This session explores the strategic imperative for the public sector property profession to serve as a powerful enabler of national renewal and the Plan for Change. We will examine the core role of property in supporting key government missions, including accelerating economic growth, rebuilding Britain's infrastructure, and advancing clean energy ambitions.

The session will delve into how intelligent property management and capitalising on the government estate can unlock value and catalyse place-based prosperity across the UK by supporting local economies and improving sustainability.

Finally, it will address the critical need for building tomorrow's property leaders. This includes outlining the development priorities for the profession and discussing the essential skills, capabilities, and mindsets - from technical excellence to strategic thinking - required to collectively deliver ambitious, mission-led government objectives and drive better outcomes for citizens and places.

• Councils are facing mounting pressures from devolution, ageing infrastructure, constrained budgets, legislative demands and staff shortages, making it harder to balance day-to-day operations with long-term estate planning
• These challenges increase the risk of resource strain and non-compliant maintenance, threatening the safety, efficiency, and compliance of council estates.
• SFG20 will be discussing these challenges in further detail and sharing practical strategies to help councils maintain standards and compliance across their buildings

• Understand the future skills landscape for FM professionals, including digital, lifecycle, energy and risk management competencies
• Explore how public sector organisations can develop strong pipelines through apprenticeships, CPD pathways and professional standards
• Identify the strategic workforce challenges facing local authorities, NHS estates, education and national bodies and how to address them

This presentation will focus on practical guidance for facility management leaders, anchored in funding and assessment.

• Understand how innovative data modelling is being used across the public sector to unlock estate data at scale and support evidence-based decarbonisation strategies

• Learn how better use of estate data can improve long-term resilience, investment planning and whole-system decision-making across complex public sector sites

• Gain insight into practical lessons from Energy Systems Catapult’s work with public sector organisations, including how guidance and data tools can be applied to support strategic estate and net zero planning

Steve Westcott, Programme Manager – Low Carbon, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Eddie Boyd, Building Decarbonisation Advisor, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

The panel will be discussing how the public estate can become more resilient, sustainable and future ready by 2030. Bringing together leaders from central government, local authorities, healthcare and the wider FM profession, the discussion will explore the major challenges and opportunities shaping estates today.