Westminster Social Policy Forum

This conference examines the future for the Northern Powerhouse - including the strategy for the Powerhouse going forward, and priorities for the incoming government following the general election.

Speakers and chair

There will be keynote contributions from:

• Henri Murison, Director, Northern Powerhouse Partnership;
• Professor Jeurgen Maier, Chief Executive, Siemens UK and Board Member, Northern Powerhouse Partnership;
• Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Manchester; and
• Jonathan Werran, Chief Executive, Localis.

Further confirmed speakers include: Shamit Gaiger, AECOM; Nathan Marsh, Costain; Carol Matthews, Riverside and Homes for the North; Grant Peggie, British Business Bank; and Tim Wood, Transport for the North.

The chair is Lord Goddard of Stockport, Vice Chair, Northern Powerhouse All-Party Parliamentary Group.

The agenda

Areas for discussion and sessions in the conference include:

• The refreshed Northern Powerhouse strategy and the way forward for growing the economy in the North of England;
• Priorities for businesses;
• Financing and developing infrastructure to support economic growth:
  
  • Delivering transport improvements across the region and the future for Northern Powerhouse Rail;
  • Improving digital connectivity across the North of England;
  • Supply chain - procurement, investment and economic development;
  • Driving investment in the Northern Powerhouse and the potential of new approaches to project finance; and
  • Key issues for housebuilding and the impact of national housing policy.
• Delivering economic growth for the whole of the North of England and next steps for devolution in Yorkshire;
• Developing the skills needed to support innovation, research and growth in the region;
• Working in partnership with neighbouring regions; and
• Next steps for policy.

Engagement with policy officials at this conference

This Westminster Social Policy Forum conference has attracted strong interest from policymakers. It will be an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with officials who have reserved places representing: the BEIS; Cabinet Office; Cities & Local Growth Unit; DCMS; DfE; DfT; DIT; Health & Safety Executive; HM Government; MHCLG; National Infrastructure Commission; Office of the Secretary of State for Transport; ONS; ORR and the Welsh Government.

This conference focusses on the future for the Midlands Engine.

Looking ahead to the forthcoming refreshed Midlands Engine Strategy, it is bringing together stakeholders to discuss key issues including economic development and infrastructure priorities for the region.

Speakers and chairs

The will be a keynote address from: Anthony May, Chief Executive, Nottinghamshire County Council and Chair, Midlands Engine Operating Board.

Further confirmed speakers include: Carl Arntzen, Bosch Thermotechnology; Kate Emerson, WSP; Angela Joyce, WCG and Midlands Engine Skills Board Chair; Robbie Owen, Pinsent Masons; Grant Peggie, British Business Bank; Billy Roden; Midlands Connect Project Team; James Stevens, Home Builders Federation and Katie Trout, Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP.

The chairs are: Jeremy Lefroy, lately Co-Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for the West Midlands and Angela Joyce, Chief Executive Officer, WCG and Midlands Engine Skills Board Chair.

The agenda

• The future of the Midlands Engine;
• Infrastructure to support economic growth - development and delivery:
  
  • Transport and connectivity;
  • Digital - realising the benefits of full fibre and 5G;
  • Housing - ensure that the right type is in the right place to support growth;
  • The East Midlands Development Corporation; and
  • Rail - transforming the region’s network.
• Engaging with business and supporting the delivery of Local Industrial Strategies;
• Skills development;
• Priorities for manufacturing; and
• Supporting investment in the Midlands.

Participation by policy officials

Westminster Social Policy Forum conferences typically attract strong interest from policymakers. This seminar will be an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with officials who have reserved places representing: BEIS; Cabinet Office; DCMS; Defra; DfT; DIT; MHCLG; Office for Product Safety and Standards; Ofwat and ORR.

This seminar will discuss the future for charity fundraising - looking at key issues around innovation, public trust and data protection.

The agenda and keynote speakers

Keynote contributions:

• Fundraising Regulator, the updated Code of Fundraising Practice and the Fundraising Levy - with Gerald Oppenheim, Chief Executive, Fundraising Regulator;
• Data protection enforcement and regulation - with Richard Sisson, Senior Policy Officer, Information Commissioner’s Office;
• Issues and trends in digital marketing and fundraising - with John Mitchison, Director of Policy and Compliance, Direct Marketing Association;
• ‘Authenticity in building trusts for charities’ - with Nicola Tallett, Director of Engagement, Oxfam GB; and
• Key developments in fundraising and priorities for the sector - with Alex Xavier, Director, Membership, Compliance and Professional Development, Institute of Fundraising.

