On December 2, The Future Governance Forum and UCL Policy Lab are teaming up to convene a one-day conference exploring a new era of public service reform and how each of us can play our part in achieving it.
We are delighted that Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons MP and Scotland minister Kirsty McNeill MP will be joining us on the day, alongside a wide array of politicians, senior civil servants, experts, innovators and practitioners (see the programme below for a full rundown).
Britain Renewed 2025 will bring together the officials, political leaders and advisers leading the charge on public service reform at all levels of government with innovators from frontline services, business and civil society.
Together, we’ll tackle the grit that gets in the way of collaboration, spotlight examples of next-generation practice emerging across the UK, and unpack how we can enable innovation to thrive because of the system, not in spite of it.
Britain Renewed 2025 is delivered in partnership with AWS, Inner Circle Consulting, the Growth and Reform Network and the UKRI (ERC) Relational State Capacity Project.
Please note, due to limited capacity, registration is subject to approval.
Full programme
08:45 – 09:30
Registration and refreshments
09:30 – 09:45
Opening remarks and welcome
Speakers:
- Marc Stears, Director, UCL Policy Lab
- Nathan Yeowell, Executive Director, The Future Governance Forum
09:45 – 10:00
Opening keynote from Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons MP on his plans for civil service reform and partnership with place.
10:00 – 10:45
Renewing Britain: Setting a direction for public service reform that rebuilds trust and delivers for citizens
Speakers:
- Josh Simons MP, Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office
- Helen MacNamara, Chair, The Future Governance Forum and former Deputy Cabinet Secretary
- Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich
- Sophie Clarke, Managing Director, Juno
- Chair: Polly Curtis, Chief Executive, Demos
10:45 – 11:05
Interactive session on the audience’s priorities for public service reform.
11:05 – 11:20
Break
11:20 – 12:10
Not waiting for permission: Stories of people and places that are innovating and collaborating in spite of the system
Featuring presentations from:
- Molly Bishop, Lead Manager – Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, Greater London Authority
- Paul Morrison, Chief Executive, Planning Inspectorate and Hannah Gregory, Global Director, Knowledge and Sponsorship, Pathways International and former Head of the Refugee Integration Unit, Home Office
- Samantha Harris, Head of Strategic Safeguarding and Independent Review and Ahmed Esat, Head of Children’s Service Improvement, Nottinghamshire County Council
Presentations will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Professor Dan Honig, Associate Professor, Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy and Associate Professor of Public Policy, UCL.
12:10 – 13:00
Translating ambition into everyday reality: What role do we all play in reforming the state?
Speakers:
- Janet Hughes, Director General, Civil Service Reform and Efficiency, Cabinet Office
- Dr Henry Kippin, Chief Executive, North East Combined Authority]
- Polly Neate, Policy Associate, The Future Governance Forum and former CEO of Women’s Aid and Shelter
- Rachel Hope, Director of Digital Prevention Services Portfolio, NHS England
- Chair: Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO, Institute for Government
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch
14:00 – 15:00
A story that counts: How should we work together to tell a new story about public service reform that means something to people in their places?
Speakers:
- Luke Tryl, Executive Director, More in Common
- James Plunkett, Editor, Kinship Works, formerly 10 Downing Street
- John Wrathmell, ‘Group Director – Strategy, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- Ruth Ibegbuna, Founder of RECLAIM, The Roots Programme and Rekindle School
- Chair: Evie John, Managing Director, Inner Circle Consulting
15:10 – 16:00
Breakout session #1: Beyond pilotitis – Shifting the conditions to help innovation stick
Speakers:
- Polly Mackenzie, CEO, Zinc Innovation Partners, former Director of Policy to the Deputy Prime Minister
- Afzal Hussain, Chief Officer, Witton Lodge Community Association
- Dr Simon Kaye, Director of Policy, Re:State
- Ash Ramuni, Strategy and Delivery Lead – Test, Learn and Grow, Public Sector Reform and Efficiency, Cabinet Office
- Chair: Matthew Cain, Principal Advisor, International Central Government Team, AWS
15:10 – 16:00
Breakout session #2: Beyond transactions – Why and how should we build the relational and preventative capacity of the state?
Speakers:
- Professor Dan Honig, Associate Professor, Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy and Associate Professor of Public Policy, UCL
- Eve Holt, Head of Policy and Implementation, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- Aisling Barker, Violence Against Women and Girls Workforce Development and Practice Manager, Islington Council
- Nana Bonsu, Director of Relational Practice, Camden Council
- Chair: Annabel Smith, Director, Growth and Reform Network
16:10 – 16:55
Where do we go from here?
Speakers:
- Kirsty McNeill MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
- Jonathan Slater, former Permanent Secretary for the Department for Education
- Piali Das Gupta, Associate Director, Roretti, formerly London Councils
- Richard Pope, former Product Manager, Government Digital Service and author of Platformland
- Chair: George Eaton, Senior Editor (Politics), New Statesman
16:55 – 17:00
Closing thanks
17:00 – 19:00
Drinks reception
