Solace Summit 2025 – Shape the Future of Local Government

Leeds | Thursday 16th – Friday 17th October 2025

Annual Leave

16th – 17th October 2025

09:00am – 17:00pm

The Royal Armouries, Leeds

The Solace Summit returns this October for two days of ideas, inspiration and collaboration, bringing together senior leaders from across local government to explore the strategies and partnerships that will define the next era of public service.

We’re excited to be part of the programme, contributing to the debate on health, housing and digital reform. Our contributions to the agenda:

Navigating Local Government Reform: Lessons from the Digital Frontline of Devolution

With local government reform reshaping councils across England, leaders face an urgent challenge: How to deliver seamless, citizen-centric services while navigating system consolidation, workforce transitions and operational realignment. This session brings together those who have been through it to share hard-won insights on what works – and what doesn’t – when transforming service delivery amidst structural change.

Expect candid reflections, actionable insights and a roadmap for delivering effective, digital-first services in the face of reform.

Mark Gannon

Mark Gannon

Director of Client Solutions

Netcall (former CIO, Sheffield City Council)

Craig Barker

Senior Manager – Digital and Customer Experience

Cumberland Council

Kate Hurr

Assistant Director – Digital Innovation and ICT

Cumberland Council

Sub-plenary A: Local Power, National Plan: Delivering the 10-Year Health Strategy

Session held under Chatham House Rule

Chair: John Clarke, Head of Client Solutions – Health, Netcall

Speakers:

Tom Stannard, Chief Executive, Manchester City Council and Solace Policy Lead for Health and Social Care

Dr Owen Williams, Chief Executive, Northern Care Alliance

Join us at Solace Summit 2025. Sign up below!

Going digital with diagnostics

Useful information

How AI Is Revolutionising Government Services in the UK and Canada

Across the UK and Canada, public sector organisations are under growing pressure to deliver faster, smarter and more responsive services. Budget constraints, rising expectations and legacy systems are common challenges, but they don’t always require big-bang transformation.

Demystifying Agentic AI: Separating Hype from Reality

The term Agentic AI is gaining a lot of traction across many sectors. It’s time to cut through the noise, so this blog delves deeper into what agentic AI truly involves and looks at what this technology really means for your organisation.