Westminster Social Policy Forum

This conference will examine the latest developments, next steps and priorities going forward for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc.

It will be an opportunity to discuss the direction of future policy for the Arc project with indications that the Government is stepping back from involvement in favour of local leadership of the strategy going forward.

Key stakeholders and policymakers will also consider the future of the Government’s prospective Spatial Framework for the region.

We expect discussion on local and national priorities for enhancing the infrastructure, environment and development of the Arc region - as well as outcomes of the public consultation on the vision for the future of the area.

Overall, the agenda will bring out latest thinking on:

• the Spatial Framework - local stakeholder perspectives on its potential implementation
• transport - investment and supporting development, connectivity and inclusive growth
• developing a local climate strategy - a green Arc, natural environment and net-zero targets
• the region’s research and innovation clusters - support, and their role in the future development of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc

We are pleased to include keynote sessions with Bev Hindle, Executive Director, Oxford-Cambridge Arc Leadership Group; Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor, Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority; and Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

The chairs are Jonathan Djanogly MP, Vice-Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for East of England; and Daniel Zeichner MP, Shadow Minister for Farming, Food, Fisheries and Rural Affairs; and Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for East of England.

The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; DAERA, NI; Defra; the DfT; the DIT; the GLD; Homes England; NIC; Ofwat; and the PRU.

This conference will examine latest developments and next steps for the Western Gateway.

Areas for discussion include priorities for economic growth, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability in the region.

Stakeholders and policymakers will consider how the region can achieve potential benefits from plans in the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper and the Western Gateway Partnership’s latest policy agenda.

They will also examine case studies on local initiatives and assess can be learned from them to enhance the region’s potential.

Overall, the agenda will bring out latest thinking on priorities for:

• finance - attracting investment & funding for the regional economy ◦ support for inclusive cross-border growth ◦ promoting the global profile of the Gateway
• competitiveness - enabling the Gateway to stand out amid other local deals & partnerships ◦ harnessing the digital innovation sector to boost productivity, skills & investment
• infrastructure - development priorities to support cross-border connectivity ◦ learning from regeneration projects such as in Swansea
• a green Gateway - sustainable development ◦ opportunities for support via government green policy plans ◦ utilising the area’s natural potential to decarbonise energy, transport & industry
• policy and partnerships - tackling regional economic & social inequalities ◦ support for cross-border economic partnership

We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with David T C Davies MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales, Office of the Secretary of State for Wales; Dr Jo Dally, Director, Western Gateway; Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader, Bath and North East Somerset Council; and Councillor Rob Stewart, Leader, Swansea Council, as well as contributions from Athanasios Grammatikopoulos, Strategy Lead - Climate Action, Connected Places Catapult; Peter Kydd, Chair, Southwest Infrastructure Partnership, Institution of Civil Engineers; and speakers from Bristol Airport; Bristol City Council; The Bristol Port Company; Deloitte; the Institute of Coding; Newport City Council and Western Gateway Partnership; Ripple Energy; Severn Estuary Partnership; and Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

The chairs are: Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Vice-Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Western Gateway; and Ruth Jones MP, Shadow Minister for Agri-Innovation and Climate Adaptation; and Officer, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Wales in the World.

The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; Defra; the DLUHC; the CLGU; DfT; DIT; DCMS; the DWP; the ORR; UKSA; and the Welsh Government.

This conference will examine policy priorities for tackling homelessness and rough sleeping, as well as the way forward for the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative, which aims to end rough sleeping by 2024.

It will be an opportunity to consider the issues in the context of the final report from the independent Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, which assessed government action to support rough sleepers through the pandemic.

Delegates will discuss the recommendations emerging from the report and possible implications for both central and local government rough sleeping strategies, as well as other wellbeing and healthcare services and programmes.

It will also be an opportunity to assess latest thinking on what more can be done to address the root causes of homelessness, and we expect discussion on the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, with the Scottish and Welsh governments announcing plans to become ‘super sponsors’.

Overall, the agenda will bring out latest thinking on:

• the Kerslake Commission - recommendations, and priorities for tackling homelessness and rough sleeping in the context of the pandemic
• service delivery and provision - coordination and developing a plan for the long-term provision of homelessness care, the role of local authorities, and improving outreach programmes
• homelessness health inequalities:
  
  • access to services and improving the wellbeing of vulnerable people
  • developing an evidence-based approach
  • addressing root causes of homelessness
• policy priorities - tackling homelessness and the Rough Sleeping Strategy

We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Lord Kerslake, Chair, Peabody; and Chair, Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping; and Dr Lígia Teixeira, Chief Executive, Centre for Homelessness Impact.

There will also be a case study on the rough sleeping strategy and homelessness support programmes in Greater Manchester from Paul Dennett, Mayor of Salford; and Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Homelessness, Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from: DLUHC; the DHSC; DWP; DfE; HMPPS; the Home Office; Immigration Enforcement; the MoJ; the ONS; the OSR; the NAO; and the Welsh Government.

This conference will examine policy priorities for the Northern Powerhouse going forward and the impact of the Government’s delayed Levelling Up White Paper.

It will be a timely opportunity to discuss how key issues are tackled in the upcoming white paper, as well as what is needed to deliver on the needs of the Northern Powerhouse in terms of supporting economic growth and developing pan-regional and city-region infrastructure.

Delegates will also consider next steps for the region more broadly, linking the Northern Powerhouse with wider policy developments such as the National Infrastructure Strategy and the UK Innovation Strategy, as well as the role of devolution in building the Northern Powerhouse.

We are pleased to be able to include keynote contributions from Henri Murison, Director, Northern Powerhouse Partnership; Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive, Transport for the North; Dr Annette Bramley, Director, N8 Research Partnership; Barry Hodgson, Deputy Director, National Innovation Centre for Data ; and Lesley Moody, President, North East England Chamber of Commerce.

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; the CLGU; the DCMS; the DfE; the DfT; DIT; the DLUHC; the DWP; Homes England; the ORR; and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons.

This conference will examine policy priorities for tackling drug dependence.

