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IRRV Annual Conference
& Exhibition 

Promoting Professional Standards to Deliver Excellence and Innovation

Telford International Centre, 1 - 3 October 2025

INFORMATION

ABOUT THE EVENT 

We are delighted to be returning to Telford and look forward to seeing you all there.
Speakers will bring delegates up-to-date on everything that is happening but also on what lies ahead for those working within the profession.

Exhibition details can be viewed at Annual 2025 Exhibition.

We'll be using a bespoke conference and events app at this year’s Conference. Full details will be sent out to delegates prior to the event.

GET CONNECTED

Meet all the biggest suppliers and innovators in the field at this year's exhibition. Showcasing the latest technology and offering the very best expert advice.

BE INFORMED

Up to the minute sessions presented by leading industry experts. Catering for professionals within Local Taxation, Revenues, Enforcement, Welfare Benefits, Rating and Valuation.

STAY
REFRESHED

With regular refreshment breaks and lunch provided free of charge you won't have to miss a thing.

KEEP UPDATED

All the content from all the major sessions will be provided to you in e-format after the event for you to reference at your convenience.

INFORMATION

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME 

1st October

09.00

Registration And Exhibition Opens

10.00

Conference Opening

Cllr Eileen Callear, Mayor of Telford

10.05

Presidential Address

Simon Green, IRRV National President

10.30

Session TBC

11.00

Local Government Reorganisation

Speaker TBC

11.45

Exhibition & Networking Session

12.15

Lunch Break

13.00

The Future of Local Gevernment Finance

Speaker TBC

13.45

Leading Through Change: Transforming Revenues & Benefits for Resilience and Impact

Jude Green, Director Transactional Services, Liverpool CC

14.30

Refreshment Break

15.00

Local Government Reorganisation: Impact on the Profession and Sectors Sofa Session

Chaired by

Sue Williams Lee, Head of Educational Services, IRRV

Panel

Nigel Blair, Head of Strategy, NEC

Dean Hannan, Director of Operational Excellence, VOA

Laura Anne Smith, Director of Client Relationships, Excel Civil Enforcement

16.30

Wine Reception - Exhibition Centre

17.30

End of Day 1

2nd October

08.30

Registration And Exhibition Opens

09.00

Ctrl + Alt + Delete Your Council: Exploring What Happens When Automation Goes Too Far and Cyber Attackers Hit Enter

Richard Hanby, Managing Director, Ascendant

09.30

The Pitfall of On-line Forms and the Risks They Pose

Speaker TBC

10.00

Local Authorities' Use of AI Chatbots: Are They Serving the Stakeholders?

Daniel Pearce, Director Business Developments, Telsolutions

10.45

Refreshment Break

11.30

ECB Four Years On: What Have They Done?

Carole Kenney, Director Welfare, Road Traffic & Road User Charging, CDER Group

Russell Hamblin-Boone, CEO, CIVEA

12.10

Reform of Council Tax

Allan Clark, Head of Finance:Exchequer, Barnet LBC

Mark Fearn, Customer Engagemnet Lead (Revenues, Income Recovery & Debt), Walsall C

Alistair Townsend, Director, Alistair Townsend Ltd

Nick Rowe, Assistant Director of Finance: Local Tax & Accounts Receivable, Ealing LBC

12.50

Lunch Break

13.50

Council Tax Appeals: What Constitutes An Appeal

Speaker TBC

14.30

HMRC Trial: An Update

Charles Metcalfe, Head of Corporate Revenues, Manchester CC

15.10

Refreshment Break

15.50

Money Worries: Barnet LBC Approach

Nick Houlton, Finance Manager: Revenues and Benefits, Barnet LBC

16.20

Adult Social Care

Patrick Hall, Corporate Collections and Housing Benefit Overpayments Manager, Ealing LBC

17.00

End Sessions

16.45

Drinks Reception

19.30

Performance Awards Gala Dinner

2nd October

08.30

Registration And Exhibition Opens

09.00

Housing Benefit Recovery

Ed Bowen Housing Benefit Technical Manager, Runnymede BC

09.30

Session TBC

Phil Agulnik, Director, Entitledto

10.00

Housing & Benefits: WHat's Changing, What it Means, and Why Our Strategic Directions Should Align

Richard Dunsire, Head of Housing and Benefit, South Norfolk and Broadland C

Lindsay Sayer, Partnership and Innovation Senior Manager, South Norfolk and Broadland C

10.45

Refreshment Break

11.30

Update from the DWP

Claire Elliott, Deputy Director, DWP

Russell Hamblin-Boone, CEO, CIVEA

12.10

The Need for a National Strategy for Local Advice Services

Geoff Fimister, Head of Policy at Inclusion Barnet and Policy Co-Chair of the Disability Benefits Consortium

