Agenda
Future in focus: Herts Housing 2026
Tuesday 2 June 2026
8.30 - Registration and coffee
9.00 - Welcome and introduction
9.05 - Setting the scene
Baroness Dorothy Thornhill
Liberal Democrat housing spokesperson in the House of Lords
9.20 - Economic viewpoint
Alexandra Pitchford
Head of Regional Corporate Affairs, Government Relations and Policy - Barclays
9.35 - Devolution and what funding will look like
Neil Hayes
Chief Executive - Herts Futures
9.50 - Update from National Housing Federation
Rhys Moore
Executive Director of Public Impact - National Housing Federation
10.05 - The funding environment
10.20 - Q&A
Mike Figg
Head of Social Housing - Barclays
10.35 - Coffee and networking
11.00 - Panel discussion: Development aspirations and funding
Chaired by Anne Clarke
Director of Policy and Public Affairs - Housing Forum
Speakers
Vicky Savage - Executive Regional Director for London and East at Homes England
Tom Hennessey - Director of Health Integration at Hertfordshire County Council
Richard Cook - Chief Development Officer at Clarion Housing Group
Maxine Epsley – Chief Executive Officer at Hightown Housing Association
11.55 - Workshops
(Delegates select one)
Workshop A - AI in organisations
Chair: Paul Richmond - CEO
Lauren Trevelyan - Principal Consultant at Altair Consultancy
Workshop B - Gaining and retaining skills in the sector
Chair: Ken Adams - Managing Director of Life Build
Garry Staines – Co-Founder of Site Ready Solutions
Nathan Wilkins - Customer Engagement Manager at CITB
Workshop C - The UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard for Housing: Introduction, requirements and case studies
Chair: Steve Woodcock - CEO at B3Living
Hareth Pochee – Principal Engineer and Partner at Max Fordham
Workshop D - Stevenage’s regeneration
Chair: Andy Bugler - CEO at Bugler Group
Ash Ahmed – Director Land, Development & Neighbourhood Regeneration at Stevenage Borough Council