Jonathan StephensonJoint Chief Executive < Speakers < Previous Next > Jonathan Stephenson Joint Chief Executive Brentwood Borough Council & Rochford District Council Jonathan has worked within local government for over 25 years, predominantly undertaking senior leadership roles, across a range of different organisations, Ipswich Borough Council, The London Borough of Enfield, Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Councils, Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council. Jonathan is currently Joint Chief Executive at Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council. Working more widely in Essex he is also the lead CEO for Housing and Infrastructure for the Association of South East Essex Local Authorities… Show More

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All Speakers Lee Goodenough Executive Director, Harmony Fire Lee Goodenough, Executive Director at Harmony Fire, has been instrumental in shaping the framework now transforming safety across the UK. With a proven track record of leadership and innovation, Lee drives change that ensures compliance, strengthens resilience, and raises safety standards, influencing the way organisations and communities protect people nationwide. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Life Safety First: Turning Risk into Assurance Hall B, Royal Armouries Go to session

All Speakers Kersten England CBE Chair, The Young Foundation; Director of Engagement, Bradford 2025, Yorkshire Universities An experienced executive and non executive leader, Kersten has been Chair of The Young Foundation since September 2022. Passionate about building community, social justice, equality, diversity and healthy democratic practice, her career over four decades has included work in the voluntary and community sector, higher education, central government and more than 30 years in local government. Between 2009 and 2023 she was a local authority Chief Executive, initially in York for six years and latterly eight years for the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council. Kersten’s current portfolio of work includes: Chair of the Bradford Culture Company, which will deliver the programme for Bradford’s year as the UK City of Culture in 2025; Trustee of the National Literacy Trust; a consultant for the Association of Local Authority Chief Executives; Co-Director of the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership; and she is a lay canon of Bradford Cathedral. Previously, Kersten was a Trustee of Nesta, a member of the Archbishop of York’s symposium on social and economic affairs, and the President of the Society of Metropolitan Chief Executives. Kersten was awarded a CBE in the 2019 New Years Honours for her contribution to the communities and economy of the Bradford District. 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

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

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

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Hall A, Royal Armouries 15:00–15:40 Workshop Cross-party Working Against a Backdrop of No Overall Control Speaker/s Kathryn Rees, Executive Director Corporate and Support Services, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Vicki Bates, Assistant Director, Governance and Monitoring Officer, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Session Outline and Objectives Running a council with no overall control isn’t just a challenge – it’s a daily balancing act. But in Stockport, it’s become a powerful catalyst for bold decisions, strong partnerships, and real transformation. In this session, Kathryn Rees lifts the lid on what it really takes to lead in such an environment. She’ll take you through the council’s pragmatic, mature approach to cross-party working – from the gritty governance and robust scrutiny, to the softer stuff like induction, communication and trust-building. You’ll learn how Stockport’s councillors and officers work together – across party lines – to make decisions that stick and get things done. The results speak for themselves: £1bn invested in the town centre, a thriving integrated Stockport Family model, and consistently resilient budgets. All achieved without a single party holding the reins. We’ll cover: What effective cross-party working looks like in real life How pre-decision scrutiny can improve outcomes, not delay them The structures and relationships that help area governance flourish Why the Leader–Chief Executive relationship is just one part of the story How consistent member engagement builds resilience and trust. This session isn’t theory. It’s practical, proven, and built from the ground up. Takeaways Learn how to lead effectively in a politically diverse council Understand the structures and behaviours that make cross-party working thrive See how a collaborative culture enables long-term transformation Take away ideas you can apply – whether you’re in overall control or not Delivered by

Penny CalderProgramme Manager < Speakers < Previous Next > Penny Calder Programme Manager The North Essex Economic Board (NEEB) & Braintree District Council Penny Calder is a Programme Manager at Braintree District Council, a certified project manager with over a decade’s worth of experience working in a range of sectors from local government to social housing.  A proud graduate of Anglia Ruskin University, inspired to pursue a career in project managing after leading several successful large organisational change programmes. Prior to working at Braintree District Council, they were in social housing where they were responsible for a social value and homelessness. Penny uses her positive… Show More

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