09.00 — 10.00   |   Registration

Registration is open.

10.00 — 10.15   |   Open

NALC's chair will welcome back attendees to our first in-person conference since late 2019 and will set the scene for the day.

Speaker: Cllr Keith Stevens, NALC chair

10.20 — 10.50   |   Rebuilding a new Britain

Hear from the shadow minister for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities & Local Government on Labour's plans for rebuilding a new Britain.

Speaker: Alex Norris MP, shadow minister for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities & Local Government and MP for Nottingham North

10.55 — 11.10   |   Creating dementia-friendly communities

Dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK. The World Health Organisation estimates that the global number of deaths due to dementia will increase by over 40% from 2015 to 2030. This session will cover why local councils have a vital role in supporting communities to fight dementia, what is being done at national and local levels and what's next.

Speaker: Ian Sherriff BEM, academic partnership lead for dementia at the University of Plymouth Medical School Faculty of Health

11.10 — 11.40   |   Break

11.40 — 12.10   |   Whose housing crisis is it anyway?

While there is widespread acceptance that the country faces a housing crisis, what is less clear is how to fix it. The Conservative manifesto promised to build 300,000 homes a year, yet according to the government’s figures, 216,000 new homes were supplied in 2020/21, lower than the 243,000 the previous year. So, who is to blame? National or local government? Developers or communities? This lively panel session aims to answer these questions and more, including what part local councils can play in tackling one of the most significant issues of the moment.

Speakers: Cllr David Beaman, Farnham Town Council and Waverley Borough Council, Fiona Howie, chief executive of the Town and Country Planning Association and Freddie Poser, director of PricedOut

12.15 — 12.45   |   Putting civility and respect at the heart of your council

Civility and respect should be at the heart of public life, and good governance is fundamental to ensuring an effective and well-functioning democracy. Intimidation, abuse, bullying and harassment of councillors, clerks and council staff can prevent councils from functioning effectively, representing residents, discourage people from getting involved with their council, such as standing for election, and undermine confidence in local democracy. We will find out what is being done to support civility and good governance in the local council sector and how local councils can support this work and improve standards.

Speakers: Cllr Sue Baxter, vice-president of NALC, Paul Hoey, co-director of Hoey Ainscough Associates Ltd, Linda Larter MBE, town clerk to Sevenoaks Town Council and former president of the Society of Local Council Clerks and Rob Smith, chief executive of the Society of Local Council Clerks

12.45 — 13.30   |   Lunch

13.30 — 14.00   |   Tackling climate change together

Climate change is one of the most important issues globally, but it is also important to remember how communities can affect change globally. Taking climate action as a series of local issues can significantly change overall. As outlined by NALC’s 2021 Climate Change Survey report, the problem for many local councils is that many feel disempowered to act due to a lack of expertise and funding. We will discuss the importance of communities taking on climate action at the local level and the practical steps local councils can take.

Speaker: Dr Tony Juniper CBE, chair of Natural England, Andrew Maliphant, project manager at The Community Works and author of the Local Regeneration Handbook and Miriam Turner, co-chief executive officer of Friends of the Earth

14.05 — 14.20   |   How resilient is your council?

Community resilience aims to reduce the impact of emergencies by ensuring that individuals, businesses, community networks and voluntary organisations are empowered to prepare, respond, and recover from emergencies and disasters. During the pandemic, local councils played a crucial role in coordinating these efforts. So, how can they build on this momentum and ensure that their communities are even more well equipped to respond to the next emergency? We will learn more about how local councils can further develop the capacities of their communities to recover from adversity and ensure their future resilience and prosperity.

Speaker: Finn Woodhill, communities and communications lead at Communities Prepared

14.20 — 14.50   |   Break

14.50 — 15.20   |   Make A Change — Representation in local elections

Despite increasing devolution and lack of access to grants, our local councils continue to provide outstanding public services to their communities. Yet, most Britons feel utterly uninformed about the work of local councils and how the decisions made affect them, but there is an appetite to be more involved in the decision-making process. We will explore ways in which the local council sector can nurture this enthusiasm and engage with people from all backgrounds and experiences. After all, our society is not homogenous, so why should our local councils be any different?

Speakers: Cllr Sara Butler, Mayor of Frome, Andy Galloway, business manager at the New Citizenship Project and Cllr Farzana Kharawala, Mayor of Leighton Linslade Town Council

15.25 — 15.55   |   Levelling Up the United Kingdom

A minister from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will discuss the government's mission to level up the United Kingdom, including its proposals in the white paper and its legislative programme.

Speaker: Lee Rowley MP, parliamentary under secretary of state in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and MP for North East Derbyshire

15.55 — 16.00   |   Close

NALC's chair sums up and gives his final thoughts of the day. 

Speaker: Cllr Keith Stevens, NALC chair

BHIB Councils Insurance

BHIB Councils Insurance provides specialist insurance and risk management services to local and parish councils.

BHIB Councils Insurance is part of BHIB Ltd, one of the UK’s leading independent commercial insurance brokers with a proud history dating back over 50 years. We continue to improve our services as a proud member of the CLEAR Group, delivering bespoke insurance programmes and advice to the public, private and charity sectors and membership organisations. 

No two councils are the same. That’s why BHIB provide a range of insurance options to protect not only your council’s assets and liabilities but also your clerks, councillors, and volunteers. From public liability, employer's liability, and property damage insurance to the provision of risk management advice and useful templates, BHIB Councils Insurance are on hand to support you.

To request a free quote, email BHIB Councils Insurance at .