It will be a timely opportunity to assess the long-term strategy recently announced by the UK Government - following the independent review of drugs led by Professor Dame Carol Black, who is a keynote speaker at this conference.

We are pleased also to be able to include keynote sessions with Rosanna O’Connor, Director, Addictions & Inclusion, Office of Health Improvement & Disparities, Department of Health and Social Care; and Dr Keith Humphreys, Professor of Psychiatry, Stanford University; Advisor to the Independent Review of Drugs; and former drug policy advisor to President Barack Obama.

The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from DHSC; the DWP; HMPPS; HMRC; HM Treasury; the Home Office; the MoJ; the NAO; the OLS; The Scottish Government; and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons.

This conference will examine priorities for regenerating English towns, looking at:

• how local government and businesses can drive economic growth to recover from the pandemic
• priorities for infrastructure development at a national, regional, and local level
• the implications of the Government’s delayed Levelling Up White Paper and its potential to address issues for England’s towns
• priorities for the Levelling Up Fund following the allocation of the first round, worth £1.7bn
• the impact of government support, such as the Towns Fund and other initiatives intended to help local authorities and England’s towns to recover from the pandemic

We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with:

• Lynne Miles, Director of Policy, Cities and Local Growth Unit, Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• Bridget Rosewell, Commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission
• Glenn Caplin-Grey, Chief Executive, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership; and Service Director for Economic Growth, Cornwall Council
• Baroness Jo Valentine, Director of Place, Business in the Community
• Bill Grimsey, former CEO, Wickes and Iceland; and Author, Grimsey Report
• Ashley McDougall, Director, NAO

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; the Cities and Local Growth Unit; the CMA; Defra; the DCMS; the DfE; the DIT; the DLUHC; the DfT; the Department of Finance, NI; the DWP; HMRC; the Home Office; the IPO; the NAO; the ONS; the ORR; the OPSS; and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Lords.

This conference will examine priorities for decarbonising local government services and their role in meeting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions targets by 2050.

This is a timely opportunity to consider issues for local government in the context of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, which highlights the human causes of climate change and the implications of the now almost inevitable 1.5°C rise in global temperatures above pre-industrial levels - as well as developments from the COP26 climate summit and individual declarations of a climate emergency by more than 300 local administrations.

Delegates will consider the role of local governments and authorities in working towards regional requirements for combatting climate change while also contributing to wider ambitions to achieve net-zero emissions. Discussion will also focus on how best to ensure that regional needs and priorities are heard at a national level to secure adequate support for preparing for the impact of climate change.

We are pleased to be able to include keynote contributions from core stakeholders, including:

• the evolving role of local authorities in emissions reduction and creating sustainable local plans - with Steve Read, Chair, ADEPT Environment Board; and Director of Environment and Public Protection, West Sussex County Council
• Local government and net zero in England - taking forward the NAO report - with Keith Davis, Director, Defra Value for Money, National Audit Office
• delivering decarbonising mechanisms and creating the framework for long-term change - with Simon Sturgis, Founder, Targeting Zero; former Chair, RIBA Sustainable Futures Group; and Chair, Whole Life Carbon Network

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; DAERA, NI; Defra; the Department for the Economy, NI; the DfT; the MoJ; the Office for Product Safety and Standards; The Scottish Government; and the Welsh Government.

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will discuss the future for housing design and delivery in the UK, following the appointment of the new Secretary of State and the renaming of The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to reflect its new role in delivering the Government’s Levelling Up agenda.

It will also be an opportunity to discuss the National Model Design Code and the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission’s Living with Beauty report, assessing their proposals and the outlook for the sector.

Delegates will look at the potential restructuring of the planning process outlined in the Planning Bill - which was announced in the Queen’s speech, but is now under review - as well as the impact on the sector of the Building Safety Bill, the Fire Safety Act, and reforms around building regulation.

We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with:

• Sir John Hayes MP, Member, Office for Place Advisory Board
• Dr Ben Clifford, Associate Professor In Spatial Planning and Government, Bartlett School of Planning, UCL
• Jeff Endean, Director, Cast Consultancy
• Victoria Hills, Chief Executive, Royal Town Planning Institute
• Paul Monaghan, Director, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris; and Special Adviser, Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission
• Professor Sadie Morgan, Founding Director, dRMM Architects, Board Member, Homes England; and Commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission

The agenda will bring out latest thinking on:

• the National Model Design Code, housing quality, and safety
• the planning process and local decision making
• sustainability in design and delivery
• priorities for the new Office for Place

Attendees

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons, and officials from BEIS; Defra; the Development Bank of Wales; DWP; HM Revenue & Customs; the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; the Office for Product Safety and Standards; The Scottish Government; and the Welsh Government. Also due to attend are representatives from Child Graddon Lewis; CPRE Hampshire; East Riding of Yorkshire Council; FPRA; Morris+Company; Okehampton Town Council; Tendring District Council; and University of Cambridge.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials are made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will discuss priorities for the third sector - looking at key issues around funding and sustainability as it recovers from the impact of the pandemic.

Sessions will assess the impact of regulation and legislation, options for government support post-pandemic, and latest thinking on fundraising, ethics and transparency, and public engagement.

The conference will also be an opportunity to look forward to priorities for the Charities Bill, now in its second reading in the House of Lords, which aims to reduce the level of bureaucracy faced by charities and expand the dormant assets scheme.

Alongside the Bill, delegates will examine other recent developments in the sector, such as the increasing importance of charities’ digital presence and the increased cyber security risk that this brings, as well as issues and best practice around data protection in light of the European Commission’s draft data adequacy decisions and ongoing work on the ICO’s Direct Marketing Code of Practice.

This will also be an opportunity for delegates to consider priorities for the sector in the context of COVID-19, looking at the impact it has had on fundraising, priorities for support, and the role of the charity sector in the response to the pandemic - and how this can be built on to develop future practices.

