Welsh National Conference

You will be warmly welcomed by Socitm at the registration desk where you can sign in and receive your delegate pass. You’re then free to start networking as well as helping yourself to refreshments including breakfast pastries.

Socitm Wales incoming Chair Chris Owen will make us all welcome, run through the practical housekeeping, set the scene, share his thoughts. Chris will then kick the conference off by introducing our first keynote speaker.

Chris Owen, Chief Digital Officer, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and Socitm Wales incoming Chair

This keynote we will hear from the Chief Executive of Cardiff Council on the opportunities and challenges facing the capital city of Wales over the decade ahead, how public services will need to transform in response and the key role that technology, digital and data have to play in making this happen.

Paul Orders, Chief Executive, Cardiff City Council

Myra Hunt, Joint CEO, Centre for Digital Public Services
Mark Brett, Programme Director, NLAWARP

Chaired by:
Dave Sanderson, Director of Member Services, Socitm

It’s time to gather our thoughts from the morning sessions over refreshments and snacks. This is an opportunity to connect with fellow colleagues both from the public and private sector.

Join Vale of Glamorgan Council and AWS to explore how serverless technology is transforming service delivery in Wales. Through live demonstrations, discover how the council has implemented practical, cost-effective solutions that enhance resident experience. See firsthand how serverless cloud solutions enable councils to innovate and improve services without the complexity of managing infrastructure, making digital transformation both achievable and sustainable.

Polina Shloydo-Sadler, Local Government Lead for Wales, AWS
Nickki Johns, Head of Digital, Vale of Glamorgan Council

This interactive panel will share real-world examples of effective partnership-driven teams and work. Combining different experience and knowledge to highlight how we can achieve more together.

Microsoft | Crown Commercial Services | Beam

Chaired by:
Dave Sanderson, Director of Member Services, Socitm

We know how important these sections of a conference are. It’s time to make new connections, say hello to colleagues across the sector you’ve not seen for some time and reflect on the morning’s programme over lunch. Keep the conversation going and enjoy further food for thought.

Is Wales going fast enough to harness the technologies of the future? In my opinion, it is clear pivoting and moving at pace, as the world changes, is not how our system is set up. In both the public and private sphere, change is not welcomed. Indeed, it is resisted. While some resistance and challenge is healthy, it is rarely constructive and errs towards belligerence. I argue this inhibits Wales’ growth and undermines transformation of our public services. 

Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, Newport City Council

Join colleagues from Cardiff Council as they talk you through their journey from being a data rich Council to one where data technology solutions are helping make better decisions, deliver services more effectively, drive innovation and, ultimately, improve public services.

Gareth Newell, Head of Performance & Partnerships, Cardiff Council

Chris Lloyd, Head of Technology, Cardiff Council

Our Top Talent course gives people the chance to develop their skills and grow as future leaders. Witness participants showcase their journey, presenting insights from the challenge they’ve been tackling. Always an uplifting highlight of the conference, this is a chance to hear fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and the next generation’s approach to solving key sector challenges.

It’s time to gather our thoughts from the afternoon sessions over refreshments and snacks. This is an opportunity to connect with fellow colleagues both from the public and private sector.

Shaped by political, financial, social, economic and technological pressures, the future model of Local Government will demand new approaches to DDaT Applications and Integration. CIOs and Heads of ICT will need to rethink legacy strategies and embrace cloud native composable, data-first services. This session will explore how Local Government and wider public services can make that shift, what the new world looks like, providing practical steps, models, and actions to deliver joined-up, citizen centred outcomes

Dylan Roberts, Socitm Trustee and Chief Digital and Information Officer, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

As the gap between the older and working-age populations continues to narrow, it’s vital that we rethink how social care services are designed and delivered. To ensure people continue to live well with the support they need, we must embrace innovation and explore new ways of working.

This session will offer a brief overview of the current digital landscape in social care and highlight the key changes required to make our services truly fit for the future—so that people not only live well, but continue to thrive in their communities, accessing the right support at the right time.

Sarah Day, Business Unit Lead, ADSS Cymru

Claire Marchant, Chairman, ADSS Cymru

Chris Owen will pick out the numerous highlights from the conference in his closing remarks.

The conference will finish here. There will be a Digital Advisory Meeting (DAG) meeting after the conference, closed to Welsh Local Government representatives only.