Programme

The LGC Digital Futures programme features the Digital Leadership stage: where we will host keynote presentations, panel discussions and fireside chats.

There will also be 2 satellite stages: Digital Innovation stage: for sharing case studies and best practice and how they made the experience easier for residents and Digital Challenges: roundtables working on challenges and presenting outcomes.

The programme is shown below and if you are interested in contributing to it, please contact Bhavya Singh at bhavya.singh@emap.com


Digital Leadership Stage

The main stage will tackle the wicked issues and provide insight to enable the senior leadership team to lead their organisation into the digital age.

  • Leading a digital place for its residents and the workforce
  • Focusing on strategic and holistic thinking
  • Accelerating digital transformation to become more efficient and evidence-led  
  • Driving cultural and behavioural change
  • Preventing system disconnects and mitigating their impact on productivity


Digital Innovation Stage

On this stage aimed at service, operational and community leads, the key focus will be on sharing best practice, and how digital innovation has made a difference to residents' experience.

  • Showcasing innovations which have already been seen to work effectively and improve residents’ lives
  • Optimising the use of AI to focus on productivity and transparency
  • Understanding data sources and how they can ensure evidence-led decision making
  • Enabling communities to engage digitally


Digital Challenges Stage

This fully immersive stage will enable you to work collaboratively with your peers in a safe environment on a common challenge:

  • Challenge-led stream where attendees choose a challenge to work on with their peers
  • The challenges are suggested by attendees and sponsors in advance and will address the wicked issues  
  • Taking place in a safe environment and promoting knowledge exchange and innovative thinking
  • They will foster collaboration and practical advice giving among participants
  • At round tables, groups work together and present their practical solutions at the end of the event

09:15 – 09:45

Registration & Networking

09:45 – 09:50

Chair’s Opening Remarks

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle

09:50 – 10:20

Opening keynote: Defining the digital future of government through the lens of planning

    How digital solutions can reshape and modernise the planning system for the 21st century.

Confirmed speaker:

Milan Bogunovic , Programme Director, Digital Planning Programme, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle

10:20 – 11:00

Panel Discussion: Mapping the long-term vision and digital transformation plan

  • Considering a 10-year roadmap
  • Anticipating what digital government could look like in five years, including potential for advanced AI, sustainable tech, and smarter infrastructure

Confirmed speakers:
Rob Huntington , Chief Executive, Rossendale Council
Steve Hughes , Assistant Director of Strategy and Performance, Oldham Council
Nadira Hussain , Chief Executive Officer, Socitm
Kevin Eltoft-Prest , Technical Delivery Manager, Appian

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle

11:00 – 11:30

Morning refreshments and networking break

11:30 - 12:15


Digital Leadership Stage

Panel Discussion – Future funding of digital transformation
11:30 – 12:15

Build or buy: crafting the best approach

Building a business case in times of financial crisis

Confirmed speakers:
Rehana Ramesh , Acting Director, Customer Services, Digital and Data, Hackney LBC

Hardyal Dhindsa , Cabinet Member for Digital and Organizational Transformation, Derby City Council

Kathryn Rees , Executive Director for Corporate and Support Services, Stockport MBC

Chair: Martin George , deputy editor, Local Government Chronicle


Digital Innovation Stage

Panel Discussion – Focusing on user-centric and accessible services
11:30 – 12:15

Resident-centric approaches; digital accessibility and inclusivity: adopting user experiences like those provided by leading tech companies where interactions are quick, digital, and convenient.

Confirmed speakers:
Fran Lautman , Assistant Director of Customer Experience, Oldham MBC

Lizzie Barton , Director for Customer, Resident & Business Services, Lichfield DC

Tim Pearse , Head of Insight and Innovation, LB Barking and Dagenham

Luke Piper , Lead User Researcher, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Council

Chair: Kirsty Weakley , head of content, Local Government Chronicle


Digital Challenge Stage

Interactive round tables working on service design challenges and innovative solutions
11:30 – 12:15

AI and cybersecurity threats and solutions

Sarah Williams, Head of Customer Experience and Digital, Westminster City Council

 

Technology as a driver for positive change

Sadie East , Director of Communications, Insight and Innovation Partnerships, Brent LBC

 

Transforming the resident experience (aging population)

Joan Tharm , Digital Manager, Lichfield DC

 

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle

12:15 - 12:35

Case study
12:15 – 12:35

Case study - Unlocking the power of AI in Aged Debt management for Local Authorities


Discover how AI and automation are transforming aged debt management in local authorities, enabling streamlined operations and freeing staff to better support vulnerable citizens. One council’s tailored solution led to a 30% positive outturn rate, significantly improving collections and delivering £3m in reduced Aged Debt. This enhanced cash flow allows councils to meet financial obligations promptly, allocate resources more effectively to essential services, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for residents through improved community support and development.

