Four thorny but unavoidable issues will be at the heart of the 2013 SOLACE summit, which this year is subtitled 'skills for leadership'.
Taking place in York, from 9th to 11th October, it's an annual opportunity for chief executives and senior managers to debate difficult topics in a focused setting, with sector leaders and national experts on hand. It also creates a uniquely valuable forum where local government professionals from across the UK can meet and compare notes with leading players from the wider public and private sectors, both formally and informally.
The event is designed to be a two-way street for senior strategic managers. They will have the chance to hear insights from speakers including minister for skills Matthew Hancock MP, chair of Morrison's plc Sir Ian Gibson, and professionals who have dealt head-on with some of the biggest challenges in the public sector. But – and possibly even more significantly – their input will also help set the direction for future lobbying, making sure that SOLACE members' experience and expertise is used to influence debate about the future of public services and to inform policy and legislation.
In addition to plenary and workshop sessions, a section of the summit will be dedicated to exploring the specific challenges faced by chief executives and examining the skills required to be an effective leader, both now and in the future. Here's a short preview of what delegates can expect.
Economic growth
Investing in communities will focus on the challenges surrounding the new funding model and how LEPs can use the single pot to drive growth and encourage creativity.
Collaborate to Survive will examine how LEPs contribute to place leadership, what different roles local authorities are playing in this leadership and how to ensure local government makes the most of this opportunity.
Health and social care
What price quality in care? will consider the need to change services to support older people and people with complex health needs and will ask how it may be possible to benefit from integration, managing cost and demand without compromising quality.
Public healthier will look at how to develop a culture that integrates health across local government and reaps the rewards of closer working.
Children's services
Working with Troubled Families will examine how councils are responding to major reforms, the challenges ahead and the role councils are already playing in turning around the lives of 'troubled families'.
What role remains for councils in education? will explore what that role means in communities across the country, and explore perspectives from the many different stakeholders influencing the agenda.
Commissioning
What role the chief executive in commissioning? will focus on the role of the chief executive and top team in commissioning and how organisations change to reflect this new world where councils are becoming strategic commissioners.
Social enterprise will ask how councils can capture the spirit of entrepreneurship and galvanise business, charities, trades unions, public partners and citizens to work together as a single sector to achieve common goals.
There's no doubt that it's likely to be even more popular than last year's record-breaking summit, and SOLACE director Debbie Wood is urging participants to register without delay. "In addition to around 100 chief executives, we're expecting high attendance from senior managers across the sector, together with important players from the wider profession," she says. "It's going to be one of the highlights of the year".
To find out more or to book your place, e-mail events@solace.org.uk
