(Intermediate)
Repeated from East Midlands
Theme: Acting commercially
13 December 2017, 9.30am registration (9.45am start) – 1.00pm (followed by lunch) Bevan Brittan, London
VCE NOT AVAILABLE
Presented by Bevan Brittan and Sharpe Pritchard
Course overview
Suitable audience:
Local authority lawyers responsible for commercial contracts and commercial activities, local authority lawyers involved in setting up and operating LA companies, local authority officers involved in considering trading and charging to generate revenue for their authority. The session may be appropriate for other senior officers.
Overview:
This session provides an overview of charging, income generation and new models of delivery including LA companies. It also considers the legal and commercial issues to address once a contract has been awarded.
Topics to be covered include:
• What does commercialism mean?
• The vires for local authority trading and charging and commercial activities
• When do you need a LA company?
• What are the models to consider for commercial activities?
• How do LA companies operate – what are the main issues to consider in setting up the arrangements and operating the new entity?
• The key legal issues related to LA companies including
• Procurement
• State aid
• Employment and pensions
• Governance and conflicts
Interactive elements
The session will be interactive, encouraging participants to share examples from their own council where they are exploring trading and charging opportunities. The session will include speakers from local authorities who will bring practical experience of commercialisation in their own authority.
Duration: Half a day (3 training hours) including lunch
Competencies
This course will cover:
A Ethics professionalism and judgement
B4 Draft documents
B6 Negotiation
C1 Communicate clearly and effectively
Presenter profiles:
Bethan Evans, Partner, Bevan Brittan is a local authority lawyer with over 30 years’ experience both in local government and private practice. She specialises in advising local authorities on new ways of working/new delivery models. Beth regularly advises on income generation through charging and trading; decision-making and constitutional issues; LA companies; conflicts and probity. Beth is ranked in Band One in Chambers and Partners for Local Government and Public and Administrative Law.
Judith Barnes, Partner, Bevan Brittan is an experienced public sector lawyer and manager. Judith regularly advises on public sector vires and governance including advice on powers and income generation through charging and trading; decision-making and constitutional issues; conduct and ethics; options appraisals and structuring major projects and regeneration schemes, including asset vehicles; setting up and managing Teckal and Trading companies, charities and social enterprises; and minimising challenge. Judith is a leading individual in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 for both Local Government and Public and Administrative Law.
Gemma Townley, Sharpe Pritchard is a solicitor in the technology and data law team and specialises in advising on public sector procurement and a wide range of complex contracts. Gemma advises on public procurement issues at all stages of the process, and is regularly instructed on data protection, freedom of information and intellectual property rights.
Gemma regularly drafts tender documentation and undertakes commercial contractual negotiations for her clients. Additionally, she has experience of advising on a wide range of service contracts in relation to outsourcing projects for adult social care, children’s services, leisure, housing and health. She also has experience of advising clients on grant and loan agreements. She has a particular interest in telecommunications, advising on a voice and video contract for a central government department and on an urban wi-fi project that involved 14 London boroughs.
She advises clients in a wide range of sectors including central government, local government and telecoms. Gemma also presents seminars on various topics, including procurement law updates and contract law.
Debbie Bondi, Sharpe Pritchard is an accomplished business development professional with over 20 years’ experience and a strong background in supporting and leading transformation projects, developing commercial opportunities and using technology to effect change.
She has extensive experience of working with clients to design, establish and deliver major projects. She is a skilled interim project manager and is respected for her practical approach which focuses on delivery. Previous clients include public, private and not-for-profit organisations in a range of sectors including local government, education, retail, finance and telecoms.
LA speaker (to be confirmed for each session)