An opportunity for VODG member CEOs and senior directors to talk about 2024/25 funding, fees and messaging.
VODG recently wrote to all cabinet members responsible for adult and children services on the importance of engaging well with third-sector partners ahead of their budget setting and fee uplifts in 2024/25. However, we know this engagement varies significantly across the country.
The issue of fees often features in our professional networks, and given the urgency of achieving adequate fee rates for 2024/25, we are convening a special spotlight session for Chief Executives and senior directors.
We will hear from Tom Noon (Chairman, Cordis Bright) with an assessment of the local authority finance settlement and the issues and observations providers should now be considering as a consequence.
As part of the meeting, we will provide space for members to share their perspectives and activities in working with commissioners towards fair settlements.
This senior-level session is aimed at member Chief Executives or their direct deputies, offering a forum to share insight and discuss messaging for funding and fees in 2024/25.
Please note that this meeting was originally due to take place on 17 January; however, due to an unprecedented demand, and to avoid running an extensive plenary meeting, we postponed the session to this date. This decision was made to ensure our members receive maximum value from the session and that your time is utilised effectively.
Managing Director, Aldingbourne Trust
Sue is the Managing Director of the Aldingbourne Trust, an organisation which supports autistic people and people with learning disabilities in West Sussex and Portsmouth, across social enterprises, housing and employment. Sue has worked with ex-offenders, within forensic mental health support and with families and pre-school children. Sue is active within her local Integrated Care System as a VCSE rep on workforce and holds voluntary roles in a Community Land Trust and a Makerspace.Commercial Contracts Director, United Response
Phil has been a freelance consultant since October 2022 and has worked with several large and small learning disability and autism charities. His role prior to this was 6.5 years as Chief Executive of Autism West Midlands.
Prior to Autism West Midlands Phil was Development Director at Affinity Trust for 8 years, where the charity grew considerably, taking on many new supported living services, in particular supporting many people to move from NHS campus reprovision into their own homes.
Prior experience involves senior development and fundraising positions at the charities YMCA Training and Groundwork, and an early part of his career was 9 years working on contracts and strategy in local government.
Phil has been supporting United Response as an associate director since April 2022 to resolve challenging fee negotiations and reviewing service sustainability, and has over 3 decades of negotiations of all kinds under his belt.
Chairman and Founder, Cordis Bright
Tom set up Cordis Bright because he wanted to offer a straightforward, intellectually robust and competitive research and consultancy service.
The aim was to provide consultancy and research outcomes that clients could use with confidence when planning for the future. It was also important to Tom that services really were complementary to the expertise and knowledge that clients brought to the table and that the final outcomes really were greater than the sum of the parts.
Although Tom is the Chairman of Cordis Bright he spends most of his time working on consultancy projects mainly with larger provider organisations.
His work is strongly focused on business development and, in particular, mergers and acquisitions, market intelligence and strategic planning. Tom has been working long-term with a range of clients providing ongoing insight and support to assist them in achieving the strategic and operational goals they have set.
As a commentator Tom has been instrumental in the development of the Cordis Briefing which has provided challenging and insightful commentary on the development of social care and supported housing for over ten years.