Government Conference for February

Delivered by the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA), in partnership with the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE NI), the conference is expected to be addressed by Ministers from the Executive Office.

Hosted by the BBC’s Mark Carruthers, the conference will be a key event for anyone focused on transforming public services, local democracy and community investment in Northern Ireland, with councils the hub of such developments.

With the theme ‘The Future of Local Government’, the conference comes at a hugely significant time for Northern Ireland. During the three-year absence of an Executive at Stormont, local councils were Northern Ireland’s only democratically elected and fully functioning form of government. With increased demand from citizens, local government in Northern Ireland is faced with major financial and resource pressures, placing significant strain on the capacity of councils.

Speakers will include: Cllr Frances Burton, NILGA President, David Jackson, Chair, SOLACE & CEO, Causeway Coast & Glens BC, Suzanne Wylie, CEO, Belfast City Council, Ann Watt, Director, Pivotal, Paul Harper, Director of Asset Delivery, NI Water, Grainia Long, Commissioner for Resilience, Belfast City Council

Paul O’Brien, CEO, APSE, Liam Nolan, Vice President, Business Development, Oracle and Lesley Riddoch, Award-winning Journalist & Broadcaster.

Supported by APSE, NI Water and Version 1, the conference will also culminate with the Local Government Gala Awards. The Awards recognise and showcase brilliance in service provision, new initiatives and commitment from council workers, councillors and NILGA’s partners in the community.

NILGA Chief Executive Derek McCallan said: “We are thrilled to deliver the 2020 Local Government Conference on February 20 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast.

“The conference’s theme, ‘The Future of Local Government’, is of real significance this year. After three years without an NI Executive, we are relieved that Ministers have returned to their posts. In its absence however local councils were our only functioning form of democratically elected government and demonstrated their immense value to their constituents. We want to see local government’s role in this period rewarded by the new Executive with a far-reaching and comprehensive Devolution Bill which will put greater powers, resources and finances in the hands of our local communities. The conference will reflect on and discuss ideas to ensure we can continue to deliver high-quality service provision for local citizens.

“We are also excited about the NI Local Government Awards Gala. Local government employees across Northern Ireland do fantastic and dedicated work to improve the lives and communities of local people and it is right that we recognise and acknowledge their efforts and commitment.”

SOLACE NI Chair David Jackson said: “SOLACE is proud to be delivering this year’s Local Government Conference in collaboration with NILGA. This ambitious and comprehensive conference is a vital opportunity to explore how we can strengthen our local democracy, improve local government resilience in the face of uncertainty, play our part in tackling the climate crisis, provide sustainable transport and infrastructure, and ensure we are at the forefront of technological change to enhance our local economies.”