ACES National Conference 2025
ACES key annual event for learning and networking
ACES National Conference 2025
The ACES flagship event of the year will be an in-person event in September 2025 with the usual line up of excellent speakers and great networking opportunities for ACES members and others working in or for the public sector at exceptional value for money.
Realising the Value of Land; and Local Government Reform
Venue: Guildhall, Bath
Conference Date: Thursday 25th September 2025 (one day event)
Conference Networking Meal: Wednesday 24th September 2025 (evening)
Social Programme: Thursday 25th September 2025 (one day)
In September ACES will gather in Bath for the flagship event of the year, the National Presidential Conference.
ACES are delighted to have secured the following organisations to deliver the sessions:
- Lambert Smith Hampton
- Carter Jonas
- Avison Young
- Norse Consulting
The 2025 conference is open to everyone who works within the public sector, and there will be many opportunities for open discussions, networking and accruing CPD.
More details of the agenda and speaker biographies will be emailed to members and prospective delegates shortly. For more information email president@aces.org.uk or secretary@aces.org.uk or phone 07853 262255.
Latest Programme – Thursday 25th September
| Timings | Item | Presenters |
| 9.00 | Registration & Refreshments | N/A |
| 9.30 | Presidents Welcome | ACES President |
|
Session 1 |
||
| 9.45 | Land Use in Changing Times | Jeremy Moody, Secretary and Adviser, the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) |
| 10.30 | Estate Strategies & Competing Land Use Challenges | Carter Jonas |
| 11.00 | Refreshments | N/A |
|
Session 2 |
||
| 11.20 | Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in Practice | Ben Sharples, FRICS FAAV, FCIArb, Partner, Michelmores |
| 12.00 | Delivering BNG ‘in house’ – A Practical Case Study | Emma Chapman MRICS, Principal Rural Estates Officer, Hertfordshire County Council |
| 12.30 | Lunch | N/A |
|
Session 3 |
||
| 13.15 | A Guide to Local Government Reform – Property Strategies | Norse Consulting |
| 14.00 | Cornwall Council Local Government Reform in Practice (case study) | Adam Birchall MRICS FAAV, Head of Planning and Housing Policy, & Julie Zessimedes, Head of Culture, Leisure & Libraries, Cornwall Council |
| 14.45 | Afternoon Refreshments | N/A |
|
Session 4 |
||
| 15.15 | Local Government Reform – a good governance guide | Lambert Smith-Hampton |
| 16.00 | TBA | Avison Young |
| 16.45 | LGR Panel Q&A | Norse, LSH, AY, CJ |
| 17.15 | Close | N/A |
Note: Day delegates are also invited to the informal evening meal at Beckford Bottle Shop from 7.30pm. Cost is £50 a head inclusive of wine. See Social Programme for further details.
ACES Dinner: Pump Room, Bath
This year’s conference dinner will be on the evening before the conference (Wednesday 24th September) in the world famous Grade I listed Roman Baths (built around 70AD) and Pump Room, Bath.
We will enjoy a drinks reception in the Roman Baths, followed by a three course meal in the Pump Rooms.
Dress code is smart casual, but feel free to wear business attire or fully embrace black tie / cocktail dresses if you wish.
Delegate Rates (Conference only – not including hotel room)
| Conference Delegate | Day Rate | Dinner |
| ACES Member (early bird rate) | £100 | £75 |
| ACES Member | £125 | £75 |
| Non ACES Public Sector & Commercial | £170 | £75 |
We are using Eventbrite again this year for the bookings which is a well used, trusted and safe booking and payment environment. Click on the link below to take you to the bookings page where you will find booking options and more information.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE BOOKING WEBSITE
See separate webpage HERE for Social Delegate rates and link to the Social Programme booking form.
ACES Presidential Conference, Bath
Conference Hotel
Rooms, as noted below, have been reserved at the Abbey Hotel for business and social delegates for Wednesday and Thursday nights. The hotel is located in the heart of the city, close to Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths.
Abbey Hotel, North Parade, Bath BA1 1LF A Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Tel: 01225 461603
This 4 star hotel extends to 4 interconnected 18th century Georgian townhouses, in the heart of the city, close to Bath Abbey and the Roman Baths.
ACES have negotiated a competitive room rate and we have a block booking for a number of rooms for Wednesday night, 24th September and Thursday night, 25th September.
Early booking is advised. To book, either click on the link below – and select the one person or two person room you require, or ‘phone 01225 461603, ask for Angeles Perez, Booking Services Manager, and quote “ACES”. Rates to ACES are as follows:
Standard room for single occupancy: £ 169 per night
Standard room for double occupancy: £ 184 per night
Rates include VAT and full English breakfast
Link: BOOK ONLINE HERE
Please resist any temptation to book via an on-line comparison site – it might affect our allocation and negotiated room rates if delegates do not book through the link or the hotel.
Rooms allocated to us and not booked by 31 July 2025 will be returned to the hotel for general letting. Late bookers will have to take a chance on availability and room charges.
Car parking: the nearest long term car park is Manvers Parking at 5A Manvers Street, 159 mostly open ground spaces, within 2 minutes walk of the hotel. The charge for 24 hrs parking is £ 24. The nearest multi-storey covered car park is Southgate Parking, 876 spaces at 18 Southgate Street, 6 minutes walk away (0.2 miles). Their charge for 24 hrs parking is £ 18.
But do please travel to Bath by train or coach if you can: the railway station is within a 12 minute walk from the hotel.
Back-up Hotel Try the Travelodge Bath City Centre Hotel, at 6-10 Westgate
Buildings, Bath BA1 1EB To book “phone 08719 846523. This modern budget hotel occupies a convenient central location and has all you would expect from a Travelodge hotel.
