ANNUAL CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Three days and four streams of informative, topical presentations and discussions delivered by experienced industry specialists.

09:00

Conference and Virtual Exhibition Opens

09:15

Introduction

Nick Rowe, Chair of Commercial Services, IRRV

09:20

Welcome

Cllr Amrik Jhawar, Mayor of Telford

09:21

Presidential Address

Andrew Hetherton, IRRV President

09:40

Business Rates Government Policy Update

Nick Cooper, Valuation and Policy Advisor, Non-Domestic Rates, MHCLG

10:09

Post Lockdown: The Challenges Facing UK Local Government

Tony Travers, Professor in Practice, Department of Government, LSE

10:34

Financing Local Government Post Pandemic

Richard Harbord, Management Consultant, MRF UK Limited in conversation with David Magor, Chief Executive, IRRV

11:06

Refreshment Break

11:20

Covid-19: Before, During and Lessons Learned

Wallace Sampson, Chief Executive, Harrogate BC

11:52

Taking Housing Benefit Through the COVID-19 Crisis

Claire Elliott, Head of Housing Delivery Division, DWP

12:16

Morning Live Q & A session followed by lunch Break

13:30

Where Were We? - Collection Arrears in the 'New Normal'

Alistair Townsend, Director, Alistair Townsend Ltd

13:59

The Challenge of Welfare Reform in Recession and Crisis

Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee

14:32

Reimagine Debt: A Tale of Two Councils

Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder, Policy in Practice

14:58

Refreshment Break

15:15

Delivering a National Valuation Service in a Pandemic

Alan Colston, Chief Valuer, Valuation Office Agency

15:38

Reforming Business Rates - International Influences

Paul Sanderson, President, International Property Tax Institute (IPTI)

16:10

Afternoon Live Q & A session

09:00

Streamlining Collections Post-COVID (Taking a Phased Approached)

Ian McManus, Managing Director, Lateral Technology

09:18

The Impact of COVID-19 on Remote/Home Working for Customer Contact Teams

Geoff Waterton, Head of Collection, Enfield LBC

Shelley Taylor, Solutions Architect, Civica

10:00

Refreshment Break

10:15

The Money Advisor Network - New Technology Which is Simplifying How Councils Refer Residents to Debt Advice

Kevin Shaw, Creditor Strategy Manager, Money and Pensions Service (MaPS)

10:45

Collections And Vulnerability - A Balancing Act

Mark Fearn IRRV (Hons), Programme Leader- Resources and Transformation, Walall C

Nick Ducatel, Functional Lead Growth and Prosperity, Lewes DC and Eastbourne BC

Darren Kelk, Managing Director, Ascendant Solutions Limited

10:00

morning live Q&A session followed by lunch Break

13:00

The Do's and Don'ts of Amalgamating revenues Teams

Simon Quilter, Revenues Manager, Broadland and South Norfolk C

13:34

Interpretation of the Entitlement to COVID-19 Reliefs for Non-Domestic Rates

Hannah Sutcliffe, Virtual Rate Manager, Analyse Local

14:00

Refreshment Break

14:15

The Impact Of COVID-19 on the Collection Process

Simon Freedman, Solutions Manager – Revenues, Bristow and Sutor

14:32

COVID-19.....Leaving Enforcement Behind

Sarah Naylor, Business Develpment Manager, Dukes Bailiffs Ltd

10:00

afternoon live Q&A session

09:00

Fraud and Error in HB - The Immediate Challenge and How Did we Get Here?

John Giblin and Alan Sullivan, Management Consultants, Giblin and Sullivan Consultancy Services

09:29

Delivering Excellence in Social Inclusion - A Welfare and Housing Options Model

Paula Doherty, Team Leader for Benefits and Welfare, Dumfries and Galloway C

10:00

refreshment Break

10:15

Income-Banded Council Tax Reductions/Support Schemes - A Review of Schemes Adopted in 2020-21 and their Pros and Cons

Phil Agulnik, Product Development Director, entitledto

Karen Holmes, Software Development Manager, entitledto

10:41

Using Quality MI to Improve Performance and Reduce Costs

Adrian Shooter, Deputy Divisional Director, LA and VOA Management and Funding Team, DWP

11:30

morning live Q&A session followed by lunch Break

13:00

The COVID Legacy; A New Kind of Poverty?

Julie Holden, Town Clerk, East Grinstead Town C

13:33

DHP's - Smarter Than Your Average Benefit

Michelle Kettles, Welfare and Benefit Manager, South Staffordshire C

13:47

COVID-19: Who Has Fallen Through the Gaps?

Zoe Charlesworth, Director of Policy Operations, Policy in Practice

15:00

afternoon live Q&A session

09:00

Delivering Justice in a Changing Environment : The Valuation Tribunal in the 21st Century

Gary Garland, President, Valuation Tribunal for England

09:28

Steering the Profession Through Choppy Waters

Simon Green, Partner, Gerald Eve

10:00

Refreshment Break

10:15

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Non Domestic Rate

Dan Kolinsky QC, Barrister, Landmark Chambers

10:49

Delivering a Succesful 2020 Revaluation

Angela McGrath, Director/Commissioner of Valuation Services Northern Ireland

11:30

morning live Q&A session followed by lunch Break

13:00

Personal Reflections on the Fundamental Review of the Rating System

Carla-Maria-Heath, Junior Vice President, IRRV

13:36

Rating Case Law and Practice

Bradley Davies, Lead Technical Adviser, Litigation & Technical Policy Team, Chief Valuer Group, Valuation Office Agency

14:00

Refreshment Break

14:15

The Impact of Recent Events on the Valuation List - A Billing Authority Perspective

Roger Messenger, Partner, Wilks Head and Eve

15:00

afternoon live Q&A session

09:00

Eliminating Risk in Housing Benefit Subsidy

Zoe Kent, Head of Revenues, Swale DC

09:30

Rates Avoidance - COVID-19 and the Wider Issues

David Magor, Chief Executive, IRRV

10:00

refreshment Break

10:15

The Role of the Audit Committee in the Fight Against Fraud

Allan Clark, Head of Finance: Exchequer, Barnet LBC

10:38

Procurement Fraud and Corruption: Identify Risk, Improve Efficiency and Reduce Losses

Andy Davies, UK Public Sector Client Manager, SAS UK & I

Ash Varsani, UK Financial Crime and AML Specialist, SAS UK & I

11:10

The National Fraud Initiative 2020 and COVID-19 BSG Fraud

Nathan Nash, Head of NFI New Business Team, Cabinet Office

11:30

morning live Q&A session followed by lunch Break

13:00

Future Proofing the Design of CTRS

Gary Layzell, On Demand Transformation Manager, Civica

13:35

UK Fraud Threats During The Pandemic

Rachael Tiffen, Director of Local Government, Cifas

14:00

refreshment Break

14:15

Ensuring Compliance in Distributing COVID-19 Grants

Kevin Stewart, Business Unit Leader Revenues and Benefits, Mid Sussex DC

15:00

afternoon live Q&A session

live open forum sessions led by an expert panel

09:30

the fundamental review of business rates

11:00

enforcement and covid-19

12:30

bringing frontline services back to life - the covid-19 revenues services strategic recovery plan