LGA Fire Conference and Exhibition 2020 and venue options for Fire Conference 2021

Purpose of report

For discussion and decision.

Summary

The paper outlines the programme for the LGA Fire Conference and Exhibition 2020, including proposed chairing slots for Fire Services Management Committee members. The paper also outlines the possible Fire Conference 2021 venues, which members are asked to comment on.

Recommendation That members note the programme for the LGA Fire Conference 2020 content and comment on the proposed chairing allocations. Members are also asked to consider the possible conference venues for 2021 and provide officers with a steer as to their preferred venue. Action That officers note members comments and make arrangements following members decision on a venue for the 2021 Fire Conference.

Contact officer:	Jessica Norman

Position: Policy Adviser

Phone no:	0207 664 3221

Email:	Jessica.norman@local.gov.uk

LGA Fire Conference and Exhibition 2020 and venue options for Fire Conference 2021

Background

The LGA Fire Conference and Exhibition 2020 will be taking place on the 10-11 March at the Grand Hotel Blackpool with the Fire Services Management Committee meeting at the same venue on the 9 March.

The programme below outlines all speakers who have been asked to speak in each session. Speakers who have confirmed attendance are marked as confirmed, those who have yet to respond are marked as invited.

Workshops chairing slots have been allocated to full members of Fire Services Management Committee and substitutes who are currently registered as attending Fire Conference.

Tuesday 10 March 2020
09.00	Registration, refreshments and exhibition viewing
10.30	Conference opening and Chair’s welcome Cllr Amy Cross, Mayor of Blackpool (Confirmed) Chair: Cllr Ian Stephens
10.40	Keynote session 1. Ministerial address Kit Malthouse, Minister for Policing and Fire, The Home Office (Confirmed) Chair: Cllr Nick Chard
11.30	Refreshments and exhibition viewing
12.00	Keynote session 2. Climate Crisis debate Nathan Travis, Lead for Climate Change, NFCC (Confirmed) Carol Holt, Deputy Director, Incident Management & Resilience, Environment Agency (Confirmed) Gavin Tomlinson, Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service (Confirmed) Chair: Cllr Keith Aspden
12.45	Lunch, exhibition viewing and networking
1.15 -1.45	Lunchtime fringe sessions Firefighters’ Pension Scheme – Clair Alcock, Blue Light Senior Pension Adviser, LGA (Confirmed) Diversity Champions Network – Fiona Twycross, Deputy Chair, LGA Fire Services Management Committee (Confirmed)
2.00	Workshops – session 1 (Confirmed) An opportunity to attend a workshop from the list below. These sessions will not be repeated. Improving fire prevention through big data Dr Dermot Breslin, Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour, University of Sheffield Management School Nicola Smith, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Lee Howell, Data and Digital Programme, NFCC Chair: Cllr Eric Carter Safe and Sound Helen Wood, Education Manager, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service Paul Carter, Education Co-ordinator, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service Chair: Roger Hirst Apprenticeship at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Colette Black, Assistant Director of HR, OD and L&D, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Chair: Cllr Colin Spence Positive culture change Rob MacDougall, Chief Fire Officer, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Nikki Richards, Director of Support Services, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service Chair: Cllr Cleo Lake Voluntary Sector: Partnership working in health prevention Emma Spragg, The British Red Cross Ged Devereux, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and NFCC Chair: Cllr Carolyn Lambert
2.45	Refreshments and exhibition viewing
3.15	Keynote session 3. Responding to inspection: Culture, diversity and inclusion Ann Millington, Chief Fire Officer, Kent Fire and Rescue Service (Confirmed) Lord Simon Woolley, Operation Black Vote (Invited) Andy Roe, Commissioner of London Fire Brigade (Confirmed) Chair: Fiona Twycross
4.00	Keynote session 4. Risk, standards and protection Phil Loach, Chief Fire Officer, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service (Confirmed) Suzanne McCarthy, Chair, Fire Standards Board (Confirmed) FBU Representative (TBC) Chair: Cllr Nikki Hennessy
4.45	Workshops – session 2 (Confirmed) An opportunity to attend a workshop from the list below. These sessions will not be repeated. The digitally connected Fire and Rescue Service – the Emergency Services Network County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service Chair: Cllr Roger Price Positive action Rachel Salmon, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service Justin Johnson, Chief Fire Officer, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Chair: Cllr Karen Kilgour StayWise Chris Bigland, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and NFCC lead for Education and StayWise programme lead Chair: Cllr Mark Healey Drowning out drowning: Making our communities safer Dawn Whittaker, Chief Fire Officer, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Lead for Water Safety, NFCC David Walker, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Chair: Cllr Carole Burdis Good governance Andy Fry, Director, Greston Associates Ltd Chair: Cllr Les Byrom
5.30	Political group meetings Conservative Group Meeting Labour Group Meeting Liberal Democrat Group Meeting Independent Group Meeting
6.30	Fire authority meetings Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Authorities Combined Fire and Rescue Authorities County Fire and Rescue Authorities
7.30	Drinks reception
8.00	Conference dinner
Wednesday 11 March 2020
08.45	Registration for new delegates, refreshments and exhibition viewing
09.30	Welcome to day two Councillor Ian Stephens, Chair, LGA Fire Services Management Committee and Isle of Wight Council
09.35	Keynote session 5. Shadow ministers Labour Shadow Minister (TBC) Baroness Pinnock, Liberal Democrat (Invited) Chair: Cllr Keith Aspden and Fiona Twycross
10.15	Keynote session 6. Finance and funding Amy Webb, Director of Finance and Resourcing, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and Chair, Fire Finance Network (Confirmed) John Buckley, Chief Fire Officer, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service and Chair, Finance Committee, NFCC (Confirmed) Emma Lawrence, Home Office (Invited) Chair: Cllr Nick Chard
11.00	Refreshments and exhibition viewing
11.25	Debate: The future of on-call Chair: Cllr Rebecca Knox
12.10	Keynote session 7. Building safety and Grenfell Luke Edwards, Director of Fire and Resilience, Home Office (Confirmed) Peter Baker, Director, Building Safety Programme Response, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (Confirmed) Tony Hunter, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service or Dan Daly, London Fire Brigade (One will attend – TBC) Chair: Fiona Twycross
12.55	Conference close Chair: Councillor Ian Stephens, Chair, LGA Fire Services Management Committee and Isle of Wight Council
1.00	Lunch, exhibition viewing and networking

