Sarah HealeyPermanent Secretary of the Department < Speakers < Previous Next > Sarah Healey Permanent Secretary of the Department The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Sarah Healey was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) on 7 February 2023. Prior to this, she was Permanent Secretary of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) from 2019 and before that worked in the Cabinet Office where she was the Director General overseeing the development and implementation of economic and domestic policy following two and a half years working on negotiations and preparations for the UK to leave the… Show More

All Speakers Dr Mariana Pexton Deputy Chief Executive, Leeds City Council Mariana is the Deputy Chief Executive at Leeds City Council, with responsibility for oversight of the Strategy and Resources directorate. She leads the council's cross-cutting transformation agenda and public sector reform and serves as the primary liaison with senior health partners. Strategy & Resources is a large directorate of about 5,000 staff including Finance, Human Resources, Digital, Legal and Governance, Shared Services, Strategy and Performance, Communications and Marketing, and crucially a service called Civic Enterprise Leeds that delivers many vital front-line services such as catering, cleaning, school crossing patrols, passenger transport and building repairs. She leads the strategic developments for Leeds City Council, including the Best City Ambition, and plays a key corporate role supporting councillors. Mariana has previously been employed in senior in roles in Leeds in Strategy, Customer Services and Children’s Services. Prior to joining the council in 2000, Mariana enjoyed a career in leadership and management in the Civil Service and an Inspectorate. She studied Sports Studies in Newcastle as her first degree and has a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Leeds. Mariana has recently been awarded a Doctorate in Business Administration at Leeds Beckett University, following research into local government leadership and strategy. She is married, with two children aged 24 and 16. Mariana is also chair of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation and a Director at Leeds Rhinos Netball as a volunteer. She loves family holidays in Menorca, and was proud to complete the first Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in 2023. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45–16:25 Leading with Purpose: Exploring the Nexus of Strategy and Leadership in Local Government Hall A, Royal Armouries Go to session

Liz McQueLeadership and Organisational Development Support Facilitator < Speakers < Previous Next > Liz McQue Leadership and Organisational Development Support Facilitator Solace Associate Liz is an experienced public service leader who has worked at chief executive level for over 10 years. Liz has operated as a strategic leader supporting public service organisations representing the interests of local authorities as employers, working with partners to improve outcomes for communities. Much of Liz’s time is spent working with groups facilitating large events involving different partners and smaller team events for senior managers, board members and local politicians. Liz has worked on European projects with senior… Show More

< All sponsors Cratus cratus.co.uk Cratus Group is a specialist communications consultancy focused on local government, planning, and the built environment. We help organisations engage with communities, navigate politics, and tell their story with impact. Through strategic advice, public affairs, and creative campaigns, we connect people, places, and policy to deliver positive change.

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

< All sponsors CCLA Stand 11 www.ccla.co.uk CCLA is one of the leading investment managers for local authorities in the UK as well as the largest fund manager for charities in the UK for the past consecutive five years based on the number of charities invested with us (Charity Finance surveys). CCLA was named the Investment Week’s Sustainable Investment Fund Management Group of the Year for 2023 (AUM under £50bn) and Money Marketing’s Best ESG Provider for 2024. CCLA is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

< All sponsors Lightning Reach Stand 1 www.lightningreach.org Lightning Reach is a financial support portal that makes it easy for people to find and apply for a wide range of personalised support in one place.

All Speakers Simon Allsop B.Com, CPFA Managing Consultant, CIPFA Simon Allsop is a CIPFA qualified accountant and a Senior Consultant with CIPFA. He was previously the joint Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) for both Derbyshire Police and Fire. He has 30 years of experience working with and in a range of public-sector bodies mainly local government, fire and police. He has extensive experience of audit and advisory work as a former senior manager in KPMG’s public sector audit and advisory team working with the NAO and Audit Commission, including supporting the development of medium term financial strategies, budget and financial management review methodologies and corporate services value for money benchmarking tools. Other past advisory roles have included secondments to Birmingham City Council to provide support on the Council’s Estates Development programme and the Home Office to help review proposals for Police mergers. Simon leads on CIPFA's financial resilience work and the delivery of our work for DLUHC in supporting financially challenged local authorities and recent reviews of workforce capacity and capability working with the LGA. He is currently supporting a number of authorities to assess their financial resilience and recovery plans and has also undertaken a number of reviews of high debt authorities and local authority companies. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45–16:25 Local Government Reorganisation: Practical Advice and Support Aire Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