12.50

Lunch Break

13.50

Univeral Credit Migration

Michael Fisher, Assistant Director Revenues, Benefits and Contact Centre, St Helens C

14.30

An Intergrated Approach to Money Advice and Financial Support

Corin Hammersley, Head of Advice & Benefits, Greenwich RBC

Cecilia Torsney, Advice & Policy Manager, Greenwich RBC

15.10

Refreshment Break

15.50

The Design of a Council Tax Support Scheme

Speaker TBC

16.20

Becoming a Pensioner: A Customer View and how we can Support

Speaker TBC

17.00

End Sessions

16.45

Drinks Reception

19.30

Performance Awards Gala Dinner

2nd October

08.30

Registration And Exhibition Opens

09.00

Completion Notices - The Pitfalls

Stephanie O'Neill, Partner, Wilks Head & Eve

09.30

General Anti Avoidance Rule (GAAR): Wales and Scotland Experience

Matthew Evans, Head of Service - Revenues and Benefits, Wrexham CBC

10.00

Rates Avoidance - Where are We?

Alex Worthington, Barrister and Associate Director, Greenhalgh Kerr

Phil Black, Assistant Director, Financial Shared Services, City of London Corporation

10.45

Refreshment Break

11.30

Non Domestic Rate: Preparing for 2026/27

Nick Cooper, Technical Specialist, MHCLG

12.10

VOA Reforms: An Update

John Berry, Director for Business Design and Policy, Next Gen NDR Programme, VOA

12.50

Lunch Break

13.50

Receipts & Expenditure: The Key Issues

Barry Davies, Davies & Co

14.30

Use of AVM's in Valuation: Learning from the USA

Donna Vandrvries, President, IAAO

15.10

Refreshment Break

15.50

Fitting Out - What are the Implications?

James Feltham, VOA

16.20

Recent Case Law

Paul Dalling, Honorary Member, IRRV

17.00

End Sessions

16.45

Drinks Reception

19.30

Performance Awards Gala Dinner

3rd October

09.30

Refreshments

10.00

Professional Update (Chairs of the Faculty Boards

Mark Fearn, Customer Engagement Lead (Revenues, Income Recovery & Debt), Walsall C and IRRV Faculty Chair of Local Taxation & Revenues

Chris Grose, Director, Hartnerll Taylor Cook and IRRV Faculty Chair of Valuation

Zoe Kent, Head of Revenues and Benefits, Mid Kent Services and IRRV Faculty Chair of Benefits

11.00

Open Forum

11.30

Close of Conference

OPPORTUNITIES

EXHIBITION AND SPONSORSHIP 

For the latest exhibition floorplan please click here

To book a stand or find out about sponsorship opportunities please contact Vicki Chastney.

To find out about more about working with the IRRV at this or any of out events please visit IRRV Exhibitions and Sponsorship, or to register your interest please contact Vicki.
Contact Details:

Vicki Chastney
Head of Commercial Services
E: vicki.chastney@irrv.org.uk
T: 0207 691 8979

GETTING HERE

TELFORD INTERNATIONAL CENTRE 

MEET US IN TELFORD

A BIT MORE INFO

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Full Conference Pass includes : Full access to conference sessions and exhibition, Conference Dinner place, refreshments throughout and all conference documentation. No accommodation included.

    Day Pass includes : Access to conference sessions and exhibition on selected day, refreshments throughout and all conference documentation. No Conference Dinner or accommodation included.

    Retired Member Pass allows complementary day access to all sessions and the exhibition. No Conference Dinner or accommodation included.

    Any enquiries on Delegate Fees should be addressed to conference@irrv.org.uk

  • Non-commercial rates are available only to non-commercial companies such as local authorities; valuer and rating agents; government and agencies; charitable organisations and non-profit organisations. Commercial rates should be selected where an organisation does not fit into any of the above.

  • *This offer is available to organisations sending 3 or more delegates and attending from the same organisation. Bookings must be made at the same time. It will be applied to the cheapest rate. At least one of the delegates must be a member of the Institute in order to receive this discount or alternatively, the organisation must subscribe to either the Forum Service or Organisational Membership Service.
    ** Discounted rates for Forum/Organisational membership subscribers with further discounts to all Individual IRRV members.

    For details on how you or your organisation can become a member click here.

  • Accommodation is NOT included in the delegate fee, giving you the benefit to book to individual budgets.

    Once you have booked your delegate place, we can, on request send out an accommodation booking form for hotels offering a potentially discounted conference fee, this form is supplied and administered via Southwater Event Group.