Venue options for LGA Annual Fire Conference and Exhibition 2021

Background

The LGA annual Fire Conference and Exhibition attracts an average of 230 delegates and a range of exhibitors and sponsors in recent years. The event is considered to be an important part of the annual fire industry calendar, one of the showcase events organised by the LGA and an important income -generator.

Numbers for the 2020 are currently on par with 2019, but the numbers have slightly decreased over the years.

Considerations

The FSMC has previously agreed that the following criteria must be taken into consideration when sourcing a venue for this annual conference:

to only consider venues of a high standard that have in place a fire sprinkler system throughout;

to only consider venues that can provide both conference rooms and accommodation; and

to continue to hold the conference over two days (finishing with lunch on the second day).

Other factors emerged during the organisation of past conferences which also need to be taken on board when organising future conferences and these include:

the need to negotiate a larger number of bedrooms at the chosen conference hotel;

to have an exhibition area to accommodate between 15 – 20 commercial exhibitors; and

to ensure that all the workshop rooms are of a sufficient size to accommodate delegate numbers.

The 2020 conference will be held at the Grand Hotel, Blackpool but we need to agree on a suitable location and venue for the 2021 conference so that it can be advertised at this year’s conference.

Three options for consideration

We have received quotes from 3 Hotels which met the requirements. Hilton Hotel Gateshead, Hilton Metropole Hotel, Brighton and the Hilton Manchester Deansgate.

