Just over a week ago, we began the second day of the Innovation & Learning Festival. I have been reflecting on the whirlwind that was the event.
This year, we introduced several new aspects on previous years’ LCRIG Festivals. The first, is that we moved from “The Innovation Festival” to the third event being called the “Innovation & Learning Festival” with a greater emphasis on “Learning”, along with supporting attendance of apprentices.
This year, we said we would bring innovations, create space for start-ups, CPD learning sessions, a space to think (Innovation Think Pavilion), better venue, bring academia, focused demos and continue to keep limited numbers to encourage valuable conversations between peers, across the public and private sector. We absolutely did all these things; early post-event survey results are overwhelmingly positive. We also learnt a lot this year, with tweaks that we will do for next year. But given we introduced so many new aspects this year, the team and I are incredibly happy.
They say there is no rest, although the “wicked” part of the rest of that saying is not needed. My thoughts and planning are now on the programme for this year’s Strictly Highways. At this point, I strongly suggest that you book your attendance, especially if you are a Local Authority. Strictly Highways 2024 will continue with our core themes of Innovation, Collaboration, Skills, and Decarbonisation.
To give a bit of insight into how we go about planning the programme for Strictly Highways: ninety-eight percent of the speaker sessions are led by Local Authorities, who may choose to be joined by a supply chain member. Initial submissions for speaking must be made by a local authority (or public sector organisation) and sessions are led by a Local Authority, not a Supplier. Speaking slot requests should be submitted here by the 3rd of September. Once we have all the submissions, I will review these, and then all LCRIG Advisory board members participate in selecting the final programme which will be announced the same week.
So, if you are a Local Authority, or a Supplier collaborating with a local authority that is doing good things in the themes mentioned earlier, please encourage them to submit a proposal. We are not looking for in-depth speaker submissions or synopes, but if we need more details, then we will be in touch.
From Spring of this year, I have already been encouraging our regional groups to suggest topic areas they would like to see and so far, we’ve had interest around an AI (this also links to a session we held at the Innovation and Learning Festival), Drainage (SUDS), Asset Management, Council Innovation case studies, climate, skills and many other areas. Of course, we will have our friends from DfT and other key organisations we work with, but as always, the focus is on Councils.
Although I am still elated about the Festival, I am also incredibly excited about this year’s Strictly Highways. Our confirmed sponsors this year are:
- Conference Partner: A E Yates
- Networking Partner: Multevo
- DfT Special Recognition Awards Pre-Dinner Drinks Reception Sponsor: Gaist
- DfT Special Recognition Award sponsors: Eurovia, Kiely Bros Ltd, Winvic Construction Ltd, WJ Group and Redspeed International Ltd
- Table hosts: Amey, Arcadis, Balfour Beatty Living Places, Brightly Software Limited, Colas, Core Highways Group Ltd, Highway Care Ltd, Kier, Nuphalt Contracting Ltd, Sweco UK Ltd
But, we do have “some” host tables available and there are two awards packages left. Please contact charlotte.bromley@lcrig.org.uk.
Finally, we are a week into the new Government and so it is far too early to consider what this means for our sector. I have always been a devil-in-the-detail kind of person and so as always, I will be watching actions not just words.
Paula Claytonsmith, CEO