Subject to change​​
2023 Day 3
9:00–9:15
Arrival Refreshments
Palace Suite
9:15–9:45
Solace AGM
Kings Suite
Solace members are invited to join the AGM.
Please note this event is for Solace members only.
9:45–10:45
John Amaechi - Inclusive and Transformational Leadership
Kings Suite
Chair:
Chief Executive, Dorset Council & Solace President
Speaker:
Organisational Psychologist, Founder of APS Intelligence
In this morning's keynote session, we will be joined by John Amaechi OBE, an Organisational Psychologist who will be delivering the session in the style of a fireside chat.
10:45–11:30
Leadership in the shifting sands of Local Government
Kings Suite
Chair:
Managing Director, Solace
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Speakers:
Special Advisor to the LGA, and to PwC’s public sector practice
Chief Executive, Adur & Worthing
Chief Executive, Essex County Council & Solace Chair
In this session, we will delve into the valuable insights that Solace members can glean from navigating challenging situations and adapting organisations for the future.
We will discuss the lessons that can be drawn for high profile failures for all councils, the challenges of the future and what support leaders and future leaders require to excel.
This will include feeding back on research mapping the fundamentals of being a CEO in local government and how that can inform the development of individuals at all levels in the sector.
11:30–12:00
Exhibition & Refreshments
Palace Suite
12:00–13:00
International Leadership Session
Kings Suite
Chair:
Managing Director of ICMA Europe​
Speakers:
Lon Pluckhahn
ICMA President, DCM Vancouver, Washington, USA
Local Governance Excellence Director, ALULa, Saudia Arabia
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Bogdan Kelichavyi
Mayor of Kopychyntsi, Ukraine, Vice President of Ukranian Associate of Amalgamated Communities
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Sponsored by
Join us for a captivating International Leadership Session where you will have the unique opportunity to gain insights from extraordinary leaders hailing from various corners of the globe.
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Discover the daily challenges they encounter and explore the valuable lessons we can extract from their experiences.
The session will be expertly moderated by Peter Agh, Managing Director of ICMA Europe who will be joined by Lon Pluckhahn, the President of ICMA, representing Vancouver, Washington, USA.
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Our distinguished panel of speakers will also include Simon Fairbrother, Local Governance Excellence Director of ALULa, Saudia Arabia and Bogdan Kelichavyi, Mayor of Kopychyntsi, Ukraine and Vice President of Ukranian Associate of Amalgamated Communities.
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Together, they will provide a cross-cultural perspective on leadership, fostering an enriching dialogue on global leadership challenges and collaborative learning opportunities.
13:00–14:15
Exhibition & Lunch
Palace Suite
14:15–15:15
Show me … don’t keep telling me: Solace’s AMPlify Cohort One
Kings Suite
AMPlify in partnership with the LGA and E-Quality is Solace’s ambitious three-strand development programme that supports the development of diverse talent within local government leadership.
Launched at last year’s Solace Trailblazer Day, our AMPlify Talent community represents an incredible cross-section of local government professions and experiences. In this session they will invite you to reflect on how you can best foster trust and credibility in your organisations, and through an open conversation ask what more can be done to further embed the conditions for leaders to succeed across your entire workforce, but particularly those leaders from minoritised ethnic backgrounds.
Using leadership as the framework, we will ask how you can best grow the next generation of leadership giants of the future, and by disclosing the range of opportunities and challenges, equip you with the knowledge and insights you need to become an exceptional leader who can navigate challenges, inspire teams, and drive your organisations toward sustained success.
The most successful leaders include everyone in their plans, they are authentic and tell the truth. This session will celebrate the journey and share the stories from the first flagship cohort of Solace’s AMPlify programme as well as encourage you to reimagine the impact of your leadership, ultimately asking who are you talking to… and who are you ignoring?
15:15–16:00
Exhibition & Refreshments
Palace Suite
16:00–17:00
Breakout Session
The Sustainability Revolution: Making a difference in your place, and delivering EV charging at pace
York Suite
Speakers:
EV Services Director, Believ
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Assistant Chief Executive, West Northamptonshire Council
Sponsored by
Sustainability is here to stay or we might not be, but with council’s facing constant challenges between financial pressures and making progress on our journey to net zero where do we start and what difference will it make anyway? This interactive and engaging session will share practical examples of delivering change at pace including how to:
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Develop cross party, and partnership support for your sustainability strategy
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Drive change to deliver social, economic and environmental sustainability
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Deliver sustainable transport and EV charging at scale and at pace
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Maximise external funding opportunities
West Northamptonshire Council was launched in April 2021 following Local Government Reform in Northamptonshire and has risen to the challenge of delivering on sustainability as a new unitary council to make a positive difference for residents and businesses, learn from their highs and lows and hear from the expertise of Believ who are delivering sustainable change at scale and at pace.
EV charging is one the key steps a Council can take towards driving both short and long sustainability and net zero goals. Believ have worked closely with West Northamptonshire Council in rolling out their charging network and scale and pace, and at zero cost.