Panel sessions

• Innovation in fundraising - utilising technology and platforms, improving trust and building partnerships - with:
  
  • Zoe Amar, Chair, Charity Digital Code of Practice;
  • Ursula Dolton, Chief Technology Officer, British Heart Foundation;
  • Di Gornall, Director, Fundraising, Centrepoint; and
  • Colm Lyon, Member, UK Finance Payments Products & Services Board.
• Data protection - GDPR compliance, consent and best practice for data processing and use going forward - with:
  
  • Rowenna Fielding, Data Protection Lead, Protecture;
  • Carla Whalen, Associate Solicitor, Charity and Social Business Team, Russell-Cooke;
  • Katie Simmons, Director, Fundraising Strategy, British Red Cross; and
  • Amanda Griffiths, Head of Communications Planning, Royal Mail MarketReach.

Chair:

• Lord Bichard, Non-Executive Chairman, National Audit Office.

With Government committed to achieving 300,000 new builds per year this timely seminar will discuss the future of house building in England, focusing on the planning reform, finance and challenges for delivering the supporting infrastructure for new sites - as well the latest innovation in design and construction.

Planning, increasing build out rates, and delivering infrastructure for new housing

Delegates will assess priorities for tackling barriers to building new homes - including the impact of proposals to speed up change of use and extend permitted development rights aimed at accelerating the end-to-end process of housing delivery.

It comes as part of a wider Accelerated Planning green paper due this autumn, and following the Government response to Sir Oliver Letwin’s Independent review of build out outlining plans to bring forth additional planning guidance on housing diversification.

The Secretary of State has announced that reforms to the planning system will include:

• simplifying planning permission guidance so that housing can replace disused commercial buildings at greater speed; and
• extended permitted development rights that allow two storeys to be added to private homes and blocks of flats without requiring planning permission.

We expect further discussion on the new planning practice guidance from MHCLG - as Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) regulations are simplified to allow for greater freedom around infrastructure funding and delivery.

The seminar comes as MHCLG’s Housing Delivery Tests reveal that many councils are failing to meet their objectively-assessed need targets and as the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) encourages local authorities to proactively make use of brownfield sites.

Sessions will consider new planning rules that allow residents to see how property developers’ money is being spent on the delivery of new homes - a policy intended to enhance public confidence in community housing projects.

This also follows the announcement that Government will work towards negotiating a Built Environment Sector Deal with industry - which will prioritise the delivery of homes through new initiative schemes, enhancing sector productivity, improving skills in the workforce, and supporting the development of clean growth.

Innovation to improve energy efficiency, reduce cost and improve quality

We also expect discussion on the future of innovation in housebuilding - including the potential use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

This follows the MHCLG Select Committee’s report on MMC and Government’s response, which set out plans to back access to finance for small and medium sized builders utilising MMC, review planning rules to support the use of MMC, and to create a Working Group tasked with addressing barriers to insurance and finance for custom build projects.

Discussion will further draw on the former Chancellor’s announcement that there will be a Future Homes Standard on new build homes by 2025 to ensure that they are equipped with the latest low-carbon and energy efficient technology and as the Government welcomes the Building Better, Building Beautiful commission with a view to improving the suitability, design and aesthetics of new development.

This seminar will discuss the future for UK towns - including priorities for policy, investment and the development of ‘Town Deals’.

It takes place as the Government invites 100 localities to put forth proposals for new Town Deals as part of the Towns Fund programme, and with the first Town Deal being signed for Greater Grimsby.

It also comes with an announced £95m in investment by the Government to support built heritage including regeneration of disused historic buildings and support for competition by traditional businesses with online outlets.

The Stronger Towns Fund, the future for ‘Town Deals’ and priorities for investment

With the recent public commitment from the Prime Minister to funding for towns, delegates will discuss priority areas for investment, best uses for additional funds and the development of the ‘Town Deal’ model.

We also expect discussion on the future for Free Ports, following announcements from the Government - as well as further preparations for Brexit.

It comes with additional funding announced by the Local Government Secretary aimed at supporting resilience at ports and councils near major transport hubs, and ensuring that all councils have a designated ‘Brexit lead’ at the time that the UK leaves the EU.

Strategies for town regeneration - assessing Select Committee recommendations for seaside towns and what can be learnt for communities across the UK

The conference also follows the Government response to the House of Lords report on regenerating seaside towns.

This sets out a commitment to the future of seaside towns through the Coastal Communities Fund, the Coastal Revival Fund, and the Tourism Sector Deal - which sets out plans for an extension of Tourism Zones where towns, business and local organisations bid for visitor economy support.

Further areas for discussion include:

• work being done through the Future High Streets Fund, following extra spending commitments announced by the Prime Minister intended to benefit 50 additional towns across England, and
• the new High Streets Task Force, designed to offer local authorities guidance on revitalising high streets and town centres - as well as the development of Local Industrial Strategies to support the sector.