Find out more about BHIB Councils Insurance

Blachere Illumination

Blachere Illumination has been creating festive lighting for over 45 years with care and passion. They are global leaders in the production of eco-responsible lighting, as well as a new summer range.

Being the manufacturer, Blachere can help with the entire process and any budget size. They have a dedicated staff team ready to help you create a magical scheme. The Bioprint and Recyprint eco ranges can help councils achieve elements of their climate plans.

Find out more about Blachere Illumination

CCLA

CCLA’s purpose is to help investors maximise their impact on society by harnessing the power of investment markets. They have been investing responsibly and ethically for more than 50 years. They don’t claim to have the answers to many societal challenges. Still, they do have specific skills and an interest in social and economic justice, which they think makes us unique in the investment industry. They are very interested in talking to delegates about what more ‘good’ they could do together for a better world.

CCLA Investment Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Find out more about CCLA

Breakthrough Communications

Breakthrough Communications supports councils to communicate and engage more effectively and compliantly with their communities. Their Council Hive service provides councils with on-demand access to training and guidance, deep-dive masterclasses, resource packs and templates, and one-to-one expert advice, covering all aspects of council communications, community engagement and GPDR and FOI compliance.

They also manage council social media, carry out neighbourhood plans and community surveys, consultations and community engagement campaigns, as well as helping councils with GDPR and FOI matters.

Find out more about Breakthrough Communications

Centre for Sustainable Energy

The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is a charity supporting people and organisations across the UK to tackle the climate emergency and end the suffering caused by cold homes. They do this by sharing their knowledge, practical experience and policy insights. For over 40 years, they've supported people to take effective action on energy. They help communities, and local councils understand energy issues, set priorities, and implement plans. Their research and analysis focus on making the energy system greener, smarter and fairer.

Find out more about the Centre for Sustainable Energy

CloudyIT

CloudyIT is here to help your council affordably maximise the latest cutting-edge Microsoft 365 technology, digital solutions, and training to support your staff and drive the adoption of more efficient IT working practices. Following years of experience working with parish and town councils to create a portfolio of bespoke digital services that directly address the needs of council clerks, officers, and councillors.

Find out more about CloudyIT

Co-operative Councils' Innovation Network

The fastest growing network in local government. They believe that the unprecedented challenges facing the public sector and local communities mean that traditional models of top-down governance and economic growth are no longer fit for purpose. Their members want to reclaim the traditions of community action, community engagement, and civic empowerment that can transform communities. This approach will help deliver radical and innovative programmes designed, led, and delivered in partnership with communities and other sector partners, maximising the social dividend they bring. Cooperative councils drive global public policy aligned to their Statement of Values and Principles.

Find out more about the Co-operative Councils' Innovation Network

Eden Project Communities

Eden Project Communities brings people together, supporting and empowering them to make positive changes where they live through The Big Lunch, Community Camps and a Network that connects and supports community-minded people across the UK. Working with local councils to encourage and support community activity across England is key to our work, and we are proud to have worked closely with NALC since The Big Lunch started in 2009.

Find out more about the Eden Project Communities

Eden Project Communities were due to be exhibiting at Empowering Communities, but as the event was moved online, they’ve provided a digital handout for delegates instead. They are excited to have just launched The Big Lunch at Christmas and are calling on all local councils to support the campaign and spread the word to residents that might want to come together for some friendship, food and festive fun this December. As with The Big Lunch, they’re providing a  free guide  and resources to make planning an event, big or small, easy. And there’s a simple comms toolkit to help you spread the word.

Find out more about The Big Lunch at Christmas

HAGS

HAGS has been manufacturing and installing outdoor play, sports & fitness equipment for over 70 years. With HAGS, you get a turnkey solution with design, consultation, supply and installation, after-sales, inspection, and maintenance. All ages, from toddlers to adults, benefit from the 300-plus play areas we install each year in the UK alone. You have access to 3,000 products across 11 ranges.

Their services cover everything from planning to condition assessment and maintenance. When you choose a solution from HAGS, you get help from a knowledgeable HAGS employee with a local connection who is familiar with your everyday living and recreation environment.

Find out more about HAGS

Parish Online

Parish Online empowers Local Councils with fantastic technology to help them provide valuable services to their residents. Our cloud-based services provide resilience and convenience to daily council tasks through digital mapping and website technology. 

Parish Online digital mapping software is used to create maps, store assets, build your neighbourhood plan, and anything else you can think of using maps! Our Website Service gives your Local Council an engaging online presence with a highly informative and accessible website that conforms to the latest Government design standards. We pride ourselves on great support and continuous improvement of services based on your needs

Find out more about Parish Online

Utility Aid

Utility Aid is the UK's largest energy broker for the not-for-profit sector. Their dedicated team provide a high-level service to manage and maintain your portfolio, covering procurement, Bureau services, full account management, historical audits and carbon reporting and net zero planning. To date, they have saved their charity customers over £4m through their invoice validation services.

Find out more about Utility Aid

WorkNest

WorkNest is a powerhouse of employment law, HR and health & safety support services, weaving pragmatic advice with powerful technology platforms. They exist to help employers proactively overcome their employment, safety and wellbeing challenges, working alongside internal teams or providing a fully outsourced solution. Their proactive and personalised services are delivered by highly accomplished, commercially-minded people, with set-price subscription models for cost certainty and peace of mind. Ultimately, they understand that when organisations are compliant, confident and risk-aware — and their employees are safe, supported and encouraged — they have the peace of mind to concentrate on innovating and growing. Their services take care of you and your business, so you can do exactly that.

Find out more about WorkNest