President's Conference 2023
Overview
Click to see overview - on mobile devices onlyThemes
Day 1 – Designing out of difficult times
Day 2 – Ethical, responsible and secure use of technologies and data
Description
The highlight of our events calendar. Come to Brighton to experience the absolute best of Socitm.
Themed ‘Socitm Inspires The Journey’, we’ve carefully created an agenda to address the critical challenges and opportunities our members and the sector are facing right now:
- designing out of difficult times; and
- revolutionising use of technologies and data.
Leave with a summer ‘spring in your step’ having joined your peers to share experiences in the relaxed and vibrant environment of Brighton!
President’s Conference 2022 took place in Cardiff in June which was an exceptional get together. The Brighton conference offers more. With two full and focused days we really will be able to come away with plenty to think about and do.
President's Conference 2023 eventPrimary Partners
Socitm has been awarded CPD points for all training and development programmes offered by its Leadership Academy
Meet the speakers
Click to view speakers - if on a mobile deviceChanging the slide will show a different speaker from the event panel.
Agenda
Click to show agenda - if on a mobile device-
Agenda Session 1
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Day 1
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9:30 am |Registration
A warm welcome will greet you at the Socitm 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.
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10:00 am |Socitm President's Opening Remarks
Huw McKee, Head of IT and Digital Transformation, Conwy County Borough Council
Huw will make us all welcome, run through the practical housekeeping, set the scene, share his thoughts and reflect upon his last 12 months as Socitm President. Huw will then kick the conference off by introducing our first keynote speaker.
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10:10 am |How investment in digital leadership, transformation and service design transforms the outcomes of the people and communities we serve.
Matt Prosser, Chief Executive, Dorset Council
A brilliant key note to start our conference. Matt Prosser, President of Solace and former National Policy Spokesperson for Digital Leadership, will take us through his journey as a digital leader bringing multiple councils services into one. Matt will reveal key insights through the creation of a new unitary council with digital aspirations built at the heart of it. How investment in digital leadership, transformation and service design can and does deliver for the people he and his colleagues at Dorset Council serve.
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10:30 am |How can AI transform your council?
Glen Robinson , Microsoft National Technology Officer, Microsoft
With recent announcements about AI-infused technologies, from Chat GPT to Open AI, to Copilot, Microsoft will spend time exploring how they can transform the way local authorities think about productivity, app development, and resident services.
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11:35 am |How can the private sector help us?
iBoss
Quest/One IdentityLearn from our partners on problem solving for the public sector. Always a great way to hear different perspectives to help your organisations.
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11:50 am |Networking break
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.
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12:15 pm |Workshops
Choose a topic of most relevance to you. Then in smaller, dedicated groups listen, learn and talk together to get details and confidence to try something yourself, when you’re back at your desk.
More information about what each workshop entails will be provided closer to the time.
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1:05 pm |Industry insight
Technology One
Veeam
FignumHear from industry best practice to support the evolution of your organisation’s technology journey. Don’t leave anyone behind!
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1:15 pm |Networking lunch
We know how important these section of a conference are. It’s time to make new connections, say hello to colleagues across the sector you’ve not seeen for some time and reflect on the morning’s programme over lunch. Keep the conversation going and enjoy further food for thought.
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2:15 pm |Post lunch recap
Mark Lumley, Director Digital & IT, London Borough of Hounslow
Join Mark as he recaps on the morning session and leads us through a few exercises to make sure we’re fit, energised and ready for the afternoon session. Not to be missed and a firm favourite at our conferences!
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2:20 pm |Socitm Advisory - Design Lab
Will Costello, Head of Service, Data, Technology & Architecture, Socitm Advisory
Service design doesn’t have to be difficult, but to do it well requires a holistic mindset that considers context, strategy, people, process and technology – as well as a whole lot of empathy and understanding. Join our talented service design team to see them showcase how we have taken Socitm members’ own challenges together with their team/s input to ideate options to solve a service problem. You’ll leave the session with pragmatic and actionable ideas that you can take forwards to help solve your service design challenges.
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2:45 pm |Charity Keynote: MindOut
Erica Thornton, Chief Operating Officer, MindOut
MindOut is a mental health service run by and for lesbians, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people with experience of mental health issues. We work to improve the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ communities and to make mental health a community concern. MindOut is essential because 40% of those who identify as LGBTQ will experience mental health challenges compared with 25% of the general population. Our work is vital because our service users do not get the support they need from mainstream services, they often feel isolated from LGBTQ communities and face additional discrimination and exclusion. LGBTQ people wait longer to ask for help and deserve a safe space where their identities are recognised and understood. Our vision is a world where the mental health of LGBTQ communities is a priority, free from stigma and respected. -
3:00 pm |Networking break
Another chance to network and compare notes from the afternoon sessions over refreshments and snacks.
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3:20 pm |Developing a cohort of cyber defences and solutions to protect local government and their communities
Meet April’s Top Talent cohort. The final training sessions of their programme have been in Brighton. The last challenge is to share with the whole conference the details of their projects. The cohort has been split into smaller teams so they can collaborate, apply the theory and produce solutions. Be a supportive audience to these talented delegates.
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4:05 pm |Closing remarks
Huw McKee, Head of Information Technology and Digital Transformation, Conwy County Borough Council
On behalf of us all Huw will reflect on a significant conference for Socitm and bring proceedings to a close.
