Scotland’s public services are critical. Those services and the bodies that deliver them depend upon financial stability which is key to long-term sustainability. However, acute fiscal pressures and lack of pace in delivering reform have created a sense of crisis. This conference explores how we got here and what the scope of the challenge is, what can be done to deliver change, and which are the practical steps possible to move forward.

This conference will take place online. 

Scottish transport is critical to our ability to sustain economic success and thriving, stable communities. However, the strength and development of our transport systems is under challenge. We have fragile public finances. We need to attract private investment and confidence. There are now reshaped travel patterns following COVID. Transport is expected to simultaneously help deliver economic growth and meet net zero targets while remaining affordable and reliable. What therefore should be our strategic objectives and targets for transport? How can we innovate to fund and deliver both projects and services? Who should transport policy and delivery be seeking to serve?

This conference will take place online.

Most working people and organisations use Microsoft 365 in one shape or another every day, but are you using applications like Outlook, Excel, Word and Teams effectively? Research shows that most people are only using 20% of the functionality in Microsoft 365. However, developing a better understanding of how to use these applications more productively is relatively easy and can deliver huge rewards in time savings, quality of work and organisational development.

This conference will take place online. 

Scotland is at a critical juncture in facing up to the challenges posed by climate change. Already we are more frequently experiencing the kind of extreme weather events which used to be considered exceptional. The effects are tangible and real; severe storms, flooding, power losses, transport disruption, rising insurance costs, disrupted services and even fatalities. What does Scotland need to do now to mitigate the damage that future climate-driven weather extremes will otherwise bring to people, communities, homes and businesses?

This conference will take place online. 

Scotland is at a pivotal moment in the reform of its mental health and capacity laws. The Scottish Government is responding to calls for change, driven by the findings of the Scottish Mental Health Law Review (SMHLR). This includes an urgent need to address the complexities of Adults with Incapacity (AWI) legislation, ensure mental health practices are aligned with human rights, and improve accountability and support mechanisms across the care and treatment landscape.

This conference will take place online.

Good governance has always been critical, but in 2025, it has become indispensable. Public sector bodies face unprecedented challenges: constrained budgets, damaged services, evolving public expectations and increasing demands for transparency and accountability. The need to ensure strong governance frameworks that support innovation, resilience efficiency and collaboration has never been greater.

This conference will take place online.

Data protection requirements for all organisations in the UK and Scotland are governed by law setting out what needs to be complied with and how.  However, the new Data (Use and Access) Bill is moving swiftly through Parliament and will conclude during 2025.  This Bill contains a range of changes with implications for all data practitioners and data protection officers, impacting on when, how and why compliance is needed.  Do you know what data practitioners and organisations need to understand about what will be in the new Act, what changes and responses will be required and what the impact will be of the other wider drivers of change in the data environment?

This conference takes place online.

Antisocial behaviour in Scotland features regularly in news reporting in a variety of different contexts. That it is taking place and is causing significant damage to the quality of life for both individuals and communities is not in dispute. The question is, who has the responsibility to tackle it, when should they be addressing it and how can this be given priority for both cure and prevention?

This conference takes place online.