We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions on:

• How the charity sector responded to the pandemic and its role in reaching vulnerable groups - with a senior speaker confirmed from Barnardo’s
• Ongoing priorities for fundraising regulation - with Gerald Oppenheim, Chief Executive, Fundraising Regulator
• The impact of COVID-19 on fundraising, practice, and innovation - with Daniel Fluskey, Head of Policy and External Affairs, Institute of Fundraising
• Taking forward the Law Commission proposals for reform to charity law - with Professor Nicholas Hopkins, Commissioner, Law Commission

Attendees

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Lords and officials from the Charity Commission; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport; and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Also due to attend are representatives from the Association of Charitable Organisations; BBC Children in Need; BHP; British Heart Foundation; Burton Sweet; Canal & River Trust; Change Grow Live; City Hearts; Community Leisure UK; Founders4Schools; Haysmacintyre; HCR Hewitsons; Islamic Relief; Jonathan Badger Consulting; Medway Voluntary Action; National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society; Nicola Gunn & Associates; One Thought Changes All; Parchment Trust; Pelvic Partnership; Prader-Willi Syndrome Association UK; Prisoners' Education Trust; Provident Financial; Radcliffe Chambers; RSM UK; Ruils; Scleroderma & Reynaud's UK; Sheila McKechnie Foundation; St Edward's School, Windsor; Syon Housing; The Braveheart Association; The Oswin Project; The Rothschild Foundation; Tuberous Sclerosis Association; Turning Point; Underwood Consulting; WaterAid; World Pencil; and Wycombe Homeless Connection.

Press passes have been reserved by representatives from Third Sector.

Overall, we expect speakers and attendees to be a senior and informed group including Members of both Houses of Parliament, senior government and regulatory officials involved in this area of policy, as well as from representatives of charities, technology providers and fundraising consultants, marketing organisations, those in the public and private sector who work with the third sector, regulatory bodies, citizen groups, local authorities, campaigning organisations, legal experts and practitioners, businesses and their advisors and social and academic commentators, together with reporters from the national and specialist media.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials are made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will be an opportunity to assess a range of significant policy initiatives and developments affecting the sector, including:

• the National Home Building Fund
• the Levelling Up Fund and plan to Build Back Better in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic
• the Affordable Homes Programme
• the Planning Bill, which was recently paused by the new Secretary of State
• the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Building Safety Bill

We are pleased to welcome keynote contributions from Ann Bentley, Global Board Director, Rider Levett Bucknall; Richard Blyth, Head of Policy Practice & Research, RTPI;  and Councillor David Renard, Leader, Swindon Council; and Chairman, Economy, Environment, Housing and Transport Board, Local Government Association.

Areas for discussion include:

• tackling barriers to housing delivery
• supporting sector recovery from the pandemic
• reforming the planning system to enable the delivery of more new homes
• the role of innovation in design and construction
• improving safety across the life cycle of a building

Attendees

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and officials from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; Defra; the Department for Education; the Department for Infrastructure, NI; the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities; the Department for Transport; HM Revenue & Customs; the National Audit Office; the Office for National Statistics; the Office of Product Safety and Standards; the Planning Inspectorate; and the Welsh Government. Also due to attend are representatives from Bristol City Council; Cheltenham Borough Homes; Consilio Property; Flood Re; Friends of Carrington Moss; Global Garden; Ingleton Wood; Karbon Homes; Kensington and Chelsea Council; London Borough of Islington; Mid Devon District Council; Osborne Clarke; South Downs National Park Authority; South Oxfordshire District Council; Stockport Council; Stratford-on-Avon District Council; Tendring District Council; The Federation of Private Residents Associations; The Planning Inspectorate; University of Liverpool; and Ward Hadaway.

Press passes have been reserved by representatives from Construction News; Inside Housing; and RICS.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials are made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

When it happened…

Wednesday, 8 September 2021

What delegates came to discuss…

This conference will discuss the future for devolution and priorities for supporting growth in left-behind regions - including what is needed for economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic.

It will be an opportunity to discuss key issues for:

• the proposed Levelling Up White Paper, due to be published later this year, which will set out new policy interventions aimed at improving livelihoods and opportunity in all parts of the UK
• the relaunched inquiry into the progress on devolution in England from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee

We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with Rt Hon Lord Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 2010-15; Baroness Blake of Leeds, former leader, Leeds City Council; and Board Member, The Northern Powerhouse Partnership; and Nigel Wilcock, Executive Director, Institute of Economic Development (IED).

Sessions in the agenda look at:

• the future of regional devolution in England
• learning from the experience of devolution to date, and how local decision-making has evolved as a response to the pandemic
• next steps for delivering economic growth and regeneration across England, and priorities for the planned Levelling up White Paper
• developing the infrastructure needed to support growth:
  
  • building on existing knowledge and partnership frameworks
  • linking with existing local services and building on the strengths of each area 
• policy priorities for driving economic growth across the UK and the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda

Who attended…

Officials from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; Defra; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; the Department for Education; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; the Department of Health and Social Care; the DWP; the Home Office; the Intellectual Property Office; the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; the National Audit Office; the National Infrastructure Commission; the Office for National Statistics; the Office for Product Safety and Standards; the Office of Rail and Road; The Planning Inspectorate; and the Welsh Government.

Representatives from ARTSM; Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council; Breckland Council; British Geological Survey; Cambridgeshire County Council; Canal & River Trust; Harrogate Borough Council; Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership; Highways England; Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; Northern Council for Further Education; Peel L&P; The Campaign to Protect Rural England Wiltshire; University of Bath; Warrington Borough Council; and West Midlands Combined Authority.

When it happened…

Tuesday, 20 July 2021

What delegates came to discuss…

This conference is examining next steps for improving building standards and fire safety in the UK - looking at priorities for the new Building Safety Regulator, and the impact of forthcoming changes to the regulatory landscape.