    To request a form please email conference@irrv.org.uk

  • The Telford International Centre has over 1500 car parking spaces onsite, all within easy walking distance of the venue. This is complimentary to all attendees.

  • Delegates attending the event should collect their badges from the Registration Desk located in the foyer.
    Passes can only be used by the person whose name is printed on the badge.
    If a person is found to be using the badge of another person, they will be asked to leave the event. This will jeopardise attendance for that delegate at future IRRV events.

    Exhibitors attending the event should collect their badges from the Help Desk located in the exhibition.
    Passes can only be used by the person whose name is printed on the badge.
    If a person is found to be using the badge of another person, they will be asked to leave the exhibition. This will jeopardise attendance for that exhibitor at future IRRV events

  • If you would like to book your place at the this years Conference please click 'Book Now' at the top of this page.

    Please note in order for your booking to be processed you must have a purchase order number. If your company does not operate a purchase order system or if you have any other enuiriy please email conference@irrv.org.uk

  • PROGRAMME CHANGES AND CANCELLATION / RESCHEDULING OF EVENTS
    The Institute will make every effort to give delegates as much notice as possible of any programme changes or the cancellation/re-scheduling of an event. However, it does reserve the right to make changes to advertised programmes and to cancel/re-schedule events. In the unlikely event of an event being cancelled/re-scheduled, either a full refund will be made or alternatively, any fee paid will be credited against a future booking. The Institute will not be liable for any travel and/or accommodation costs incurred by the attendee should an event be cancelled/re-scheduled.
    VAT RECEIPTS
    On receipt of the registration form with purchase order number the IRRV will issue a receipted VAT invoice at the prevailing rate. Payment must be received in advance of the event. The Institute reserves the right to refuse admission where delegate fees have not been paid.
    CANCELLATIONS
    Cancellations made 1 month before the meeting will be subject to an administration charge of 50% of the fee plus VAT. Cancellations after this date are liable for the full registration fee. A substitute delegate is welcome at any time at no extra charge.
    PRIVACY
    The Institute will be producing a delegate list that will only include the name of each delegate, their job title and employer. This will be available to all sponsors and delegates.

    Please note that by booking this event, you agree to your details (including email address) being made available to our event sponsors.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact conference@irrv.org.uk

Looking to attend

PRICES  

FULL EVENT PASS

NON COMMERCIAL

Includes conference dinner
IRRV Individual (Personal) Member
£495
Organisational/Forum Subscriber
£565
Non Member
£710
  • This fee does NOT include accommodation.
  • The Individual (Personal) Membership rate is only available where the attendee is a Member of the Institute. This is non-transferable.
  • Non-commercial rates are available only to non-commercial companies such as local authorities; valuer and rating agents; government and agencies; charitable organisations and non-profit organisations. Commercial rates should be selected where an organisation does not fit into any of the above.
  • Prices exclude VAT

FULL EVENT PASS

COMMERCIAL

Includes conference dinner
IRRV Individual (Personal) Member
£799
Organisational/Forum Subscriber
£845
Non Member
£995
  • This fee does NOT include accommodation.
  • The Individual (Personal) Membership rate is only available where the attendee is a Member of the Institute. This is non-transferable.
  • Prices exclude VAT

SINGLE DAY

NON COMMERCIAL
IRRV Individual (Personal) Member
£215
Organisational/Forum Subscriber
£250
Non Member
£310
  • This fee does NOT include the conference dinner or accommodation.
  • The Individual (Personal) Membership rate is only available where the attendee is a Member of the Institute. This is non-transferable.
  • Non-commercial rates are available only to non-commercial companies such as local authorities; valuer and rating agents; government and agencies; charitable organisations and non-profit organisations. Commercial rates should be selected where an organisation does not fit into any of the above.
  • Prices exclude VAT

SINGLE DAY

COMMERCIAL
IRRV Individual (Personal) Member
£465
Organisational/Forum Subscriber
£499
Non Member
£600
  • This fee does NOT include the conference dinner or accommodation.
  • The Individual (Personal) Membership rate is only available where the attendee is a Member of the Institute. This is non-transferable.
  • Prices exclude VAT

Special Offers

25% Reduction

Special Member/Subscriber Offer: 3rd delegate gets 25% Reduction*

Free Exhibition Access Passes

Complimentary exhibition only passes available to all non commercial organisations.

Member/Subscriber Discounts

Discounted rates for Forum/Organisational membership subscribers with further discounts to all Individual IRRV members.

NOT A MEMBER

For details on how to become a member click here. To subscribe to the Forum Service, please click here or for details as to how to become an organisational member click here.