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LLG ANNUAL SPRING CONFERENCE 2022: PROGRAMME
Radisson Blu Durham 27th May 2022, Plenary day (In–person with hybrid attendance option) and 7th June 2022, Online workshops
Attendance: Day one of this two-day conference will be a hybrid attendance with in-person delegates meeting at The Radisson Blu Hotel in Durham for a full day of plenary sessions, joined by online delegates via zoom. The second day of the conference will be online via Zoom on Tuesday 7th June.
DAY 1: FRIDAY 27TH MAY 2022: Hybrid Attendance
10.00 - 10.05 Welcome to the LLG Spring Conference
LLG President Helen Edwards
10.05 - 10.30 Keynote Address 1: Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Leader of Durham County Council, speaks on Levelling Up, Devolution, and the challenges of a council moving to no overall control
For over 100 years Durham County Council, the 8th biggest local authority on the country, had the same party in power. Overnight at the 2021 election, everything changed – how did the officers and councillors adjust and what are the learning points?
Speaker: Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Leader of Durham County Council
10.30 - 11.00 All Change Please! Dealing with a change in political administration post-election:
Claire Ward, previously Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer at Herefordshire County Council, looks at how officers and legal teams should respond to a change in administration, particularly in the case of a move towards no overall control, which creates legal questions as to who can see what, along with requirements for soft skills and training. What skills do lawyers need and what do they need to know?
Speaker: Claire Ward, Anthony Collins
11.00 - 11.30 Refreshment Break
11.30 - 12.15 A sense of place and tackling health inequality: Integrated Care Boards and Integrated Care Systems
Levelling up and the Health & Care Bill talk about place and focus on inequalities across regions. But what is place and how is it defined? What does it mean to local government who should lead on this? How can we shape place for the society in which it works? How will this impact adult social care? How can ICBs and ICS’s level up health inequalities across a region?
Speaker: Peter Ware, Anja Beriro, James Arrowsmith, Browne Jacobson
12.15 - 13.00 The humanitarian agenda: Refugees and the local authority lawyer
Everything a lawyer needs to know with respect to meeting requirements for housing, education, health, and community for refugees being rehomed in your area; along with a focus on procurement and economic sanctions - the management of local authority contracts & pensions with respect to Russian links.
Speaker: Helen Randall & Daniel Fletcher, Trowers & Hamlins
Speaker: Michael Dooley, Wiltshire County Council
Speaker: The Refugee Association
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch Break
14.00 - 15.00 Localism & Smart Cities: Technology & Policy going hand in hand
We are seeing mass transformation across the local government landscape, with authorities wrestling with providing local community access to broadband and technology, rural v urban development and the rise of smart cities, and the equality that comes with technology - allowing virtual meetings and hybrid working to change the local employment demographic.
Learn from our panel of experts about their thinking, practical solutions, and products that will allow you to harness the power of IT to level up your community.
Speaker: Birmingham Council
Speaker: Milton Keynes Council
Speaker: Amardeep Gill, Trowers & Hamlins
15.00 - 15.30 Refreshment Break
15.30 - 16.15 What next for democracy?
What does good democracy look like in practice? Devolution and the interaction between central and local government.
Speaker: Simon Goacher, Weightmans
Guest Speaker: To be confirmed
16.15 - 17.00 Levelling Up & meeting your green goals: A Climate Change panel session:
There is an intrinsic link between levelling up and green goals, but where is your local authority in relation to your green objectives? Sharpe Pritchard will look at the recent results of the joint survey with LLG, and talk in detail about district heating. The talk will focus on their experience of district heating projects across the country, including the challenges and issues arising. It will cover opportunities in terms of zoning and planning law which enable district heating projects to be one of the most exciting and critical ways for local authorities to tackle their net zero commitments.
David Mathias from Shoosmiths will discuss the impact of net zero from the perspective of sustainable construction methods and planning consent, and the tension with increasing build costs. He will look at climate differences and area specific climate considerations.
Speaker: Steve Gummer & Emily Knowles, Sharpe Pritchard
Speaker: David Mathias, Shoosmiths
17.00 Close of conference day one
LLG President Helen Edwards, LLG Vice President Rachel McKoy and LLG Deputy Vice President Aneeka Sarwar
There are tickets available to book for an evening drinks reception followed by the LLG Awards Ceremony and a 3 course dinner at the hotel on the evening of Friday 27th May. It will be an evening to network, celebrate and chat with colleagues in a relaxed environment. Dress code smart casual.