The discussion is taking place in the context of:

• the ongoing Grenfell Tower Inquiry
• the Government’s recently announced five-point plan for building regulation, which commits to protecting leaseholders from the cost of replacing unsafe cladding
• the Fire Safety Act, which has now received royal assent following debate in Parliament regarding liability for costs, limitations to possible funding, and priorities for protecting safety
• the Building Safety Bill, which was published on the 5th July after being taken forward as part of the Queen’s Speech, as well as the new Building Safety Regulator, which will oversee new regulations
• the Planning for the Future white paper, which aims to streamline and modernise the planning process, and was also taken forward as part of the Queen’s Speech

We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with Frances Kirwan, Deputy Director, Technical Policy, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; Sarah Mallagh, Senior Policy Advisor, Health and Safety Executive; and Martin Taylor, Director of Regulatory Policy, LABC - as well as contributions from the Association of Residential Managing Agents; Burges Salmon; The Confederation of Co-operative Housing; the Construction Products Association; the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; the Royal Institute of British Architects Trust; the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; and the University of Central Lancashire. The chair is Jim Shannon MP, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Healthy Homes and Buildings.

The agenda will bring out latest thinking in areas such as:

• regulation - priorities for the new Building Safety Regulator and the regulatory framework
• fire safety - looking at:
  
  • issues for the implementation of the Fire Safety Act
  • stakeholder perspectives on the scope of the Act, including any potential unresolved issues
  • ensuring industry compliance and best practice
• growing stakeholder confidence - priorities for:
  
  • effective engagement between regulators and tenants, landlords, and property owners
  • embedding safety in design

Who attended…

Officials from BEIS; Defra; the Government Legal Department; the Health and Safety Executive; HM Land Registry; HM Revenue & Customs; the Home Office; the Law Commission; the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; the National Audit Office; the Office of Product Safety and Standards; and the Welsh Government.

Representatives from 3C Building Control; Association for Specialist Fire Protection; Basildon Borough Council; Bevan Brittan; Bishop & Sewell; Bristol City Council; Cambridge City Council; Canterbury City Council; Central Bedfordshire Council; Charles Russell Speechlys; Devonshires Solicitors; Element Materials Technology; ENGIE Regeneration; Estates & Management; Exyte Hargreaves; Faithful+Gould; Gowling WLG; Haringey Council; Homeground Management; Kaplan International; Kingspan Insulation; Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Long Harbour; M3 Consulting; Mills & Reeve; MSB Solicitors; OSB Group; Osborne Clarke; Royal Institute of British Architects; Sanctuary Group; Southend Borough Council; Thomas Bell-Wright Intl Consultants; Travers Smith; Ulster University; VolkerWessels UK; Warringtonfire; Way of Life and West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Press: Construction News.

Westminster Social Policy Forum keynote seminar
Tackling drug addiction and substance misuse
Morning, Monday, 28th June 2021

Full replays of Westminster Social Policy Forum conferences are made available within one week of the live broadcast, providing a timely and permanent record of proceedings for delegates on the day, for our policymaker contacts in parliament, government and regulation, and wider stakeholders in business, advocacy groups and beyond.

Accompanying material includes a ready-reference transcript, copies of the speakers’ presentation material, the delegate information pack, and relevant articles supplied by attendees after the conference.

The agenda can be viewed here.

Westminster Social Policy Forum keynote seminar
Next steps for tackling child poverty and hunger in the UK - access to education, impact of COVID-19, and priorities for policy and support
Morning, Wednesday, 26th May 2021

Full replays of Westminster Social Policy Forum conferences are made available within one week of the live broadcast, providing a timely and permanent record of proceedings for delegates on the day, for our policymaker contacts in parliament, government and regulation, and wider stakeholders in business, advocacy groups and beyond.

Accompanying material includes a ready-reference transcript, copies of the speakers’ presentation material, the delegate information pack, and relevant articles supplied by attendees after the conference.

The agenda can be viewed here.

Westminster Social Policy Forum keynote seminar
Next steps for economic growth and development in the Midlands
Morning, Wednesday, 9th June 2021

Full replays of Westminster Social Policy Forum conferences are made available within one week of the live broadcast, providing a timely and permanent record of proceedings for delegates on the day, for our policymaker contacts in parliament, government and regulation, and wider stakeholders in business, advocacy groups and beyond.

Accompanying material includes a ready-reference transcript, copies of the speakers’ presentation material, the delegate information pack, and relevant articles supplied by attendees after the conference.

The agenda can be viewed here.

Westminster Social Policy Forum keynote seminar
Regional inequalities and assessing the Government’s levelling up policy framework - priorities, funding mechanisms, implementation, and targeting need across the UK
Morning, Friday, 30th April 2021

Full replays of Westminster Social Policy Forum conferences are made available within one week of the live broadcast, providing a timely and permanent record of proceedings for delegates on the day, for our policymaker contacts in parliament, government and regulation, and wider stakeholders in business, advocacy groups and beyond.

Accompanying material includes a ready-reference transcript, copies of the speakers’ presentation material, the delegate information pack, and relevant articles supplied by attendees after the conference.

The agenda can be viewed here.

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference focuses on next steps for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc.

Areas for discussion include:

• infrastructure development - maximising its impact on economic development in the Arc, and priorities for transport and housing
• the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Economic Prospectus - examining its proposals, including next steps for investment
• global profile - latest thinking on how to achieve the Arc’s potential for leadership in R&D, and how to attract more high-value businesses
• a coordinated regional approach - progress and outstanding issues in joining up local industrial strategies
• inclusiveness and stewardship - ensuring that growth ambitions take into account environmental and species protection, and engagement and benefit across communities

The conference takes place in the wake of significant policy developments aimed at responding to the health and financial challenges caused by COVID-19, and with the Arc having been described by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as a key economic priority for the country.

The conference is bringing together stakeholders with parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; DCMS; Defra; the DIT; the DfT; HMRC; the MHCLG and the Office of Government Property.

