The world economy: survival of the fittest?

Speaker: Paul Mason, Economics Editor of BBC Newsnight, author of @It's Kicking off Everywhere'

As the UK potentially returns into fully fledged recession and troubles in the Eurozone remain unresolved, Paul Mason examines the turbulent nature of our times to explore what kind of economy can survive the onslaught, and the impact we can expect this to have on public services and society as a whole.

Things fall apart...

are we in danger of losing sight of the value of social cohesion?

Speaker: Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive RSA

Which societies have best adapted and offer their citizens the best prospects for wellbeing?

 

Much emphasis has been placed on a Scandinavian and more egalitarian society as a model of aspiration, heightened by calls to cut bonuses paid to bankers and public service executives, pointing to a new emerging conscience in the UK workplace. However, many predict that proposed cuts in welfare and benefits could have disastrous consequences for communities across the UK, moving the UK towards a ‘dark age’ in social equality.

         

How can cuts be made whilst safeguarding social cohesion and how can departments limit damage to the public whilst achieving their objectives? These questions and more will be tackled in this session. 

Chair: Paul Mason, Economics Editor, Newsnight

UK society 2012: what do our public need from our public bodies

Speakers: Darra Singh, Chair of the Riots Communities and Victims Panel, Director at Ernst & Young, Former Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Luton and Ealing Councils and

Nick Seddon, Deputy Director of Reform

The demographics of our society are rapidly evolving, but are the UK’s citizens’ new needs being met? With an ageing population, alarming levels of obesity, rising youth unemployment and growing multicultural and multi-faith communities, the needs of our citizens today are as varied as any in the world.

 

Exploring how the public sector needs to evolve to meet the needs of each stratum and segment of society, and the implication for the cost and resourcing of these services, this is critical to our understanding of the way forward.

Chair: Paul Mason, Economics Editor, Newsnight

Workshops

Workshop 4: Merging, sharing or spinning off: new formations for public services           

Workshop 5: Fitter societies and communities: shared health agendas

Workshop 6: CFOs and the CIPFA Code of Practice of Pensions Knowledge and Skills

Workshop 7: Transformation

Transforming government

Speaker: Sir Bob Kerslake, Permanent Secretary Department for Communities and Local Government, and Head of the Civil Service
 
A strong influence at the top of the civil service from a leader with deep expertise in delivering public services, Sir Bob Kerslake brings local and central government experience to his role having previously set up the Homes and Communities Agency as its first chief executive and serving for 9 years as the chief executive of Sheffield city council.
 
David Walker, commented before Kerslake's appointment was announced, that the civil service needed a figure at the centre with a "systems-wide consciousness" of the way the machinery of government fitted together, including local government, adding: "Sir Bob Kerslake has that".

Big Society and the coalition vision: is the coalition’s localism agenda working?

Speakers: Mayor Joe Anderson, newly elected Mayor of Liverpool

Phil Redmond, Campaigner and Television Producer, creator of Brookside and Grange Hill and one time Champion of Liverpool's Vanguard for the Big Society

The localism agenda of the coalition government promised four main changes: new freedoms and flexibilities for local government; new rights and powers for communities and individuals; reform to make the planning system more democratic and more effective; and reform to ensure that decisions about housing are taken locally .

 

One year on from the publication of the Localism Bill, as new powers are delegated to local level - is the vision becoming a reality for Britain’s local leaderships? And are the new ‘powers’ genuine or something of a poisoned chalice?