Confirmed speaker:

Steven McNally , Client Relationship Partner, Capita
Kevin Eltoft-Prest , Technical Delivery Manager, Appian

Chair: Martin George , deputy editor, Local Government Chronicle

Case study - Customer Success Stories: Waterschap Scheldestromen - Zeeland Water Board
12:15 – 12:35

 

We're discussing the Zeeland Water Board use case where a small team is working on all the controls and audit procedures and how DataSnipper has impacted their work. With increased responsibility for compliance reporting and internal validations the requirements for more standardized and efficient methods became clearer than ever.

Confirmed speaker:

Thijs Höppener, Account executive, DataSnipper

Chair: Kirsty Weakley , head of content, Local Government Chronicle

Session summary and outcomes
12:15 – 12:35

Confirmed speakers:

Sarah Williams, Head of Customer Experience and Digital, Westminster City Council

Sadie East , Director of Communications, Insight and Innovation Partnerships, Brent LBC

Joan Tharm , Digital Manager, Lichfield DC

 

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle

12:35 - 13:35

Lunch and networking break

13:35-14:25


Digital Leadership Stage

Case study: Behind the spend: unpacking Local Gov's tech procurement in 2025

13:35-13:45

Synopsis: Local Government is spending billions on buying digital and tech services - but where’s it all going? Join Tussell for a data-driven dive into the market landscape today, revealing:

  • The true size of the Local Gov tech spends
  • Who’s winning the biggest contracts
  • The most used buying routes
  • How your authority can use this insight to cut costs and buy smarter

 

Confirmed speaker:

Emily Witter , Senior Data Researcher, Tussell

 

Panel Discussion: Partnerships and procurement- working better together

13:45-14:25

  • Supplier relationships: moving towards collaborative partnerships
  • Streamlining the procurement journey : making the procurement process more efficient and effective

Confirmed speakers:

Heather Cover-Kus, , Head of Programmes: Central Government, Tech UK

Holly Rae , Assistant Director of Strategy, Transformation and Digital, Stockport Council

Philip Gregory , Director of Finance & Commercial Services Sheffield City Council

 

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle


Digital Innovation Stage

Automation and AI: practical examples
13:35-14:25

  • Transforming Frontline Services
  • Adult services
  • LGR and workforce preparation

Confirmed speakers/case studies

Case study: Transforming Frontline Services: Harnessing Process Modelling and Simulation for Technology-Enabled Innovation

Ade Bamigboye , Chief Technology Officer,  Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

Beau Stanford-Francis , Executive Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

 

Case study: Supporting the Provider Market Team use of RITA in care homes

Diane Moore , Project Coordinator Supporting the Provider Market, Durham CC

 

Case study: Apprenticeship project

Liam Hornsby , Associate Director of Customer and Corporate Services (Monitoring Officer), Watford BC

Chair: Martin George , deputy editor, Local Government Chronicle


14:25-14:45

Case study
14:25-14:45

Case study- The Cyber Adviser: Supercharge your Cx

With shrinking workforces and highly complex interactions, those on the front line of local councils, dealing with an increasingly vulnerable public, need all the help they can get. Discover how AI is supercharging customer experience advisers across numerous industries, reducing staff training times and levels of risk, and how its successful implementation not only delivers unparalleled operational insight, but also opens up further opportunities for further tech-powered optimisations to the customer journey.

Confirmed speakers:

Suzette Bouzane Meadows, Lead Consultant - Contact Centre/Unified Communications, Exponential-e

Thomas John, VP EMEA, Five9

Chair:

14:45-15:15

Networking break

15:15-15:55

Panel discussion: Establishing sector-wide coordination and knowledge sharing

  • Creating a unified body for strategic alignment: should there be a dedicated organisation to guide digital transformation efforts across councils, ensuring that even resource-strapped councils can benefit from innovations, and avoid duplicating efforts?
  • Collaborating to maximise the use of resources
  • Supporting the workforce

Confirmed speakers:

Eddie Copeland , Director, LOTI
Greg Campbell , Director Policy & Transformation, Brentwood BC & Rochford DC
Sarah Chamberlain ,Director of IT & Programmes, BCP Council

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle

15:55-16:25

Closing keynote: Learning from other sectors: banking, healthcare (NHS), education, private tech and open-source communities for scalable solutions.

Imogen Parker , Associate Director (Society, justice and public services), Ada Lovelace Institute

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle

16:25-16:30

Chair’s Closing Remarks

Chair: Sarah Calkin , editor, Local Government Chronicle