The agenda:

• Supporting economic development across the Arc
• Key takeaways from the Economic Prospectus and progress on project delivery
• Boosting economic growth in the region in the wake of the pandemic and taking forward the Arc Spatial Framework
  
  • Priorities for attracting high-performing industries, investing in skills and improving productivity
  • Next steps for establishing the Arc as global leader in R&D and innovation
  • Developing a joined-up approach to the implementation of the Local Industrial Strategies
  • Delivering balanced growth throughout the Arc
• Delivering infrastructure to unlock the Arc’s potential
  
  • Streamlining connectivity, engaging communities, and reducing barriers to growth
  • Housing delivery in the Arc and levelling up communities
  • Upgrading transport infrastructure to support growth
  • Priorities for ensuring species and landscapes protection in the Arc and moving towards net zero
• Government’s priorities for the Arc

Key areas for discussion:

• the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Economic Prospectus - assessing its key recommendations, including calls for the Government on:
  
  • the Arc’s wider role - looking at how the plans for the area can best fit into the national ambition to cement the UK as a science superpower under the R&D Roadmap
  • investment - establishing direct Arc-governed channels to the sources of finance that can match the region’s ambitions
• the strategic elements - looking at ways to drive the economic recovery of the region, and the role of the Arc in the wider national economic recovery, with discussion expected on:
  
  • playing to the Arc’s strengths - how the region’s leadership in science, technology and advanced manufacturing can best be harnessed
  • collaboration - how joint working already going on between businesses, education and research institutions can be built on going forward
  • Local Industrial Strategies - progress in implementing the four LISs across the Arc, and the challenges faced in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • the four new development corporations - their purpose and potential, and assessing the case outlined in plans for the spatial framework
• infrastructure in the Arc:
  
  • priorities for improvement - with calls for more investment, and concern over the impact of connectivity and congestion constraints on the ability to fully unlock the potential of the region
  • current key focus areas - looking at East West Rail, broadband connectivity and the Government’s ambitions for 1m new homes to be built in the Arc by 2050
  • support - the impact of recent government announcements, including an additional £4m in the Spending Review to help accelerate housing and infrastructure delivery in the Arc
  • the National Infrastructure Strategy - examining wider priorities for developing infrastructure in the Arc, including for:
    
    • delivery - the way forward for improving and accelerating implementation of infrastructure projects, and speeding up planning and procurement
    • private investment - how funding can be encouraged and diversified
    • decarbonisation - looking at heat, power and transport networks across the Arc
  • changing demands - with the pandemic having impacted the ways in which people use infrastructure:
    
    • the new normal - prospects for increased home working and active travel post-pandemic
    • implications - how new trends and habits should inform policy and the direction of infrastructure projects in the Arc
  • contributing to net-zero - ways to manage potential impacts on biodiversity, emissions and natural capital from economic growth and increased connectivity in the Arc

Relevant developments:

• key proposals:
  
  • the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Economic Prospectus - recently submitted to the Government:
    
    • setting out a vision to transform the Arc into a world-leading innovation and productivity hub and double the region’s economic output to £200bn by 2050
    • requesting long-term investment in the area to help the Arc fulfil its potential
  • The Oxford-Cambridge Arc: government ambition and joint declaration between government and local partners - published in 2019
• Government's plan to transform Oxford-Cambridge Arc into UK's fastest growing economic region - from MHCLG, announcing:
  
  • a spatial framework plan due to be published in 2022, with consultation and aiming to create employment, grow investment, protect and improve the environment, and develop infrastructure
  • the aim of ensuring that benefits of economic and infrastructure development, and placemaking, are spread across the region
  • plans for establishing an Arc Growth Body as a single voice for the area in driving and supporting economic growth
• the Oxford Local Plan 2036 - adopted by the Oxford City Council and laying out plans for the delivery of new jobs, homes and infrastructure in Oxford as well as the Oxfordshire Investment Plan
• the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Economic Recovery Strategy - aimed at helping the region's economy recover and renew following COVID-19
• the government announces preferred East West Rail central section - route E, for the Cambridge-Bedford section
• other major strategies and support packages:
  
  • the £10bn package to build more homes and level up communities in the Spending Review
  • the recent Energy White Paper
  • the National Infrastructure Strategy
  • the upcoming R&D Places Strategy following the UK Research and Development Roadmap
• the East West Rail Project - awarded £760m by the Department for Transport to reinstate services between Bicester in Oxfordshire and Bletchley in Buckinghamshire

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons, and officials from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; Defra; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; HM Revenue & Customs; the MHCLG and the Office of Government Property.

Overall, we expect speakers and attendees to be a senior and informed group including Members of both Houses of Parliament, senior government and regulatory officials involved in this area of policy, as well as from local authorities within the Oxford-MK-Cambridge Arc as well as directly adjacent areas, engineering companies, transport providers, housing developers, environmental groups, investors, colleges and universities, lawyers, consultants, housing associations, local community representatives, business and industry associations, trade unions, academics, together with reporters from the national and specialist media.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will discuss the key policy priorities for tackling homelessness and rough sleeping during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agenda includes case studies from across the UK on initiatives on homelessness, and discussion on the continued implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act.

Areas for discussion include:

• the impact of the pandemic and emerging issues
• homelessness policy and legislation - with discussion on the Homelessness Reduction Act, as well as the Everyone In scheme and Housing First pilots
• local approaches to homelessness reduction - and case studies from London and Scotland on initiatives to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping
• meeting the long-term housing needs of vulnerable people

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from MHCLG; DHSC; the DWP; HMPPS; the Home Office; the MoJ; the ONS; Defra; and the Welsh Government..

The agenda:

• Homelessness and rough sleeping - the impact of the pandemic and emerging issues
• Housing rough sleepers during the pandemic - implications for the future
• Developing and delivering local approaches to homelessness reduction - key themes from the call for evidence on the Homelessness Reduction Act
• Tackling rough sleeping in London during COVID-19
• Reducing homelessness in Scotland - learning from best practice and engaging with the third sector
• Meeting the long-term housing needs of vulnerable people - the Housing First pilots, the pandemic, and strategies for collaborative working across housing, health, local authorities and third sector

Key areas for discussion:

• the Homelessness Reduction Act - ongoing implementation, following the government response to its recent consultation and publication of an evaluation commissioned by MHCLG:
  
  • practicalities at a local level - drawing on experience of implementation and assessing what is being effective
  • options for support - for local authorities, housing associations and third sector partners, such as:
    