Delegates will assess its wide-ranging recommendations - and their significance for towns in all regions of the UK - which include:

• introducing ‘enterprise zones’;
• improving digital and transport connectivity;
• the role of the creative industries in leading regeneration; and
• increasing partnership working to improve access to education, health and housing.

The Select Committee on Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities report also put forward specific calls for the Government to review the effectiveness of the Coastal Communities Fund and a focus on the ‘Town Deal’ model on coastal communities with Blackpool prioritised.

Case studies on addressing the underlying factors affecting towns as places to live and work

Delegates will hear from front-line examples addressing these issues in towns across the UK and consider the challenges for joining-up working across the public, private and third sector bodies involved and scaling up initiatives that work.

We expect discussion on addressing health inequalities in towns and the impact on wellbeing and productivity, priorities for dealing with changes in the demands for skills, leading regeneration by improving the cultural offer in towns, providing greater access to affordable public transport, and the role of social enterprise in rebuilding local economies.

Effective town centre regeneration

Attendees will look at the future for town centres, rethinking their use in light of structural challenges in the retail sector and assessing the effectiveness of Business Improvement Districts, as well as considering international case studies on town regeneration.

With the National Planning Policy Framework aiming to ensure the ‘vitality of town centres’, delegates will discuss how the planning system can best be used to develop vibrant communities, looking at long-term planning for a mix of uses and planning residential development appropriately, as well as challenges posed by the extension of permitted development rights to retail properties.

With the new funding announced by government for historic high streets, we also expect consideration of how the investment can best be used for the communities involved.

This seminar will discuss the future for UK towns - including priorities for policy, investment and the development of ‘Town Deals’.

It follows the recently published Tourism Sector Deal.

Discussion is expected on Tourism Zones - where towns, business and local organisations bid for visitor economy support - as well as measures for developing local skills in hospitality, to support local tourist sectors.

The Stronger Towns Fund, the future for ‘Town Deals’ and priorities for investment

With the recent public commitment from the Prime Minister to funding for towns, delegates will discuss priority areas for investment, best uses for additional funds and the development of the ‘Town Deal’ model.

It also takes place following the Government’s announcement of a competitive process for £600m of funding to towns and in light of the first ‘Town Deal’ being signed for Greater Grimsby.

We also expect discussion on the future for Free Ports, following announcements from the Government - as well as further preparations for Brexit.

It comes with additional funding announced by the Local Government Secretary aimed at supporting resilience at ports and councils near major transport hubs, and ensuring that all councils have a designated ‘Brexit lead’ at the time that the UK leaves the EU.

Strategies for town regeneration - assessing Select Committee recommendations for seaside towns and what can be learnt for communities across the UK

The conference also follows the government response to the House of Lords report on regenerating seaside towns.

This sets out a commitment to the future of seaside towns through the Coastal Communities Fund, the Coastal Revival Fund, and the recently published Tourism Sector Deal.

Further areas for discussion include:

• work being done through the Future High Streets Fund, followingannouncedby the Prime Minister intended to benefit 50 additional towns across England and
• new High Streets Task Force, designed to offer local authorities guidance on revitalising high streets and town centres - as well as the development of Local Industrial Strategies to support the sector.

Delegates will assess its wide-ranging recommendations - and their significance for towns in all regions of the UK - which include:

• introducing ‘enterprise zones’;
• improving digital and transport connectivity;
• the role of the creative industries in leading regeneration; and
• increasing partnership working to improve access to education, health and housing.

The Select Committee on Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities report also put forward specific calls for the Government to review the effectiveness of the Coastal Communities Fund and a focus on the ‘Town Deal’ model on coastal communities with Blackpool prioritised.

Case studies on addressing the underlying factors affecting towns as places to live and work

Delegates will hear from front-line examples addressing these issues in towns across the UK and consider the challenges for joining-up working across the public, private and third sector bodies involved and scaling up initiatives that work.

We expect discussion on addressing health inequalities in towns and the impact on wellbeing and productivity, priorities for dealing with changes in the demands for skills, leading regeneration by improving the cultural offer in towns, providing greater access to affordable public transport, and the role of social enterprise in rebuilding local economies.

Effective town centre regeneration

Attendees will look at the future for town centres, rethinking their use in light of structural challenges in the retail sector and assessing the effectiveness of Business Improvement Districts, as well as considering international case studies on town regeneration.

With the National Planning Policy Framework aiming to ensure the ‘vitality of town centres’, delegates will discuss how the planning system can best be used to develop vibrant communities, looking at long-term planning for a mix of uses and planning residential development appropriately, as well as challenges posed by the forthcoming extension of permitted development rights to retail properties.