Whilst the government aims for 300,000 charge points installed by 2030, only around 16% have been rolled out so far nationally. 11 million UK households don’t have access to domestic charging. What is causing this standstill, and what can we practically do drive the much-needed change of pace?
Find out how the public and private sectors can get around their specific challenges to provide cleaner air and equitable access to sustainable transport.
16:00–17:00
Breakout Session
Design the Future –Sustainably
Lancaster Suite
Speakers:
Partner People Services, EY
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Director of Sustainability, EY
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Partner Local & Devolved Government, EY
Sponsored by
An interactive and engaging workshop where you will design the green future authority, how we’ll get there and how you’ll lead the transformation. The future of local government needs councils to be built around delivering sustainable services – meeting the challenges of climate change is the biggest challenge of our time and the role of Local Government leadership is critical. The session will focus on the future model of local authorities focused on transformation based on sustainability and people. Become part of the EY future forum.
3 reasons to attend:
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Find out about the changing role of leaders in future local government
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Learn about potential future models and be part of that design
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Think differently about transformation with sustainability and people at the centre
16:00–17:00
Breakout Session
Cost of living: What worked? What didn't? And what next?
Exhibition Space 2
Speakers:
Policy and Research Manager, St Helens Borough Council
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Director of Public Health, St Helens Borough Council
Sponsored by
Inflation remains stubbornly high in the UK, with the most significant upward contributing factor being the rising cost of food. This coupled with rising energy and fuel costs, and more recently the rise in interest rates and the knock-on impact this has had on housing costs is pushing households across the country to the brink.
This session aims to bring together innovators from the local government sector to explore the role of local authorities in mitigating the impacts of the current rise in the cost of living, what approaches can be adopted to support residents through this period and what we can do to ensure they don’t fall into crisis in the future. We will explore what solutions have worked for residents over the past 18 months, and what didn’t and we will look at what future challenges the cost of living may hold for your residents as we approach the Winter months.
Representatives from St Helens Council will lead the session. They will share lessons from their borough including how they targeted support to those most in need, how they moved quickly to respond and provide solutions to the ever-changing crises facing residents, and how they worked with local partners and the voluntary sector to deliver this support.
In this interactive session, we are keen to learn from other areas and discuss our priority actions going into the winter months.
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Before the session, have a read of the St Helens Borough Council's Case Study St Helens Together: Supporting the Borough through the Cost of Living Crisis.
16:00–17:00
Breakout Session
Doing Change and Transformation Well in Local Government
Exhibition Space 1
Speaker:
Founder & Managing Director, Trueman Change
Sponsored by
As ever, there are continuing drivers for change and transformation in local government: community need, grant-funded programmes, budget pressures, demand and climate change. Now is a more important time than ever to reflect on how to do change well.
This session will present a range of examples, case studies and formal academic research from our Managing Director Lucy Trueman to explore:
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What does ‘good’ change look like?
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Why did no one pick up a PRINCE2 manual during the pandemic?
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How can local authorities build a culture that’s able to change?
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What is the impact of the pandemic on how local authorities are approaching change going forward?
The session will be interactive, where you will have the opportunity to access a free online change readiness tool and ask questions from our panel of speakers. We will explore different examples of ways in which local authorities are tackling their approach to change going forward, and what the key lessons from the pandemic are. Our MD will present key findings from her academic research project this year, which involved interviewing council CEOs on their approach to change.
This session will suit people who are looking to deliver change in their authority, whether digital, cultural or service re-design.
16:00–17:00
Breakout Session
Learning the lessons of 114s – A Roadmap for Avoidance
Exhibition Space 3
Speakers:
CEO, CIPFA
Director, Business Advisory and Consultancy, CIPFA
Local Government Policy Manager, CIPFA
Interim Finance Director & Section 151 Officer, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Sponsored by
Section 114 notices are the last resort for local authorities in financial trouble. However, although once rare – we are now seeing an increasing number of local authorities sending distress signals over their financial position. Yet although each situation is unique, there are not only some common trends but also lessons that can be learned.
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Join CIPFA’s fringe session for an interactive discussion on what we have seen going wrong over recent years and the preventative actions local authorities can take. During the session, we will explore:
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Leadership - including the importance of strong relationships between the CEO, CFO and elected officers
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Governance – including the importance of financial scrutiny and challenge
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Financial Resilience – including the need for more effective savings programmes and the impact of poor commercial decisions.
19:00–19:40
Summit Presidential Drinks Reception
Kings Suite
Sponsored by
As part of your Summit ticket, you are invited to join us for the Summit Presidential Drinks Reception.
This evening's drinks reception will be commencing at 19:00 and is kindly sponsored by Virgin Media O2.
19:40
Summit Charity Dinner
Kings Suite
Dress code: Lounge suits
Sponsored by
Raising funds for
Join us for the formal Summit Charity Dinner, followed by a live band The Smooth Criminals and dancing.
This year's Summit Charity Dinner is in aid of The British Heart Foundation as chosen by Chief Executive of Dorset Council and Solace President, Matt Prosser.
The Charity Dinner is kindly sponsored by Believ.
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If you are joining us for the Summit Charity Dinner, please confirm your attendance by selecting this item during checkout.