    • with personalised housing plans
    • to build upon the work on the prevention duty, viewed by the independent review as the most effective element of the Act in achieving positive outcomes for more service users
  • the duty to refer - addressing issues outlined in the consultation response, with almost as many respondents finding it had no impact as those reported it helping prevent homelessness
  • responsiveness to service users - discussing the experiences of people approaching their local authority for help, and how this has changed in the pandemic
  • temporary accommodation - what more can be done to improve its quality and provision, and ensure that support is reaching those who need it most
• the impact of COVID-19 - policy priorities, best practice, and meeting the long-term housing needs of vulnerable people:
  
  • the Everyone In scheme - what lessons can be learnt from its success, including in reducing COVID-19 infections among rough sleepers
  • local initiatives during the pandemic - work being done by councils and combined authorities:
    
    • case studies included in the agenda - tackling rough sleeping in London, and the approach in Scotland to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping
    • options for supporting local services - and the effectiveness of Government schemes aimed at addressing homelessness and rough sleeping over the winter and spring period
  • the Housing First pilots - impact on the aim of supporting rough sleepers with complex needs into stable, affordable accommodation and what can be learnt to inform future programmes
  • preventing homelessness - safeguarding those struggling to pay rent, and options for increasing support through the benefit system in the face of economic turmoil resulting from COVID-19
  • options for policy - what more might be required to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping, support local services, and encourage collaboration across key sectors, and prospects for urgent review into the causes of rough sleeping

A scan of relevant developments:

• the Homelessness Reduction Act - the call for evidence designed to support its ongoing implementation, the government response, and independent evaluation on progress
• Rough sleepers to be helped to keep safe this winter:
  
  • government plans aimed at supporting rough sleepers and those at risk of becoming homeless as part of its winter rough sleeping plan
  • the Everyone In scheme - implemented in the first lockdown, with a study published in The Lancet finding that it had reduced COVID-19 infections among rough sleepers
  • the Protect Programme - £15m in further government funding for providing accommodation to rough sleepers during lockdowns
• the COVID-19 Rough Sleeping Taskforce - with its former head and review lead, Dame Louise Casey, warning that unless benefits were increased to compensate for people's loss of earnings the UK risks a period of destitution with rising homelessness, and family and child poverty
• COVID-19 Vaccination plan - local vaccination services extended to reach homeless groups unable to attend vaccination sites
• COVID-19 protections allocated for rough sleepers and renters - extra funding support to all councils in England, who are asked to strengthen their efforts to help accommodate everyone who is currently sleeping rough, and to ensure they are registered with a GP
• Funding allocated for 3,300 new homes for rough sleepers - long-term provision for vulnerable people planned to be available by the end of March 2021
• the Rough Sleeping Strategy - with the Government’s target of halving rough sleeping by 2022 and ending it by 2027
• the charter for social housing residents: social housing white paper - including plans to consider how best to remove access barriers to social housing for homeless households
• Action to help prevent vulnerable young people from becoming homeless - new guidance for councils to help them ensure that care leavers have the stable homes they need
• Extra help for rough sleepers with drug and alcohol dependency - £23m for 43 areas across England this year, boosted by a further £52m in 2021 to 2022
• Government pledges further £310m to tackle homelessness - new funding allocated to councils most in need, with an increase of £47m from last year aimed at helping those at risk of homelessness and those in temporary accommodation, and offering support to those already without homes

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. ). Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and officials from MHCLG; Defra; DHSC; the DWP; Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service; the Home Office; the Ministry of Justice; the Office for National Statistics; and the Welsh Government.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference is focussing on priorities for devolution in England and the way forward for policy.

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials due to attend from HM Treasury; the Cabinet Office; MHCLG; the Cities and Local Growth Unit; BEIS; DCMS; DfE; DfT; DWP; HMRC; the NAO; the CPS; Defra; DIT; and the Welsh Government.

The discussion at a glance:

• economic growth and sustainability - assessing the impact of devolution and local industrial strategies
• infrastructure, recovery and growth - priorities for renewing and enhancing infrastructure to support local economies
• the policy agenda - priorities for moving forward devolution in England and the future shape, scope and timing of policy
• progress - looking at latest developments what can be learnt from existing devolution deals and the experience of city region mayoralties
• COVID-19 - next steps for dealing with the significant immediate and long-term challenges posed for devolved regions by the pandemic, and the impact on the development of policy

The agenda:

• Assessing the current landscape for devolution in England
• Case study: responding to COVID-19 and supporting local economic recovery
• Priorities for future devolution in England - collaboration, greater budgetary control, and empowering local approaches as part of the recovery from COVID-19 and in future crises
• Devolution as a driver of regional development - attracting investment, supporting economic recovery, implementing local industrial strategies, and enhancing local infrastructure
• Next steps for policy and devolution - lessons from the Northern Powerhouse

A scan of relevant developments:

• the Devolution White Paper - the Government’s strategy for more devolution deals, metro mayors and devolved powers across the country, with questions about its timing and scope
• A New Deal for Britain - the Prime Minister’s £5bn national infrastructure spending plan - including £900m to fund local growth projects in England
• recent new devolution deals - for South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and with steps being taken for York and North Yorkshire
• COVID-19 - powers and levels of autonomy for England’s local authorities brought into sharper focus with introduction of more localised control of infection outbreaks alongside disagreements on central government funding and individual local approaches
• Brexit and devolution - the Internal Market Bill which includes plans to redistribute powers in a range of policy areas previously exercised at an EU level
• funding - The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, due to replace EU Structural Funding
• Progress on devolution in England - the relaunched HCLG Committee inquiry analysing results so far, implementation strategies, and how the benefits of devolution can be maximised
• reviews and elections - the first gateway review for mayors’ investment funds as well as eight mayoral elections expected in 2021
• infrastructure - the forthcoming National Infrastructure Strategy, new transport plans for mayoral authorities announced in the Budget, as well as development of the Transpennine main line and a new Northern Transport Acceleration Council

The discussion in detail:

• the Devolution White Paper:
  
  • the outlook - priorities, timing and scope, and examining progress and what can be learned from devolution deals across England at different stages of development
  • collaboration - strategies, models and incentives for local authorities working together to support local economies
  • shaping future devolution deals - priorities for investment, and options for budgetary control and decision-making powers
  • local involvement in national responses - what more might be needed to support local responses to crises and to bring local leaders into national response planning
• coordination and collaboration:
  