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4:15 pm |Annual General Meeting
Huw McKee, Head of IT and Digital Transformation, Conwy County Borough Council | Nadira Hussain, CEO, Socitm | David Bryant, Finance & Commercial Director, Socitm | Mark Lumley, Director Digital & IT, London Borough of Hounslow
Our current president, Huw McKee, will lead us through what Socitm has acheived for its members over the last year, before handing over to incoming president Mark Lumley.
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6:45 pm |Drinks reception
After an inspiring and thought-provoking day, it’s time to absorb all that information and unwind at our President’s Conference drinks reception – generously sponsored by our partner AWS.
Whether you choose to carry on existing conversations or start fresh ones with new contacts, this is an opportunity to reflect and relax in a welcoming and friendly environment where catching up and connecting in comfort is key.
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7:00 pm |Gala Dinner: Celebrating Success
Our President’s dinner isn’t just about good food and great company. It’s also the time where we acknowledge and celebrate the hard-work, vision, delivery, best practise and personal achievements of digital leaders in the public sector.
In these most challenging times , peer appreciation and support are more important than ever. The President’s dinner is an opportunity to demonstrate how much our community, as a whole, values, recognises and appreciates the triumphs of individual members. This is why our President, President’s team and our partners have such pleasure in welcoming you to the evening.
The President’s Awards take place between courses and allow us to congratulate our latest Leadership Academy graduates and share in our award-winners’ achievements.
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Agenda Session 2
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Day 2
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9:30 am |Registration
A warm welcome will greet you at the Socitm 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.
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10:00 am |Chair's opening remarks
Mark Lumley, Director Digital & IT, London Borough of Hounslow
Mark will make us all welcome on our second and final day, run through the practical housekeeping, set the scene, share his reflections on all we’ve covered so far. This morning session will reflect on us and our organisations.
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10:10 am |Tech-tastic Tale!
Rehana Ramesh, Head of Digital Transformation, Brent
Ctrl+Alt+Delivering Digital Transformation: The Tech-tastic Tale of turning old school thinking and way of doing things into the new cool!
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10:30 am |Fresh perspectives driving different outcomes - using data responsibly to change behaviours.
AWS and Hounslow
Hear how AWS is supporting local authorities to use data in a responsible way to improve resident services
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11:00 am |Safeguarding our Connected Places of the Future: The Importance of Cyber Security in Smart CitiesAndrew Elliot, Deputy Director for Cyber Security Innovation and Skills, Department forScience, Innovation and TechnologyThis panel event will seek to raise awareness to the importance of cyber security inconnected places (also known as ‘smart cities’), and the leading work of the UK’sDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Join us as we hearabout some of the most innovative connected places programmes that are beingundertaken across the UK, as well as DSIT’s key project focused on providing cybersupport to those deploying these technologies – the Alpha Secure Connected PlacesPlaybook. This panel will bring together key partners who have supported DSIT, andwill involve an open question and answer session.
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11:45 am |Networking break
It’s time to gather our thoughts from this morning sessions over refreshments and snacks. This is an opportunity to connect with fellow colleagues both from the public and private sector.
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12:15 pm |Accessibility Workshop
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1:00 pm |Networking lunch
It’s time to eat and greet as we reflect on the conference’s programme over lunch. This is an opportunity to continue the conversation as we come together with our partners and enjoy further food for thought.
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2:00 pm |Post lunch recap
Join Mark as he recaps on the morning session and leads us through a few exercises to make sure we’re fit, energised and ready for the afternoon session. Not to be missed and a firm favourite at our conferences!
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2:05 pm |Bringing about change to become a data-driven council
James Illingworth, Socitm Advisory | Stephen Curtis, Digital Transformation Lead, East Riding | Kat Taylor, Digital Facilitator, East Riding
Join Socitm Advisory and East Riding of Yorkshire Council where they will share their experience of establishing a cloud-based data platform to kickstart the journey into being a data-driven organisation, and how they are building networks of support to bring about change.
Delegates can hear the challenges faced when introducing cloud technologies to a historically on-premise technical infrastructure, developing proofs of concept dashboards for children’s and adult’s services and the scale of culture change required to achieve the ambitions of near-real time evidence-based decision making.
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2:25 pm |Women in Tech! Yes please
Meet April’s Empowering Women. The final training session of their programme has been in Brighton. The last challenge is to share with the whole conference the details of their projects. The cohort has been split into smaller teams so they can collaborate, apply the theory and produce solutions. Be a supportive audience to these talented delegates.
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3:10 pm |Closing remarks
Mark Lumley, Director Digital and IT, London Borough of Hounslow
Our new President Mark Lumley will pick out the numerous highlights from the conference in his closing remarks. Mark will also look forward to the year ahead, commenting on exciting plans for Socitm and the essential supportive community which makes up the society.
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Event partners
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Who can join our events?
Our events are open to everyone and relevant to all levels of staff, from new joiners right through to senior executives. This creates a vibrant mix which promotes innovation, sharing of best practice and drives the modernisation of public services.
Our events are included in our membership and partnership packages. A fee may apply for non-members. Please see event details for more information.
Socitm community
Click to show event details - if on a mobile devicePartners: FREE to join
Members: FREE to join
Included in specific packages. Please refer to your membership/partnership package details for more information.
Everyone else
Click to open - if on a mobile deviceContact us to discuss your options.
Public sector – contact Sheema Ali.
Private sector – contact Aimie Francis.