Stand TBC < Back Hill www.hill.co.uk Our vision is to be the UK’s leading and most trusted housebuilder, creating exceptional homes and sustainable communities. Since we were founded in 1999, we have established ourselves as the country’s second largest family-owned house builder with a reputation as the partner of choice for local authorities and housing associations. We deliver around 3,000 new homes per annum as well as mixed-use development which helps to regenerate town centres providing a catalyst for further investment. Being financially robust gives our partners further confidence we will deliver on any promises made. Investment Partnerships Hill has adopted an innovative Investment Partnership approach to jointly develop land with local authorities and is delivering at scale. Why: It was established to provide solutions for local authorities to optimise opportunities from their property assets as well as from land jointly acquired What: It generates long-term council revenue, affordable housing and regeneration at pace Where: It is a tried and tested model that is delivering across the south-east Solohaus Our fully modular Solohaus, Duohaus and Familyhaus homes are a low-carbon, quick-install solution for tackling the issue of homelessness. Through the Foundation 200 project we are also donating homes to local authorities. Sustainability We collaboratively deliver environmental and socio-economic actions to improve the health, well-being and lifestyle of residents and communities to support a Just Transition. Social Value Hill places people at the heart of everything it does, working with local authorities to create tangible social value that positively impacts communities. Our strategy targets education to employment, local business support, and community health and belonging.

Alison Mckenzie-Folan Solace Policy Lead and Chief Executive, Wigan Metropolitain Borough Council < Speakers < Previous Next > Alison Mckenzie-Folan Solace Policy Lead and Chief Executive, Wigan Metropolitain Borough Council Wigan Metropolitain Borough Council & Solace Alison is Chief Executive at Wigan Council having worked in Local Government for the last twelve years and previously in the Civil Service for twenty years. Alison is also the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) lead Chief Executive for Culture. Alison is passionate about public services and determined to make a difference for residents and communities. She is dedicated to inspiring the next female generation and committed to collaboration, innovation and technology. She is a Board Member of Solace (Society… Show More

< All sponsors Netcall Stand 13 www.netcall.com Netcall's AI-powered platform helps local councils work smarter, faster and improve efficiency across all of their operations. Our comprehensive solution accelerates IT, boosts productivity, enhances customer service and transforms workflows. Trusted by 1 in 3 local authorities including Newcastle and Lancashire County Councils, we build connected communities while reducing costs.

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Hall B, Royal Armouries 15:00–15:40 Workshop Life Safety First: Turning Risk into Assurance Speaker/s Lee Goodenough, Executive Director, Harmony Fire Lord Gary Porter, Political Leader and National Voice on Housing Safety Kevin Bolt MBA, Managing Director, Step-Change Management Eleanor Kelly, Former Chief Executive Session Outline and Objectives How do you save £20 million and shave six years off your building safety programme—without cutting corners? That’s exactly what Edinburgh Council achieved using the Life Safety First Framework : a board-level toolkit that turns unknown risk into full assurance, with resident safety at its core. In a post-Grenfell world, regulators, residents, and boards are demanding answers. Downgrades, budget chaos, and blind compliance are leaving councils exposed. And while AI and smart tech promise breakthroughs, without a solid safety framework they can create more confusion than clarity. This high-energy panel brings together: Lee Goodenough , CRO, who shaped the framework now transforming safety across the UK. Lord Gary Porter , political leader and national voice on housing safety. Takeaways A proven roadmap – how downgraded councils can restore credibility and regulatory confidence. Smarter investment – the £20m/6-year lesson: spending the right money on the right risks. Future-ready safety – why AI and smart tech only work when built on a strong, accurate analytical base. Come curious, leave equipped : this is not another policy talk—it’s a practical, regulator-aligned framework that could transform your council’s safety strategy, balance sheet, and reputation. Delivered by