  • tailored approaches - how local communities have adapted public health and economic recovery strategies to local needs
  • Local Industrial Strategies - linking further devolution with the third wave of LIS, and promoting collaboration between local authority and business leaders
• maximising economic impact:
  
  • delivery of services - strategies for making the most of support provided through devolution and growth deals
  • recovery - the role of regional economies in supporting national economic resurgence from the pandemic
  • finance - attracting investment into English regions and utilising the potential of the Shared Prosperity Fund
  • the workforce - ensuring local skills provision meets employer need and lifting productivity levels and responding to changes in working patterns and processes
• local infrastructure: 
  
  • priorities and policy support - enhancing local infrastructure in the context of a range of government plans for regeneration and economic recovery
  • transport - the five-year plans for combined authorities, the National Bus Strategy expected later this year, and prospects for reversal to service cuts
  • digital - with major investment into improving gigabit-capable broadband connections in areas across the UK
  • work and the new normal - what infrastructure is required to support changes in ways of working and economic behaviour following the pandemic
• the COVID-19 crisis - moving forward:
  
  • continued effective delivery of services - what immediate support do local and combined authorities need, as mayors across the country warn of risk of insolvency
  • supporting economic recovery - moving forward from the pandemic, and adapting to changes in behaviour and service delivery
  • future crisis situations and role of combined authorities and metro mayors - what the experience of COVID-19 means for the development and implementation of regional responses going forward

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons, and officials from BEIS; the Cities and Local Growth Unit; HM Treasury; MHCLG; the Cabinet Office; HM Revenue & Customs; the National Audit Office; the Office of Government Property; the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation; the Crown Prosecution Service; DCMS; Defra; the Department for Education; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; the DWP; the Environment Agency; the MHCLG; the Office for Product Safety and Standards; the Office for National Statistics; and the Welsh Government. Also due to attend are representatives from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council; Canal & River Trust; City & Guilds; Clackclose Hundred CBS; Colne Housing Society; Connected Places Catapult; Copper Consultancy; Cornwall Council; D2N2 LEP; Enterprise M3 LEP; Essex County Council; Hertfordshire Adults & Family Learning Service; Jacobs; KPMG; Lancashire County Council; Lancashire Enterprise Partnership; MKC Training Services; NCFE; NFU; Northern Gas Networks; Northumberland County Council; Oxford Civic Society; Pinsent Masons; Qube Qualifications and Development; Savills; Scape Group; Sheffield City Council; Tendring District Council; The Careers and Enterprise Company; This is Gravity; University of Bath; University of Derby; University of Leeds; University of the Arts London; University of York and Warwick Economics & Development.

A press pass has been reserved by a representative from Voice Britannia.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will consider the future for housing design and delivery in the UK - and priorities for addressing poor quality housing design.

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from MHCLG; BEIS; Homes England; the Cabinet Office; HMRC; Defra; DfT; DHSC; DIT; the Department for Infrastructure, NI; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.

The discussion at a glance:

• priorities - improving the quality, sustainability and energy efficiency of homes as proposed within the Future Homes Standard
• the impact of wider government policy including the Planning White Paper, Social Housing White Paper, and the PM’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution
• implementation - issues, practicalities and next steps for the National Design Guide and the National Model Design Code
• housing developments - their role as part of well-designed places, the development of local guidelines and ensuring access to greenspace
• MMC and promoting new ways of working - next steps for improving the delivery and design of new homes, and reduce costs, as the industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic

The agenda:

• Key issues for ensuring high-quality design and takeaways from the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission
• Improving the quality of homes and implementing the National Design Code
• Creating well-designed places - developing local guidance, promoting more beautiful and sustainable developments, improving energy efficiency, and implementing the Future Homes Standard
• The role of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and its potential to address challenges facing the housing sector
• Prioritising design capability and capacity for MMC delivery
• Accelerating the delivery of off-site construction methods
• Assessing the role of MMC and new innovative methods in meeting housing demand across all tenures

Areas for discussion:

• Quality and aesthetics of new developments - assessing the new development and planning framework put forward by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission
• The National Design Guide - practical considerations for developers, local government, investors and other stakeholders in meeting the 10 characteristics the Guide sets out around design, functionality, safety and accessibility, sustainability, and nurturing a sense of community
• Local authorities - what more can be done to support them when developing individual design codes, and how best to ensure and support the development of well-designed places
• The legacy of COVID-19 - how it is likely to affect considerations for planning and design into the future, and what it means for developers, local authorities, home buyers and other stakeholders
• The impact of provisions in the Planning White Paper, Social Housing White Paper, and the PM’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution including around speeding up the planning process, improving the quality of homes and access to greenspace and on decarbonizing heat from housing
• Modern Methods of Construction - next steps for rolling out MMC, modular homes and wider off-site construction - looking at issues including:
  
  • what will be needed to realise its intended benefits, which include:
    
    • reducing costs and attracting investment
    • ensuring homes fit better with national and local design guides
    • enabling industry to work in different and sustainable ways
    • encouraging developers to take more interest in the community
  • development of skills and infrastructure design to increase MMC capacity in the UK
  • public engagement and overcoming pre-conceptions on quality associated with the pre-fab era
  • resolving barriers at the design stage, stemming from the different planning and construction processes involved in MMC compared to legacy approaches
  • how best to deal with any procurement difficulties in this relatively new market and to maximise environmental performance and sustainability

A scan of background and key developments:

• the Planning For the Future White Paper - and reforms to allow a range of commercial properties to be converted into housing without planning permission, and easier property extensions
• The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution - from the PM, including making homes, greener, warmer and more energy efficient, and a target to install 600,000 heat pumps yearly by 2028
• ‘Permitted development’ homes to meet space standards - MHCLG announcement of homes given lighter touch consent needing to comply Nationally Described Space Standard on floorspace
• Raising accessibility standards for new homes - consultation on suitability and adaptability of homes for older and disabled people
• Boost for families wishing to build their own home - government review of self and custom builds, including procedures around councils granting permission, publishing data, and to consider the demand for land for self and custom-builds when making local planning decisions
• the National Design Guide - from MHCLG - with characteristics of well-designed places that work to create character, nurture a sense of community, and are sustainable
• a National Model Design Code - due later this year on key elements of successful design, following the Living with beauty: report of the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission for MHCLG
• Modern Methods of Construction working group: developing a definition framework - and appointment of Mark Farmer as the Champion for Modern Methods of Construction
• The charter for social housing residents: social housing white paper - which outlines in part plans to:
  
