Exploring best practice across leading councils internationally, this VLGA & LGIU Global Executive Live Panel -  part of LGIU’s Future Local Lab - will look at tackling the housing and homelessness crisis.

Local government is at the sharp end of rising demand for affordable housing and an increasing homelessness crisis that is affecting many countries across the globe. Market failures in both supply and demand offer a complex and tangled web of policy development and solutions. At the same time, we see how local government is leading new initiatives and harnessing the strengths of local democracy when innovating for the future of housing. This Global Executive Panel will explore the shared challenges and some of the approaches that are being developed by different councils.

This event takes place at 08:30 - 10:00 BST / 17:30 - 19:00 AEST / 19.30 - 21.00 NZST via Zoom

Key areas for discussion will include

• Addressing long-term drivers on demographics and planning for the future with housing.
• Working with private developers and addressing supply-side drivers.
• Adopting preventative models of service delivery for homelessness.
• Working with communities and community organisations to tackle homelessness.

Speakers

Derek started out his career as a Trainee Trading Standards Officer at the City of Edinburgh Council, with subsequent roles in Licensing, Community Safety, Environment Management, Transformation and Family and Household Support before he left in 2016 to take up the post of Head of Communities and Housing at Aberdeen City Council. 

Following reorganisation he was appointed as Head of Early Intervention and Community Empowerment for Aberdeen City Council, and was responsible for Housing and Homelessness, Equalities, Community Safety, Community Learning and Libraries as well as developing early intervention and prevention practice for the Council. In this role Derek chaired Community Planning Aberdeen’s Anti-Poverty and Community Justice Groups, before returning to Edinburgh in March 2023 to his current post.

	Andrew Leigh Director for Housing, Liverpool Council
	Dr Michael Fortheringham Managing Director, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AUHRI)
	Fiona Caniglia CEO, QShelter, Australia

About our partners

The VLGA is an independent (non-partisan) governance organisation supporting councils and councillors in achieving the highest standards of governance on behalf of their communities. They provide opportunities for councillor networking, professional development and information exchange and actively engage with key policymakers and broader stakeholders to inform, influence and lead the conversations that determine the priorities for the local government sector in Victoria. vlga.org.au | [email protected]

About Future Local Lab

LGIU’s Future Local Lab is a holistic programme of resources to help local government prepare for and respond to the emerging challenges facing the sector internationally. From embracing the opportunities of new technology to tackling the threats of climate change, join us for ideas and inspiration.