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Margherita SicaProduct Manager < Speakers < Previous Next > Margherita Sica Product Manager Agilisys Margherita is a Product Manager at Agilisys Transform, responsible for the EHCP Plus solution. Over the past year, Margherita has focused on developing GenAI products specifically in the social care and education space, working closely with frontline workers to build solutions that reduce the administrative burden allowing teams to focus on higher value-add tasks. Margherita is also part of the Portfolio Transformation team at Blenheim Chalcot, the UK's leading digital venture builder, supporting transformation projects for BC and its businesses, with a… Show More

Shaza Brannon Planning Policy Manager < Speakers < Previous Next > Shaza Brannon Planning Policy Manager South Kesteven District Council Shaza is a chartered town planner with over 15 years’ of experience working within local authorities across the East Midlands, specialising in planning policy. Shaza currently manages the Planning Policy Team at South Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire. Working with councillors, senior leadership and stakeholders, Shaza is committed to delivering excellence in the public sector to serve the local community. Following the successful Examination in Public and adoption of the South Kesteven Local Plan in 2020, Shaza is now… Show More

Louise MarshallSenior Fellow in Public Health < Speakers < Previous Next > Louise Marshall Senior Fellow in Public Health The Health Foundation Louise Marshall is Senior Fellow in Public Health at the Health Foundation, where her work focuses on the wider determinants of health, and complex systems approaches to health and health inequalities. Louise is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health and is registered as a Public Health Specialist with the UK Public Health Register. Alongside her role at the Health Foundation, Louise worked as Consultant in Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021,… Show More

All Speakers Jon Rouse CBE Chief Executive, Stoke on Trent City Council and Solace Policy Lead for Housing, Planning and Infrastructure Jon Rouse is Chief Executive of Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Previously, he was Chief Officer at the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, co-ordinating the delivery of Greater Manchester’s strategy for the transformation of health and care services. Other previous roles include: Director General for Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships, Department of Health Chief Executive, London Borough of Croydon Chief Executive, Housing Corporation Chief Executive, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment He has also held a wide range of non-executive positions and is currently a Director of Bradford Children and Families Trust. He currently sits on the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS Board as a partner member. He is the executive champion for children’s health. Jon is also currently the Solace national lead for Housing, Planning and Infrastructure and is a member of the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods. Thursday 16 October 2025 14:15–14:55 1.5 Million Homes: Ambition, Action, and Accountability Pearl Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

All Speakers Joanna Key Director General for Regeneration, Housing and Planning, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Joanna Key is Director General, Regeneration, Housing and Planning at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Joanna was previously Director of Growth and Infrastructure at HM Treasury and Director for Domestic Affairs at the Cabinet Office. Prior to the Cabinet Office, she spent three years working as a director at the Department for Exiting the European Union, leading the work on the legal and constitutional implications of the UK’s departure from the EU. Joanna joined the UK Civil Service in the mid-1990s and, over her career, has worked on a wide range of issues including economic growth, Brexit, planning and housing, climate change and energy policy. Married to a diplomat, she has lived, worked and travelled extensively in the Balkans and China, returning to the UK in 2015 after three years working in Beijing on urban policy and growth. She has a master’s degree in economics. Thursday 16 October 2025 14:15–14:55 1.5 Million Homes: Ambition, Action, and Accountability Pearl Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

Paul MannersCo-Director of the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) and an Associate Professor of Public Engagement at UWE Bristol < Speakers < Previous Next > Paul Manners Co-Director of the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) and an Associate Professor of Public Engagement at UWE Bristol Paul Manners is the Co-Director of the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) and an Associate Professor of Public Engagement at UWE Bristol. Since founding the NCCPE in 2008, Paul has sought to achieve more meaningful societal impact in academic research by championing innovative public engagement and promoting the integration of public voices into academic work.

