Search this site

Anna Rose Director and Chair of Public Practice (and Head of the Planning Advisory Service) < Speakers < Previous Next > Anna Rose Director and Chair of Public Practice (and Head of the Planning Advisory Service) Local Government Association and Public Practice Anna is currently the Head of the Planning Advisory Service, delivering improvement in planning services across the country. Anna started her planning career advising NFU members on planning, transport and environmental law before moving to Rugby Borough Council and becoming their Head of Planning and Culture at Rugby. In 2014 she became Milton Keynes Council’s Director of Growth, Economy and Culture. Anna is a past President of the Planning Officers Society; a trustee of the TCPA and sits as the… Show More

All Speakers Craig Barker Senior Manager, Digital and Customer Experience, Cumberland Council A local government digital leader and advocate for user centred service design and collaborative working. Cumbria Local Government Reorganisation  workstream lead for Website, Customer Contact Centres and Digital Service delivery. Craig is now responsible for leading and supporting Cumberland Council to meet the digital expectations of all users by utilising processes, cultures, AI and all technology of the Internet era. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Navigating Local Government Reform: Lessons from the Digital Frontline of Devolution Pearl Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

< Back Previous Org, Exhibitor, Sponsor Liverpool City Council https://liverpool.gov.uk Stand B Our host city. The Liverpool City Council stand is a base during Summit for young people from the council’s Young People’s Network. Next

Sub Plenary 14:00–15:00 Economy: The Current Landscape and the Impact on Our Place West Room Pam Smith, Chief Executive, Newcastle City Council and Solace Policy Lead for Economic Prosperity Read More Danielle Gillespie , Executive Regional Director, North West, Homes England Read More Previous As local government navigates a rapidly shifting policy landscape, this dynamic session explores how devolution and place-based regeneration can genuinely drive UK productivity. Moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach, our expert speakers will unpack how housing and infrastructure act as vital engine rooms for local economies, community cohesion, and everyday prosperity. Join us for an interactive, fireside-style discussion that challenges conventional conservatism. We will ask hard questions about what "radical rewiring" of the state really looks like—from breaking down historic silos between local services to unlocking integrated delivery pipelines. Come prepared to share insights, challenge assumptions, and explore how collaborative leadership can transform local ambitions into reality. Next

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Main Stage, New Dock Hall 16:30–17:30 Keynote Empowering the Vulnerable: Lemn Sissay's Journey of Advocacy and Change Speaker/s Lemn Sissay OBE FRSL, Playwright, memoirist, performer and broadcaster Join Lemn Sissay, acclaimed poet and tireless advocate, as he delves into his transformative journey from a child in the care system to a powerful voice for change. In this keynote, Lemn will share his personal experiences with local authorities and the profound impact these experiences had on his life. He will discuss his dedicated advocacy work, aimed at empowering vulnerable children and driving systemic reform. Through his compelling narrative, Lemn will inspire attendees to recognise the importance of supporting and uplifting those in care, and to join him in his mission to create a more just and compassionate system.

All Speakers Ed Whiting OBE Chief Executive, Leeds City Council Ed was born and grew up in Leeds and started as Leeds City Council’s Chief Executive in January 2025. Ed has spent most of his career working in a number of central Civil Service Departments, including in the Financial Stability Unit of HM Treasury through the 2008-09 financial crisis and as Deputy Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister between 2014 and 2016. Most recently, Ed was Director for Cities and Local Growth, leading a joint unit shared between the Business and Communities Departments working on the Government’s local economic growth priorities.  Between 2016 and 2022, Ed was Director of Strategy at the Welcome Trust, where he led the creation of a new strategy to solve the urgent health challenges of infectious disease, mental health and the impact of climate change on health. He developed new global policy and strategic partnerships functions and sponsored Welcome’s new mental health research and equity, diversity and inclusion programmes.  Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45–16:25 Public Collaborations: What are they for? Who does all the work? How long do they last? And who really benefits? Pearl Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

