatre, Royal Armouries Go to session

Dwayne JohnsonExternal Advisor < Speakers < Previous Next > Dwayne Johnson External Advisor ICS.AI Dwayne Johnson has a 40-year career in Local Government serving as an Executive Director for 15 years before becoming a Chief Executive for 4 years. Dwayne now leads a Consultancy focused on Local Government and AI. He has significant experience working within Political environments and has given evidence at All-Party Committees at Westminster as well as visiting Downing Street to describe how one Council he worked for managed to transform its services and received plaudits from Regulators. His experience in… Show More

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All Speakers Tracey Anderson Head of Scrutiny and Ward Forums, London Borough of Hackney Tracey has built a diverse career spanning both the public and private sectors, with experience in financial services, council governance and scrutiny. As Head of Scrutiny and Ward Forums in Hackney, she has dedicated nearly two decades to governance and scrutiny. In her role as the statutory scrutiny officer, Tracey oversees the council’s Overview and Scrutiny function, leading a well-regarded scrutiny team that collaborates with councillors, officers, partners and residents to develop and implement a comprehensive scrutiny work programme. Her leadership has shaped council and partner organisation policies, strategies, and service improvements while navigating complex and contentious issues. Her team has been recognised as a leading example of championing a more inclusive approach to governance and strengthening democratic accountability in local public services. Tracey has also played a key role in developing ward-level community engagement for councillors. Under her strategic leadership, ward forums have strengthened councillors’ community leadership roles, fostered stronger connections between elected representatives and their ward communities, and facilitated community action at a local level. Her work has brought local decision-making to the heart of the community, developing strong networks of local partners, organisations and residents and providing a platform for local engagement and conversation. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Future-Ready Councils: If we can share a problem, we can share a solution Bury Theatre, Royal Armouries Go to session

Dr Catherine HoweChief Executive < Speakers < Previous Next > Dr Catherine Howe Chief Executive Adur and Worthing Councils Dr Catherine Howe is Chief Executive of Adur and Worthing Councils. She is an expert in digital innovation, focusing on the area of digital democracy and systems practice and has a background which connects together technology, community and social change. Catherine has worked across a number of different sectors including education, not for profit and the technology industry. Catherine was CEO of a successful SME, Public-i Group Ltd, before moving to Capita to redevelop Capita’s digital transformation approach and then… Show More

All Speakers Vicki Bates Assistant Director, Governance and Monitoring Officer, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Vicki Bates joined Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council as its Monitoring Officer in October 2019, having spent 17 years as a solicitor and senior leader in private practice law firms in Manchester.   Vicki joined Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council after advising the council during 2018 and 2019 on the collapse of Carillion.  Vicki’s remit now covers Legal Services, Democratic and Electoral Services and Information Governance.   Since arriving in Stockport Vicki has overseen the strategic upskilling and investment to save into the legal team, growing it to 50 plus colleagues, leading to a reduction in spend on external legal advisors and a better retention and recruitment rate and reduction of locum spend.  Vicki has also led on the implementation of a trainee and paralegal programme in the legal team, the introduction of a work experience programme (now consistently oversubscribed) and were the first legal team in Greater Manchester to offer T Level placements to two under 18 year olds.  The legal team were highly commended in the Legal Team of the Year, Lawyers in Local Government Awards (LLG) 2024 and won the LLG Award for Excellence in Training Award in 2025.   In 2021 Vicki led the successful integration of the Democratic and Electoral Services teams into one shared service team increasing resilience and efficiency.  In 2023 Vicki took over the lead of the Information Governance team and also became the council’s Deputy SIRO.   Vicki won the LGC Workforce Head of Service Award in 2024 for her approach to culture change and workplace wellbeing.  Vicki is a non-executive Director for the council’s public realm company, the council’s strategic lead on Wellbeing, Prevent and our Armed Forces Covenant and a Board Member on the North West Legal Consortium.     Vicki’s most important role is being a mum and biggest cheerleader for her 16 year old daughter. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Cross-party Working Against a Backdrop of No Overall Control Hall A, Royal Armouries Go to session

