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Events.
DEVO EAST LAUNCH - 5TH FEBRUARY 2026
DEVO NORTH SOIREE- 22ND JANUARY
Devo North New Year Soiree
Is The Devolution Revolution Alive and Kicking?
DATE AND TIME: Thu 22 Jan 2026 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
LOCATION: KPMG Manchester, 1 St. Peter's Square, M2 3AE
Join us for the New Year Devo North Soiree to talk about your predictions for 2026!
With fears over the impact of Reform UK on local and Mayoral elections; postponement of 4 Metro Mayoral elections in the South, £13 billion of funding being devolved to 7 Mayors and the introduction of a Tourism Levy, the stakes are high in 2026 and powerful politics are at play.
We want you to join the conversation on where devolution will land, and what more power and money means for growth in the North’s cities, towns and communities in 2026.
Devo Agency’s Devo North Network brings together great leaders from communications, business and politics to shape and inform future thinking on the impact of deeper and wider devolution and a fully devolved North.
Join us for our third, “in conversation” style LIVE podcast to answer the BIG question:
Q. Is the devolution revolution (A) alive and kicking? OR (B) being kicked into the long grass?
We will talk about the good, bad and ugly politics on the horizon, the widening power gap between the State and devolved regions and whether devolution can deliver the promise of change and greater opportunity? We want to hear YOUR predictions for 2026 and beyond.
We will be joined by 3 fantastic guest speakers: Zoë Billingham (Director, IPPR North), Sarah Longlands (Chief Executive, CLES) and Jonathan Werran (Localis).
Don't miss out on the BIG conversation!
Devo East Launch
SOONER OR LATER? MAKING THE PROMISE OF DEVOLUTION COME TRUE
DATE AND TIME: THURSDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2026 | 6PM - 8PM
LOCATION: John Peel Centre for Creative Arts Church Walk, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 1ET
Join our special guests from business and politics to talk about unlocking the full power of devolution in the East of England
Join our VIP panel at the launch of the Devo East Network, a new forum bringing together the East’s leading political, business, and civic voices to shape the conversation about the future of devolution in our region.
The East stands on the brink of real change. The promise of devolution is there but the announcement that the Mayoral elections in the East have been delayed also means investment in the skills, jobs, opportunities, regeneration and connectivity won't happen fast enough to deliver much needed growth.
The Devo East Network has been created to provide a unique forum for those who live, work, rest and play in the East of England. It brings together political, business and thought leaders; influencers and communication professionals to shape the conversation on what devolution means for the East’s future economic growth, democratic renewal and future prosperity. A Devo East is the place to collaborate, convene, build consensus and network on the big issues
NPEESS26 - 26th February 2026
THE NORTH’S BIGGEST EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND SKILLS SUMMIT
POWERING UP THE GREAT NORTH
TURBOCHARGING GROWTH SUMMIT
DATE: 26 February 2026
LOCATION: Bradford Live
With the Devolution Bill recently launched and the prospects of a full devolved North getting closer, NPEESS26 will provide a premier - and high profile - opportunity for the Great North’s political and business leaders to come together and set out plans to turbocharge growth and productivity in all parts of the Northern Powerhouse.
#NPEESS26 provides a unique opportunity for North’s political and business leaders to look to the future, talk about the challenges and opportunities and demonstrate their common endeavour to deliver change; prosperity, social mobility and opportunity for the people and places they serve in every part of the North.
There will be a packed programme involving Mayors, Ministers, political and business leaders, influencers and education, employment and skills providers from across the Northern Powerhouse.
Confirmed speakers already include Will Hutton, Economic Journalist; Paul Nowak, Director General of the TUC; Sian Ellis, Director of Organising, TUC; John Yarham, CEO of Careers and Enterprise Company.
Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, Henri Murison, CEO of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership; Gemma Marsh, Deputy CEO, Skills England; Fiona Aldridge, CEO Skills Federation; The Right Hon Lord Blunkett, former Secretary of State for Education; Claire McColgan CBE, Director of Culture for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; Naomi Clayton, Institute of Employment Studies, Joe Docherty former Chair of Council at Durham University, NED and CEO; Emma Degg, CEO North West Business Leadership Team; Fiona Spellman, CEO The Shine Trust.