Welcome 09:30–10:00 Day 2 Welcome Main Stage Kath O'Dwyer, Solace Group Board Chair Read More Kim Wright, Solace Policy Lead for Leadership and Chief Executive, London Borough of Brent Read More Previous Leadership, the Challenge and the Opportunity Next

Showcase Zone 10:10–10:20 Brighton and Hove: Transforming Into a Learning Organisation Rewiring the State Jess Gibbons, Chief Executive, Brighton and Hove City Council Read More Chris Wales, Director of Digital Innovation, Brighton and Hove City Council Read More Previous This session will provide a clear overview of how our Learning Organisation pillars are being embedded into the way we work, shaping leadership behaviours, decision‑making and organisational culture across the council. Our five pillars act as practical design principles rather than abstract values. From this foundation, the session will then dive in depth into two priority areas where this approach has delivered the strongest and most tangible impact: Turbocharging digital delivery, by creating a test‑and‑learn culture that builds confidence, pace and smarter risk‑taking. Embedding equality, inclusion and cohesion as everyday leadership and organisational behaviours, rather than standalone initiatives or policies. The session is intentionally bold and mixed‑format, combining senior‑led vision, lived organisational experience and rapid practical application. It prioritises honest learning, including what has worked, what hasn’t, and what we would do differently, and shows how learning has been applied selectively to where it matters most, rather than trying to change everything at once. Next

All Speakers Rosa Foster Director, Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission Rosa is a climate and environment specialist with over 20 years’ experience in leading operational programmes, including partnership-led major infrastructure schemes. As Director of the Leeds and Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commissions, she works at the nexus of stakeholders — government, academia, industry and communities — to translate evidence into practical climate policy and action. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Shaping Communities – How Leaders Unlock Social and Economic Value Barton Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

Previous Next Kath O'Dwyer Solace Group Board Chair Kath has 42 years’ local government service with 8 years’ experience as a Local Authority Chief Executive, in two different local authorities. Through her roles as a Chief Executive, Kath has led significant programmes of change and transformation of two failing councils which were the subject of government and LGA concerns. This included the building of strong teams and the delivery of performance improvement programmes, governance and financial management improvements and whole organisation modernisation and culture change. She has a strong understanding of local government, devolution, and the challenges facing public sector leadership, alongside experience working with elected members and senior officers. Since her ‘retirement’ from her Chief Executive role last year, she now has a ‘portfolio career’ and acts as an advisor with Gate One Consulting, together with roles as Independent Chair for Improvement Boards; Technical Assessments for Chief Executive recruitment; Coaching and top team development; and work with the LGA in relation to Peer Reviews and development work with elected members. Kath has also been the Solace Board Chair since October 2024. Kath started her career as a Children’s Social Worker, and as a DCS she led the effective turnaround of Children’s Services directorates to remove government intervention and deliver improved Ofsted inspection ratings. Kath also has 3 years’ experience as part of a government intervention team in relation to Children’s Services which was commissioned by government and delivered via a contract with Serco, and has held the role of National Director for Ofsted. Kath has a passion for organisational culture change and improving service delivery to ensure the sustainable improvement of organisations, services, teams and leaders, for the benefit of residents. She has a positive regional and national profile including as a conference and podcast speaker, judge for national awards, lead for LGA Peer Reviews and Solace Spokesperson roles. She has a regional and national reputation as an experienced, effective and authentic leader. 09:30–10:00 Main Stage Day 2 Welcome Welcome View Session Speakers: Kath O’Dwyer , Solace Group Board Chair Kim Wright , Chief Executive, London Borough of Brent, and Solace Policy Lead for Leadership 10:00–11:00 Main Stage Beyond Barriers: Authentic Women’s Leadership in Local Government Panel Session View Session What does it take to lead when barriers to leadership are not experienced equally? Beyond Barriers explores the challenges women and people from other minoritised communities face in senior local government leadership, including discrimination, exclusion and workplace cultures. Building on previous research, this engaging, honest conversation will examine why inequalities persist, while celebrating leaders and organisations driving positive change. Speakers will share experiences, challenge assumptions and explore practical ways to create more inclusive leadership cultures. 10:55–11:45 Main Stage Stronger Standards, Stronger Leadership, Stronger Places Keynote View Session Speakers: Kath O'Dwyer , Solace Group Board Chair Cllr Hannah Dalton , Leader, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Rachel McKoy , Executive Director, Association of Monitoring Officers (AMO) 15:30–16:30 North East Breakout: Transition vs. Transformation: What Successful Organisations do Differently Breakout View Session Speakers: Nick Kennell (Chair), Partner, Gate One Kath O’Dwyer , Solace Group Board Chair, Former Chief Exec of St. Helens Council Mark Lloyd CBE , Executive Director, IMPOWER; Non-Executive Director HMPPS Kathryn Rees , Executive Director, Corporate and Support Services, Stockport Council

