• Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) continues to gather pace, with announcements having been made in the first half of 2026 regarding the preferred model for the future of a number of county areas across the country.
• Local election results have further shifted the political leadership in many local authority areas.
• The forthcoming change in national leadership present both challenges and opportunity for place-based services.
• Leadership in devolved areas continues to evolve, shaped by legislative change and the wider national political transition.
• Global events continue to affect our economic and socio-economic environment, including conflict, community tensions and migration.

Local government place-based services are central to how the public receive services and experience outcomes that shape their quality of life. The challenge for us as place leaders is to navigate the ever-changing political landscape, while continuing to deliver services as effectively as possible and looking ahead to make better places for people. We need to collaborate widely, influence policy, think differently and innovate and champion inclusion in everything we do.

The conference will bring to life the priorities set out in our new strategic plan Making Better Places for People. They are:

• Building resilient places.
• Leading decarbonisation and nature recovery at a local level.
• Enabling healthy, inclusive and cohesive communities.
• Supporting the delivery of effective devolution and successful LGR.
• Developing the place director and the workforce of the future.

The conference will explore these themes with contributions from government, our corporate partners, fellow professional associations in the local government sector and beyond, and of course place directors, their colleagues, and aspiring leaders. We will explore cross-cutting issues including e.g. youth unemployment, care leavers, coastal communities, recruitment and retention challenges. A series of practical workshops will focus on areas such as waste and recycling, asset management, public/private delivery models, new political administrations, communications and social media.