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!

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Going digital with diagnostics

Liberty for Local Gov

Useful information

Why All Public Sector Leaders Need to be Digital Leaders… and Now

Why All Public Sector Leaders Need to be Digital Leaders… and Now

The importance of strong digital leadership in local government is not a new concept but one that’s recently become imperative. ‘Underfunded’ and ‘understaffed’ have long been words synonymous with the public sector, with local authority ‘spending power’ falling and staff numbers have dropped consistently since 1999. It seems we’ve finally hit a crisis point.

Why Public Organisations Need to Start Gearing up for Cities 4.0

Why Public Organisations Need to Start Gearing up for Cities 4.0

In 2000, less than 7% of the world had internet access. Fast forward to today and that figure rises to a whopping 63% — a fact that’s even more astounding as it includes emerging and developing economies — where 93% are on social media. Just think, most of us didn’t even know what that was in 2000.

Driving Digital Transformation with Mounting Cost Pressures and Worker Shortages…How Can Councils Do It?

Driving Digital Transformation with Mounting Cost Pressures and Worker Shortages…How Can Councils Do It?

Local authorities in the UK have seen a 37% reduction in core grants since 2010 — and a near 38% reduction in staff since 1999. As a growing population places higher expectations on local government, councils have less people (and money) to service demands. The question has turned into one of survival, as a £2.4 billion increase in inflationary costs threatens to push many English councils into bankruptcy.