Josh DunnDirector Sustainability < Speakers < Previous Next > Josh Dunn Director Sustainability EY Josh leads our Sustainable Places practice, working closely with local government to balance financial, economic, social and environmental sustainability, building more resilient communities and improved resident outcomes. He has worked in local government for more than a decade, focusing on built and natural environment and improving place-based services, and has worked with over 35 Council’s in that time. He specialises is net zero, climate change and how the transition to a green economy will impact the future of local gov… Show More

All Speakers Lemn Sissay OBE FRSL Playwright, memoirist, performer and broadcaster Google “Lemn Sissay” and all the return hits will be about him. There is only one person in the world named Lemn Sissay Awarded the 2024 Hay medal for poetry Lemn Sissay OBE FRSL is also a playwright, memoirist, performer and broadcaster. His latest book “Let The Light Pour In” is a Sunday Times Best Seller. The paperback comes out in 2025. His autobiography My name is Why was a Number One Sunday Times Best Seller. In 2021 he helped select the work for Hold Still which also became a Sunday Times Bestseller. His Theatre adaptation of Benjamin Zephaniah’s Refugee Boy is a text on The National Curriculum. In 2022 he was made a Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature. In September 2024 Sissay was made honorary fellow of Mansfield College Oxford and 2020 he became Honorary Fellow at Jesus College Cambridge. Lemn was named MBE for services to literature, awarded by The Queen at Buckingham Palace and then he was named OBE for services to Literature and Charity, awarded by King Charles at Windsor Castle in 2023. He was chancellor of University of Manchester from 2015 to 2023. He is the only Guest Director of Brighton Festival two have been two years (2020 and 2021). In 2024 he was the curator of the first Ethiopia Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2024. He has read poetry on stages throughout the world: from The Library of Congress in The United States to The National Theatre in Addis Ababa. From the Opera House of Dubai in The United Emirates to London Palladium in England. Sissay was the first poet commissioned to write for The Olympics in 2012. His Olympic poem Spark Catchers is a landmark poem on Queen Elizabeth Park today. His other landmark Poems are in Manchester London and Addis Ababa. There have been a few BBC TV documentaries about his life the latest is “The memory of me”. Listen to his desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 or “Origin Stories” his series on Superheroes relating to the care system. His Channel Four Documentary “Superkids” was nominated for BAFTA, Broadcast and Grierson Awards. Lemn Sissay has received seven Honorary Doctorates at Universities throughout UK.. He is presently Honorary Bencher at The Inner Temple. He is Honorary Chair of creative writing at The University of Manchester. Lemn was approached by The City of London and accepted Freedom of The City of London. To be approached in such a way is an honour which includes Nelson Mandela. He has been photographed by Steve McCurry, Rankin, Zoë Law and Ethiopia’s greatest living photographer Aida Muluneh. A painting of Lemn is in The National Portrait gallery. He is trustee of The Foundling Museum under its new director Emma Ridgway and he is founding trustee of The Gold From The Stone Foundation which supports Christmas Dinners for Care Leavers on Christmas Day. Thursday 16 October 2025 16:30–17:30 Empowering the Vulnerable: Lemn Sissay's Journey of Advocacy and Change Main Stage, New Dock Hall Go to session