Gavin JonesChief Executive < Speakers < Previous Next > Gavin Jones Chief Executive Essex County Council & Solace Chair Gavin has been a local authority CEO for over 12 years, initially at Swindon and latterly at Essex County Council. The first half of Gavin’s career was in a variety of private organisations and market sectors. In 2004 he left SITA International (Airline telecommunications company) serving as Vice President Marketing and Customer Services, to join Swindon Borough Council, his home town. Gavin was listed as one of the top 50 New Radicals in the Sunday Observer’s national campaign for Britain’s… Show More

< All sponsors Commonplace Stand 18 www.commonplace.is Commonplace, now powered by Zencity, is a global leader in community insights and engagement. We work with 400+ local authorities across UK, Canada and US to build an ‘always-on’ understanding of community sentiment and experience. Our platform has proven that maximising audience reach, collaborating through multiple channels to create a clear understanding of community needs and closing the loop to take action are critical trust builders for place-makers.

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 John O'Halloran Director of Consultancy, CIPFA John is a highly experienced business manager and management consultant with over 30 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors, now leading CIPFA’s consultancy service. Recently John has helped shape and drive a major cost reduction UK wide programme for police sector, Achieving Finance Excellence in Policing. John has also worked for large civil service departments and every type of local authority in the UK. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45–16:25 Local Government Reorganisation: Practical Advice and Support Aire Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

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

< All sponsors Submit.com Stand 16 www.submit.com Submit.com is a comprehensive, end-to-end programme management platform built specifically for grantmakers, scholarship administrators, and awards coordinators. It streamlines the full programme lifecycle from application intake and evaluation to compliance, impact reporting, and stakeholder engagement in a single, secure, and highly configurable solution. This empowers teams to save significant administrative hours, improve decision fairness, and amplify grant and application programme impact.

Darius WardPrincipal Consultant < Speakers < Previous Next > Darius Ward Principal Consultant Trueman Change We are thrilled to introduce Darius Ward, our Principal Consultant and the newest member of Trueman Change, to our esteemed Solace colleagues this year. With a career dedicated to both the public and private sectors, Darius has demonstrated a passion for improving processes and elevating them to higher standards of efficiency and effectiveness. His commitment to our Trueman Change value of making it better is evident in his diverse skill set and unwavering focus on making things better. For nearly… Show More

< All sponsors Trueman Change Stand 12 www.truemanchange.co.uk At Trueman Change, empathy underpins everything we do. We understand the public sector’s challenges and share your commitment to success. Our psychology-driven approach focuses on people, their motivations, behaviours, and concerns creating smooth, impactful transitions. We make change less overwhelming, more rewarding, and deliver positive, lasting results our clients trust.

< All sponsors Newtrality www.newtrality.co.uk Newtrality is a consultancy firm that focuses on complex programme and transformation delivery. We work with councils to provide practical support and challenge to some of the sector’s biggest challenges. Whether it is LGR, Devolution, complex systems change, improving service delivery or driving savings and transformation, we can be trusted to deliver.

All Speakers Lisa Smith Director of Strategy, Performance and Partnerships, Liverpool City Council Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45-16:25 Test, Learn and Grow: How Do We Build a Movement? Hotot Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Pearl Suite, Royal Armouries 15:00–15:40 Workshop Navigating Local Government Reform: Lessons from the Digital Frontline of Devolution Speaker/s Mark Gannon, Director of Client Solutions, Netcall Craig Barker, Senior Manager – Digital and Customer Experience, Cumberland Council Kate Hurr, Assistant Director – Digital Innovation and ICT, Cumberland Council With local government reform reshaping councils across England, leaders face an urgent challenge: how to deliver seamless, citizen-centric services while navigating the complexity of system consolidation, workforce transitions, and operational realignment. In this session, we bring together those who have been through it to share hard-won insights on what works - and what doesn’t - when transforming service delivery amidst structural change. Join us for a discussion that blends strategic vision with real-world experience. The speakers will explore the ‘why’ of reform - unlocking efficiencies, economies of scale, and aligning services to citizen needs - while tackling the practical hurdles: multiple IT systems, complex migrations and integrations and the impact on people and processes. Expect candid reflections, actionable insights and a roadmap for delivering effective, digital-first services in the face of local government reform. Takeaways Get real-world, practical advice – This session focuses on actionable insights from those who have done it, rather than high-level theory. Avoid common pitfalls – Learn from the challenges and successes of others to make informed decisions in your own digital transformation journey. Stay ahead of change – Gain the knowledge and confidence to proactively shape your council’s approach, rather than reacting under pressure. Delivered by

All Speakers Mark Gannon Director of Client Solutions, Netcall Mark Gannon, Director of Client Solutions, Netcall. Former CIO at Sheffield City Council, Mark now works with over 30 local authorities to support digital transformation. He will set the stage by outlining the macro-level challenges and opportunities of devolution and service transformation through a digital lens. A senior leader from local government who will share insights from their council's digital transformation journey. They will cover the strategy, goals, and challenges faced during the transition, highlighting the importance of having a clear vision for digitisation and a solid delivery foundation. The session will also offer a practical perspective on achieving digital innovation and continuing service improvements amid significant governance changes. 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