Stand 34 | Public Finance Live
Real Advice. Real People. No Pressure.
We understand how full-on conference days can be — jam-packed agendas, back-to-back sessions, and barely a moment to reflect. That’s why we’re doing things differently. We are not offering notebooks, pens or sweets.
At Stand 34, the Visionary Network Partnership Hub offers a no-frills, no-fuss space where you can pause, ask the difficult questions, and have grounded, practical conversations with people who truly understand the pressures and trade-offs you’re managing.
This is more than just another exhibition stand — it’s your Pop-Up Consultancy and Networking Hub. Whether you want one-to-one advice or a round-the-table conversation, our space is built for practitioners, thinkers and leaders to connect, challenge and explore ideas together.
What You’ll Find at Stand 34:
Free Pop-Up Consultancies
Short, focused sessions offering professional advice on the topics that matter most to local government professionals — from Council Tax Reduction Schemes to ethical debt recovery, AI integration to income maximisation. Talk to one of us or join a group discussion. It’s free, flexible, and built around your needs.
Hands-On Tools & Dashboards
Explore a suite of powerful, user-friendly apps and dashboards — including performance dashboards, income maximisation platforms and real-time analytics. These include the acclaimed tools developed by LA Directories, who are proudly supporting us for this event. While their team won’t be present on the day, their technologies will be ready for you to try and explore hands-on at the stand.
A True Networking Hub
Sometimes, the best thinking through a friendly chat, with people who understand your circumstances. Drop in for a proper conversation, meet others tackling the same challenges, and discover new perspectives in a relaxed, collaborative space.
Meet the Experts Behind the Hub
Malcolm Gardner – Visionary Network Ltd.
A widely respected leader in local government reform, Malcolm brings decades of frontline and consultancy experience. His work on Council Tax Reduction Schemes has helped authorities across the UK redesign and refocus their approaches for fairness, resilience, and operational sustainability. Malcolm’s expertise spans financial modelling, digital transformation, and public policy, with a current focus on how AI is reshaping benefit administration and targeting support.
Peter Carter – Inbest.ai
Peter is an expert in benefits automation and income-related policy design, with a strong track record of helping councils streamline assessment processes and improve financial outcomes for residents. He has worked extensively on digital solutions that integrate real-time income data into Council Tax Reduction schemes, helping to ensure that support is responsive, accurate and targeted. With hands-on experience in both process design and policy implementation, Peter brings practical insight into how technology can be used to reduce administrative friction, tackle non-take-up, and support more dynamic approaches to income maximisation.
Fiona Monk – Fiona Monk Consultancy
With a career grounded in housing, welfare, and advice provision, Fiona is a specialist in supporting vulnerable citizens within complex systems. Her consultancy advises councils on inclusive policy design, system change, and strength-based approaches that place people — not just processes — at the centre of public service delivery. She is especially focused on safeguarding vulnerable households during funding reductions and service restructuring.
Tracey Stone – Welfare Together
Tracey leads Welfare Together with a clear focus on supporting local councils to maximise income while protecting vulnerable residents. Her consultancy works directly with authorities to ensure residents are receiving their full entitlement — including overlooked benefits, exemptions, and disregards — and helps design recovery processes that are fair, sustainable, and legally robust. With a background spanning both local government and enforcement, Tracey brings a rare dual perspective: an acute understanding of residents’ circumstances and the operational pressures faced by councils. She specialises in developing repayment strategies that balance financial recovery with social responsibility, ensuring compliance, transparency, and better outcomes for both creditor and citizen.
Kevin Stewart – Visionary Network
Kevin is a senior consultant with extensive experience in Revenues and Benefits including in Business Rates, Housing Benefit subsidy, grant applications, and local authority funding. Having worked in Audit Commission and local Authorities but also advised Government departments, he supports councils to navigate the complexities of business rates, council tax, subsidy regulations, and departmental budget planning. Kevin is known for his clarity in demystifying funding rules and helping finance and welfare teams build practical, auditable approaches to service delivery. He also leads training and development sessions for practitioners seeking to improve knowledge, compliance, maximise subsidy, and strengthen service outcomes.
John O’Neil – Liberata
A senior leader in service delivery and transformation, John works at the cutting edge of performance management in local government. His focus is on helping authorities use data — and increasingly, AI — to align resources with outcomes. From workforce planning to decision intelligence, John brings a practical, delivery-focused mindset shaped by years of working in and with local government teams.
Kim Larkin – LA Directories
Kim worked with the founder of LA Directories to co-write The Benefits Directory, a well-regarded frontline tool designed to support Housing Benefit and Council Tax teams across the UK. With a background in welfare delivery, training, legal interpretation and software functionality design, Kim brings a rare blend of technical fluency and operational understanding. Her work focuses on legislative guidance and advice via The Benefits Directory, Benefits Enquiry Service, Training and Consultancy to help councils improve performance and accuracy, boost income through maximisation of Housing Benefit Subsidy recovery, and improve outcomes for residents. While Kim won’t be on the stand in person, delegates will be able to see a short demonstration via video of The Benefits Directory.
What Can You Talk About?
- Council Tax Reduction redesigns, funding and analytics
- Maximising income and benefit take-up using AI
- Safeguarding vulnerable households in complex systems
- Subsidy, grant management, and departmental finance
- Ethical debt collection and vulnerability strategies
- Workforce planning, performance, and digital decision-making
- Local government reorganisation and back-office integration
Book Ahead or Drop In
Want to secure a one-to-one slot in advance?
Or simply visit Stand 34 at any time — we’ll be there throughout the day, ready for a chat, a demonstration, or just a moment of calm in a busy event.
Let’s talk about the real issues, and work together on the real solutions.
We look forward to seeing you there.
The Visionary Network Team
Stand 34 | Public Finance Live
Pop-Up Consultancies & Networking Hub