LLG ANNUAL SPRING CONFERENCE 2022: WORKSHOP PROGRAMME
DAY 2: Tuesday 7th June 2022: Online attendance
09.30 Welcome to workshop day
LLG Vice President Rachel McKoy
09.30 - 10.10 Understanding Levelling Up & Devolution
A discussion considering the organisation of powers and functions across local government. How do you ensure your functions actually function for the purpose of Levelling Up?
Speaker: Sian Ballingall, Womble Bond Dickinson
Other speakers: to be confirmed
10.10 - 10.50 Legal Update 1: Planning
“So Long Section 106 and CIL?”: This part of the session will consider the latest proposals for planning reform, including a national infrastructure levy and how this could operate in practice.
“The Top 5 Planning Law Cases You Need To Know”: This part of the session will be a discussion of the decisions made in 5 recent landmark planning law cases and their everyday practical implications.
Speakers: Bob Pritchard, Legal Director, Stuart Tym, Partner Shoosmiths
10.50 - 11.05 Break
11.05 - 11.35 Legal Update 2: Licensing & Litigation
Why gambling matters for local government lawyers: A joint perspective on gambling, looking at both the licensing and litigation angles, including the review of mental health protection in gambling, and the impact of the pandemic on gambling.
Speaker: Tim Briton, National Lead, Litigation & Licensing, Gateshead Council
11.35 - 12.15 Whistleblowing
Whistleblowing is often behind some of the biggest news stories that shake the public sector – whether that is connected to child abuse, failings in healthcare, health and safety, or fraud – there is often a whistle blower who has raised their flag; and often an organisation reluctant to hear what they are being told. Equally, ‘whistleblowing’ is sometimes ‘weaponised’ to advance personal grievances and advance negotiating positions of disaffected members of staff.
Local government lawyers have a key role to play in recognising whistleblowing, challenging the status quo, breaking the affirmation culture, and striking the balance between caution and action.
Speaker: Mark Greenburgh, Greenburgh & Co
12.15 - 13.00 Lunch Break
13.00 - 13.30 Legal Update 3: Education Update: The White Paper, Academisation and what it means for your Local Authority
The Government has published a White Paper which, amongst other issues, looks to enable Councils to establish their own Multi Academy Trusts. The Government's strategy is that all maintained schools will be in or joining a strong trust and that they achieve a "fully trust led system" by 2030. This session considers the White Paper, its proposals around academisation including the proposal for Local Authorities create their own Multi Academy Trusts, and how this links with your local plan.
Speakers: Chloe Brunton and Mark Heath, VWV
13.30 - 14.00 Legal Update 4: Public Children Law Update
Public Family Law update covering law, policy and process changes including the new e-bundle Guidance, President’s Making Every Hearing Count case management guidance, Family Public Law Service as well as some major upcoming topics around adoption.
Speaker: Che Fung Choi, Practical Law Family, Thomson Reuters
14.00 - 14.30 Legal Update 5: Employment: Is TUPE still fit for purpose?
Employment practices have changed beyond recognition - with hybrid working, working time issues, flexible contracts across several projects, how do you establish the role is fundamentally the same with respect to transfer?
Speaker: Huw Rolant Jones, Eversheds-Sutherland
14.30 - 14.45 Break
14.45 - 15.30 Where next for Standards?
Now that the government have taken the prospect of sanctions for code of conduct breaches off the table, what can local government do to drive higher standards and better conduct?
Speaker: Jonathan Goolden, Wilkin Chapman
15.30 - 16.15 Skills update: Political Proportionality - understanding this technical and challenging area
Speaker: David Kitson, Bevan Brittan
16.15 - 17.00 Well-being & the Hybrid workplace
According to a recent survey of 395 lawyers and 50 heads of legal, conducted by Local Government Lawyer in association with LexisNexis, lawyers said feelings of isolation and lack of motivation have gotten worse than any other remote working hurdle over the past 12 months. The research also found that managers are also experiencing problems maintaining morale. Heads of legal said it was the single biggest problem they faced, with over half reporting difficulties.
Hybrid working is here to stay for the foreseeable future. There are pros and cons to this still relatively new way of working. This session is designed to offer market intelligence on how much of an issue this really is, as well as offering some real-life examples of how others have tackled and overcome these issues. We will be offering top tips and ideas to help support both your workforce and your management team.
Speaker: Hannah Cottam, Sellick & Partners
17.00 Conference round up and close
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