All Speakers Chris Naylor Solace Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Chris Naylor is a respected public service leader and reformer with over 25 years’ experience transforming local government. Formerly Chief Executive of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, he led nationally recognised work on inclusive growth, civic engagement, and prevention. In 2020, he was seconded to Birmingham City Council to help steer the organisation through the pandemic and preparations for the Commonwealth Games, earning recognition as Municipal Journal’s Chief Executive of the Year . Now Managing Director at Inner Circle Consulting, Chris supports public institutions to design and deliver lasting social impact and financial sustainability. He also serves as a Trustee of the Design Council and childhood trauma charity Body & Soul. A Chartered Accountant and Cambridge graduate in Social and Political Sciences, Chris combines financial acumen with a passion for people, place and public purpose, advocating for bold, values-driven reform to create thriving, equitable communities. Thursday 16 October 2025 11:35–12:15 Equity and Purpose – Progress, Possibility and the Path Ahead Main Stage, New Dock Hall Go to session

Breakout 15:30–16:30 Breakout: Connected Devolution: Implications for Local Government Leadership North West Emma Foy, Industry Lead for Local Government, TechnologyOne Read More Jonathan Werran, Chief Executive, Localis Read More Previous As councils respond to increasing financial pressures, evolving governance arrangements and growing demand for public services, local leaders are being challenged to deliver transformation at scale while maintaining outcomes for communities. This session explores the findings of the Connected Devolution White Paper, examining how governance, collaboration and service delivery are changing across local government and what this means for council leaders navigating an increasingly complex operating environment. Drawing on the paper's research and recommendations, the discussion will explore opportunities and challenges around organisational readiness, financial sustainability, accountability, digital capability and the role of technology in supporting effective place-based leadership and long-term transformation. The session will also provide an exclusive preview of Connected Prevention, Localis' forthcoming research paper, which examines how integrated local digital systems and data-driven approaches can support preventative, place-based public service reform and improve outcomes for residents. Next

Martine Wright MBE < Speakers < Previous Next > Martine Wright MBE Martine Wright MBE , 7/7’s most injured survivor lost both legs in the Circle line bombing during the 2005 terrorist attacks on the London underground, yet she considers herself a lucky woman with a whole new life of opportunities. Martine Wright MBE has since rebuilt her life, skydived, learned to fly, become a wife, mother, captain of the British Paralympic Sitting volleyball team, Ambassador, Patron, an inspirational and motivational speaker and much more! On 6 July 2005 Martine Wright MBE… Show More

Denise McGuckinManaging Director at Hartlepool Borough Council and Civil & Community Resilience Policy Lead at Solace < Speakers < Previous Next > Denise McGuckin Managing Director at Hartlepool Borough Council and Civil & Community Resilience Policy Lead at Solace Denise has over 27 years’ experience in Local Government, all with Hartlepool Borough Council. She has had various roles include Environmental Services Manager, Neighbourhood Manager, Community Safety Partnership lead, Assistant Director for Environment and Neighbourhoods, Director for Regeneration and Neighbourhoods. Prior to this she worked in the private sector in hospitality.

Break 08:50–09:25 Registration | All Delegates Galleria Previous More information to follow. Next

All Speakers Averil Price Solace Associate and Director, Avie Consultancy The Legacy Coach for senior public service leaders in transition – promotion, pivot, or retirement. I am a senior leader with 20+ years wide-ranging experience as a Local Authority Director. Following a serious brain haemorrhage, I transitioned from local government to self-employed business owner in 2022. As Director of Avie Consultancy Limited I deliver executive legacy coaching & consultancy to individuals and local authorities in the UK. I help leaders plan and execute a successful transition to whatever their next stage is. And I help them celebrate the impact they have made so far in their lives, their leadership legacy. As a Solace Associate, I provide coaching, action learning set facilitation and leadership development courses at a national level. My book ‘The Legacy Coach’ will be published, hopefully, in October 2025, providing an ideal companion for leaders’ transitional journeys. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45–16:25 The Leader’s Mirror: Defining the Legacy You Leave Behind Bury Theatre, Royal Armouries Go to session