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Barton Suite, Royal Armouries 15:45-16:25 Roundtable The Silent Stakeholder: Why Residents Deserve a Seat at the LGR Table Speaker/s Asim Ali, VP of UK Sales, Granicus Jonathan Bradley, Senior Experience Partner, Granicus As Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) continues to reshape the public sector landscape, many conversations understandably focus on governance, efficiency, and cost-saving. But what about the people these changes are ultimately meant to serve? This roundtable explores LGR through a different lens—that of the resident. While councils are working hard to manage complex transitions, there remains a widespread challenge: many residents are unclear about what LGR means, how it affects them, or even who their new council will be. This isn’t a failure of intent—it’s a call to strengthen communication and engagement strategies. As councils grow in size and scope, the need to segment audiences and deliver timely, relevant, and accessible information becomes more critical than ever. In this session, we’ll explore: Why resident understanding and engagement must be central to any successful LGR strategy. How to ensure residents feel informed, included, and supported throughout the LGR process. The role of digital engagement and human-centred design in building trust and clarity. Practical strategies for delivering the right message to the right people at the right time. How councils can balance internal transformation with external transparency. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on how to make LGR not just a structural success—but a human one. Together, we’ll explore how councils can continue to lead with empathy, clarity, and purpose. Delivered by

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Bury Theatre, Royal Armouries 15:00–15:40 Workshop Future-Ready Councils: If we can share a problem, we can share a solution Speaker/s Diksha Vyas, Head of Digital Change and Service Improvement, Bracknell Forest Council Tracey Anderson, Head of Scrutiny and Ward Forums, London Borough of Hackney This session sets out a bold new approach: a federated, public sector-led consultancy model that brings councils together to co-design scalable solutions to shared challenges. Grounded in shared expertise, co-creation, and equity, this model aims to eliminate duplication, level the playing field, and accelerate progress for all—empowering a more collaborative, future-ready public sector. We believe the future of local government delivery lies in enabling people across our councils to lead change with shared purpose, and to collaborate across organisational and geographic boundaries. Big Idea: A Sector-Led Consultancy Model for Shared Challenges Let’s ask some difficult questions: How much is each council spending on software, consultants, and bespoke solutions to tackle the same problems? How many of us depend on “luck”—a good account manager, a standout hire, or a place in a central government pilot—to make progress? What happens to councils that miss out, but still face the same pressures? And what about the systems and services we tolerate—not because they work, but because the cost or risk of change feels too high? Now imagine a future where: Councils pool their talent, experience, and creativity to design common solutions. A national challenge, such as improving EHCP outcomes or reducing housing pressures, is tackled by a multi-disciplinary team drawn from across authorities. These solutions—whether new processes, policy frameworks, or digital prototypes—are freely shared, adapted locally, and scaled. No council is left behind, because innovation is a shared sector asset, not a privilege. This model functions as a public sector “think-and-do tank,” built from within by the people who understand the challenges best. It’s practical. It’s equitable. And it’s entirely achievable. Takeaways A compelling new vision for collaborative delivery across local government Inspiration from leaders who have embraced courage, purpose, and systems thinking Practical pathways to get involved—from digital participation to secondments Energy, ambition, and momentum to help shape a shared delivery future Delivered by

All Speakers Craig Swift-McNair General Manager, Woollahra Council, Sydney, Australia Craig is the General Manager at Woollahra Council in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, not far from the Sydney CBD – a role he commenced in July 2020. Prior to this, from 2014- to 2020, Craig was the General Manager of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, a large coastal regional Council on the mid north coast of NSW. Craig has spent over 20 years in local government in a range of roles across three Councils. Prior to his time in the public sector, Craig had a twenty-five-year career in the private sector in a range of roles and industries. Craig is dedicated to giving back to the local government sector and as part of that, he has been on the Board of Local Government Professionals Australia, NSW since 2018 and the Vice President since October 2023. Craigs focus at Woollahra is building a strengths-based and values-based organisation that delivers on its purpose; provides its people with opportunities to grow in their roles and as individuals, and that delivers excellence in operational and service delivery for the community. Thursday 16 October 2025 12:15–13:15 International Perspective Main Stage, New Dock Hall Go to session

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Aire Suite, Royal Armouries 15:00–15:40 Workshop Investing in Place to Build Financial Resilience Speaker/s Kamal Patel, Partner in EY-Parthenon’s Infrastructure Advisory Practice, EY Marcus Richards, Partner in EY-Parthenon’s Infrastructure Advisory Practice, EY How can councils build long-term financial resilience through investment and regeneration? This roundtable will explore how public and private capital can be aligned to deliver growth, affordability, and inclusivity, whilst also strengthening financial resilience. It will draw from examples across the UK and globally, including housing, transport and other forms of social infrastructure. Discussion will cover the tools available to unlock regeneration, the attributes investors look for, and how funding reform and fiscal devolution could further strengthen local government financial sustainability. Delivered by