  • review the Decent Homes Standard
  • increase the supply of new and beautiful social homes
  • bring forward a new Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards to help local authorities, developers and communities to improve green infrastructure, including greenspace provision
• Building for a Healthy Life - new design guidance from NHS England backed by Homes England for new housing development plans incorporate how best to encourage healthier lifestyles
• the Future Homes Standard - aimed at increasing the energy efficiency requirements for new homes
• the Building Safety Bill - with wide-ranging changes designed to improve building and fire safety, including the creation of a new Building Safety Regulator
• the Environment Bill - which includes provisions to ensure biodiversity net gain in new housing developments

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons, and representatives from MHCLG; BEIS; Defra; the Cabinet Office; HM Revenue & Customs; Homes England; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; the Department for Infrastructure, NI; the DHSC; the Geospatial Commission; the Health and Safety Executive; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.

Overall, we expect speakers and attendees to be a senior and informed group including Members of both Houses of Parliament, senior government and regulatory officials involved in this area of policy, as well as from representatives of the house building and wider construction sector, along with their partners, suppliers and customers; local authorities and community groups; lawyers, investors and financial analysts; charities, and advocacy and consumer groups, academics and commentators; and reporters from the national and specialist media.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full conference taking place online***
This conference is examining the future for social housing in England.

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from MHCLG; DWP; the HSE; HMRC; BEIS; DfT; and DIT.

The agenda:

• Key and emerging issues for social housing in England
• The Social Housing White Paper and priorities for the future regulation of social housing
• Improving the provision and quality of social housing - regulation, financial sustainability, tenant engagement and support and ensuring safety
• Making best use of land in delivering social housing
• Innovation in new social housing - design, delivery, funding and planning
• Priorities for implementing the White Paper on Social Housing and wider government policy

The discussion at a glance:

• implementing the Social Housing White Paper - looking at:
  
  • impact - on residents, and landlords and social housing providers
  • sector priorities - what actions and support will be required to put in place the measures envisaged in the White Paper
  • regulation - priorities for the the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in fulfilling their new duties and responsibilities in setting standards and in other areas
  • regulatory coordination - how should the RSH, the HSE and the Building Safety regulator organise the information sharing and joint working being put forward in the White Paper
  • safety and security - the next steps needed on smoke and CO alarms, and on electrical and other areas of ensuring the safety of residents
  • landlord accountability - how the new requirements will affect landlords and the social housing market, and the practicalities of putting in place the support needed by residents
  • complaints - looking at best practice on communication and dispute resolution, as well as enforcement
  • quality - the role of landlords and other stakeholders beyond housing itself, in areas such as provision of green spaces and tackling anti-social behaviour
  • affordable housing - assessing the measures outlined on house building, shared ownership, design and finance for home buyers
• sector recovery - the support that is needed for social housing providers and the tenants they serve, and for the construction industry, to get back on track in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
• planning - the impact of recently-announced reform to streamline the system on building more social homes in the areas where they are needed most
• safety and quality of social homes - with plans for a new Building Safety Regulator following the Building a safer future: proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system consultation
• investment - further steps for attracting finance for new projects and learning from what works well in other sectors
• innovation and collaboration
  
  • new approaches - in design and other areas for delivering new homes which enhance the community, support healthy lives, protect biodiversity and meeting changes in demand
  • best practice in design, delivery and working with partners from housing associations and local authorities - and the role of MMC and off-site or modular construction

Key policy developments:

• The charter for social housing residents - the Social Housing White Paper putting forward a set of rights and expectations on behalf of residents, including:
  
  • safety and security
  • landlord accountability - as well as transparency on their performance in areas such as spending, repairs, complaints and safety
  • complaints - the right for them to be addressed fairly without undue delay, as well as access to redress through an ombudsman
  • respectful treatment - backed by a consumer regulator and improved consumer standards
  • contact - through regular landlord meetings, scrutiny panels or board membership, backed by government support for the skills needed by residents to enable them to effectively engage
  • quality - in homes themselves, their maintenance, and in the neighbourhood environment
  • opportunities for home ownership where possible
• the Planning For the Future White Paper - with an increased affordable housing threshold on smaller sites, zonal planning, new local design codes, and local authority housing delivery requirements
• the Draft Building Safety Bill - with wide-ranging changes designed to improve building and fire safety, including the creation of a new Building Safety Regulator
• the National Design Guide and planned National Model Design Code - aimed at producing homes that can enhance the community, promote healthy lives and support local biodiversity
• latest Quarterly survey from the Regulator of Social Housing - finding a financially strong sector in September largely unaffected by the Coronavirus pandemic
• 90,000 new social homes a year achievable with Government support - findings from the HCLG Select Committee as part of their Long-term delivery of social and affordable rented housing inquiry
• £3bn affordable housing guarantee scheme to be operated by Ara Venn - recently announced to provide cost-effective long-term loans to providers of affordable homes
• launch of prospectus inviting bids for the Affordable Housing Programme - being extended to safeguard affordable homes whose construction was stalled due to the pandemic, as well as a new £12bn settlement to start next year targeting the creation of approximately 180,000 new affordable homes

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and officials from MHCLG; DWP; HM Revenue & Customs; BEIS; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; and the Health and Safety Executive.

Overall, we expect speakers and attendees to be a senior and informed group including Members of both Houses of Parliament, senior government and regulatory officials involved in this area of policy, as well as from representatives from the construction industry and their partners and advisors, developers and landlords, tenant and citizen’s groups, charities and campaigning organisations, local authorities and planning specialists, buildings safety and legal specialists, investors, the wider business community, and social and academic commentators, together with reporters from the national and specialist media.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference