Search this site

Dominic CampbellFellow < Speakers < Previous Next > Dominic Campbell Fellow Georgetown University Dominic is a public service entrepreneur with a background in design and technology-led organisational change, strategy and leadership. He is passionate about the role of 21st century tools and ways of working in transforming our organisations and our economy, acting as an advisor and thought leader to all levels of government. With senior leadership experience in government, Dominic has delivered large change initiatives within government, most recently leading transformation at Homes England as their first Chief Digital Officer. He was… Show More

Ian Bancroft Chief Executive < Speakers < Previous Next > Ian Bancroft Chief Executive Wrexham Council Ian took up his post as Chief Executive of Wrexham Council in August 2018. For the previous fourteen years he worked at a senior leadership level within large public service organisations in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and North East Wales. Most recently, since 2014, this has been at Flintshire County Council as a Chief Officer successfully leading the development and implementation of a number of major strategic programmes. Ian is committed to public service delivery and aims to work with partners,… Show More

Chris NaylorNon-Executive Director –Lead on Diversity & Inclusion, Solace < Speakers < Previous Next > Chris Naylor Non-Executive Director –Lead on Diversity & Inclusion, Solace Director, Inner Circle Consulting Chris Naylor joined Inner Circle Consulting after nearly seven years as the Chief Executive of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham to focus on “reimagining public services and connecting them fully to the people who need them”. Under his leadership the Council focused on inclusive growth, prevention, civic engagement and public participation and equalities. In 2020 Chris was named Municipal Journal’s Chief Executive of the Year. He joined Barking and Dagenham from the London Borough of Barnet where he… Show More

Florence ObinnaHead of Insight & Engagement < Speakers < Previous Next > Florence Obinna Head of Insight & Engagement London Borough of Hackney Florence brings more than 17 years in local government roles and leads a multi-disciplinary team responsible for delivering high-quality opinion research, public consultation and stakeholder engagement at Hackney Council. Florence was LGComms Future Leaders Graduate in the class of 2019-2020 and has co-authored the Keep London Safe Campaign COVID-19 Insight Toolkit. Florence is passionate about increasing the participation of diverse communities in democracy ensuring that they are able to influence what happens in their local areas.

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

< Back Previous Business Partner Zencity (formerly Commonplace) https://zencity.io/ Zencity powers the work of government with community voices. Zencity, formerly Commonplace in the UK, helps local authorities, police forces and public sector organisations understand what their communities need, reach more residents and make better, evidence-led decisions. Our AI-native platform brings together three products: Listen, Ask and Communicate. Listen helps teams understand public sentiment, identify emerging issues and analyse community feedback at scale. Ask enables organisations to run inclusive consultations and representative surveys, gather input and build stronger evidence for policy and service decisions. Communicate helps public sector teams share information clearly, respond to community concerns and strengthen trust through relevant, effective engagement. Across the UK, we have supported more than 20,000 projects, helping public sector organisations improve services, shape local plans, inform budgeting, support public safety and communicate effectively with residents. By combining actively collected feedback with wider community insight, we help decision-makers move beyond hearing from the same small group of participants. Our platform enables teams to identify key themes, understand how different groups experience local services and demonstrate how resident input has influenced decisions. We also give teams tools to manage engagement efficiently from one place, reducing manual analysis and helping insights reach the right people faster. This supports more confident decisions, clearer reporting and stronger accountability across departments, programmes and leadership teams. The result is a more inclusive, transparent and responsive approach to public service, grounded in real community evidence rather than assumptions alone. Join over 600 local governments using AI-native infrastructure for community-driven workflows. zencity.io/uk Next

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

Devolution and LGR Zone 09:10–09:20 Devolution and LGR Drop-in with Solace Associates, Georgia Turner and Ian Bancroft Rewiring the State Georgia Turner, Solace Associate Read More Ian Bancroft, Solace Associate Read More Previous Drop in for an informal conversation about devolution and local government reorganisation with the Solace team and associates. Next

Previous Next Paul Robinson Strategic Director for LGR, Nottinghamshire County Council Paul Robinson is an experienced Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) leader, having played senior roles in both the Cumbria and Nottinghamshire LGR programmes. As Director of Enabler Services at Westmorland and Furness Council, he led over 450 staff and managed a £34m budget across HR, ICT, Digital, Customer Services, Legal Services and Cyber Security. He led some of the most complex elements of the Cumbria reorganisation, including the transition of almost 7,000 employees and the separation and integration of multiple ICT environments. As SIRO, he ensured robust governance, data protection and cyber security throughout, delivering safe, legal and resilient organisational transformation. 11:30–12:30 Main Stage Breakout: Ensuring success whilst Surviving LGR: Lived Experiences of Delivering Major Transformation Breakout View Session Speakers: Jessica Mullinger , Executive Director of Sector Support, Solace in Business (Co-chair) Simon Allsop , Delivery Director, CIPFA (Co-chair) Dr David Parr OBE , Former Chief Executive, Halton Borough Council Paul Robinson , Strategic Director for LGR, Nottinghamshire County Council

Networking 19:15–20:00 Presidential Drinks Reception Rum Warehouse Robin Tuddenham, Solace President and Chief Executive, Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Read More Previous More information to follow. Next

Rachel MckoyDirector of Law & Governance (Monitoring Officer) < Speakers < Previous Next > Rachel Mckoy Director of Law & Governance (Monitoring Officer) London Borough of Hounslow Rachel is an experienced senior leader who is passionate about good governance, democracy, fairness, and delivering for local communities. Rachel has acquired substantial experience within the legal, governance, and commercial space. Her specialism of planning and regeneration has also provided her with exposure to a myriad of high-profile strategic schemes and national infrastructure projects, within local and central government. Her experience as President of Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) and as a NED on the Solace Board has further provided… Show More

Showcase Zone 08:55–09:05 Stockport: From Consultation to Co-Creation: Equality and Community Networks Rewiring the State Clare Redfern, Service Manager, Neighbourhood Coordination and Support Service, Stockport Council Read More Victoria Shaw,Chief Operating Officer, Sector 3 Read More Previous Five years ago, Stockport Council and its voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise partners set up Equality and Community Networks to reach the communities traditional consultation was missing. Hear how they now give communities a direct route into policy, commissioning and service design. Next