Hilton Hotel, Gateshead

Situated between the famous Tyne and Swing Bridges which link Newcastle and Gateshead Quayside. The hotel has an excellent location with views of the River Tyne and the city. Newcastle train station is a ten minute walk away.

Dates on hold 1-3 March 2021

Room	Purpose	Capacity (theatre)
Gateshead Suite	Main Room and Dinner	400
Gateshead Foyer	Refreshments /lunch and exhibition area	250 19 exhibition spaces
Hillgate	Breakout	80
Meeting Room 6,7,8	Breakout	60
Meeting Room 1	Breakout	40
Meeting Room 2	Breakout	40

Hilton Brighton, Metropole

Situated on the sea-front directly opposite the West pier, this hotel is within walking distance of the main pier and Brighton’s many shops and bars. Brighton train station is only a ten minute walk away.

Dates on hold 8-10 March 2021

Room	Purpose	Capacity (theatre)
Regency	Main Room and Dinner	400
Viscount	Refreshments /lunch and exhibition area	300 25 Exhibition spaces
Osbourne	Breakout	60
Ambassador	Breakout	60
Sandringham	Breakout	60
Dukes	Breakout	80

Hilton Manchester, Deansgate

Located in the heart of the city within the striking Beetham Tower, in walking distance to shopping and entertainment. A few minutes’ walk from Deansgate train station, which is 7 minutes to Manchester Piccadilly Station or a short journey by taxi.

Dates on hold 8-9 March 2021

Room	Purpose	Capacity (theatre)
Deansgate Suite	Main Room and Dinner	350
Deansgate Foyer	Refreshments and exhibition area	20 exhibition spaces (capacity for 550 standing)
Deansgate Foyer	Lunch	300
Meeting Room 2,3 &4	Breakout	100
Meeting Room 8&9	Breakout	100
The Boardroom	Breakout	50
Meeting Room 1	Breakout	30

All the hotels can provide accommodation, but there are a range of hotels in all three locations which can cater for all budgets.

The number of available venues which fulfil the criteria set out in paragraph three and four majority of the criteria set out in 3 and 4 is limited. We did also consider the Hilton Metropole Birmingham which met the criteria, but they were unwilling to negotiate on minimum numbers of attendees below 300 and a set-up charge of £12,000 so we ruled it out due to budget restraints.

Price comparison for all 3 venues shown on the table below:

Hotel	Day Delegate rate (DDR)	Room Hire	Bedroom rate	Dinner rate 3 course (prices starting from)
Hilton Gateshead	£42	Main room – included in DDR Breakout space - £350 each Exhibition space both days -£1,500 Setup charge £4,000 (to be negotiated)	£115 per night	£32
Hotel	Day Delegate rate (DDR)	Room Hire	Bedroom rate	Dinner rate
Hilton Metropole Brighton	£41	Main Room included in DDR Breakout space £350 each Exhibition space £1,000 Setup charge £3,000 to be negotiated	£109 per night	£34
Hilton Manchester Deansgate	£52	Main room included in DDR Exhibition and catering space £2,500 Breakout spaces £700 each Setup charge £7,000 (To be negotiated)	£159per night	£40

*costs shown are excluding VAT

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Hilton Gateshead	We know this hotel works very well for the conference and it has been held here in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Car parking on site. Outdoor space available if we get asked about demonstrations of vehicles, equipment etc.	The dates are not our preferred dates – 1 week earlier.
Hilton Metropole Brighton	The conference was held here in 2019 so we know that it can accommodate the conference. The rates are the cheapest of the three options. Preferred dates available.	Exhibition space was upstairs at a distance from the main room. No external space for demonstrations. Limited car parking and expensive
Hilton Manchester Deansgate	Conference was held here in 2010 so it does have a history with the conference. Central location in a modern landmark hotel. Preferred dates available.	No on site car parking – NCP nearby but daily rate expensive. Most expensive of the 3 venues particularly for room hire and accommodation. No external space for demonstrations

Recommendations

That Members consider the possible venues and agree in principle the date and venue for the LGA Fire Conference and Exhibition 2021.