Index
Events basics
Booking and payment for space and sponsorship
Sharing and partnering - sponsors and exhibitors
Attending conference sessions, accommodation, partners and visitors
Photography, press and media
Delegate list
Contact details
Still got a question?
Events basics
What events are there to get involved in?
Building Perfect Council Websites
Wednesday 15 July, Olympia 2, London
Socitm President's Dinner
London, date TBA, probably September, (Sole sponsorship only available).
Socitm Annual Conference, Socitm2009: 11th to 13th October 2009 Edinburgh (EICC) and partner hotels (Exhibition space and wide variety of sponsorship packages available).
Socitm 2010: 10th to 12th October 2010 Brighton Hilton Metropole
Socitm National Conference 2010
One day event usually the last Thursday in April - date and venue to be confirmed
Regional events (Exhibition and sponsorship opportunities vary by location).
Where can I find out about the programme/theme of each event?
As soon as they are confirmed, the programme details will be available from the Socitm website.
Where can I find out about exhibition and sponsorship opportunities for these events?
More information is available from our Exhibitors and Sponsors page. For regional events, and the President's Dinner, contact the exhibition organiser.
Who attends?
The delegates are drawn from the membership of Socitm (The Society of Information Technology Management).
Socitm is the professional organisation for IT and related professionals working in and for the public and third sectors. It has 1700 individual members across 550 organisations, including police and fire services, housing associations, regional bodies, the third sector, and 95% of local authorities. Around this core membership, Socitm is building large communities of practitioners in specialist areas like information security and management, communications and networks, and web development. Socitm’s reach, however, goes far beyond individual practitioners: more than 500 local authorities and other public and private sector organisations subscribe to its research and best practice arm, Socitm Insight, while Socitm Consulting is one of the leading providers of e-government and ICT consultancy services to local authorities, central government, other public sector bodies. Socitm collaborates closely with the Cabinet Office, LGA and other central and local government bodies working on the transformation and modernisation of public services. Senior Socitm members sit on the Cabinet Office’s CIO Council, and the Local Delivery Council, and Socitm chairs and runs the Local CIO Council.
Conference attendees are likely to be Directors or Heads of ICT and/or Senior ICT Managers. Non-members are also very welcome. Elected members and heads of corporate functions like e-government, transformation, corporate resources and finance may also attend. It is not a public event, so only delegates to the conference attend the exhibition. Past exhibitors say Socitm events offer unrivalled value for money in terms of reaching this quality audience, since all the delegates are key decision-makers and budget-holders.
How many delegates do you anticipate?
The last two years' annual conferences attracted 350+ delegates. Likely attendances for other events can be found in the information pack for each.
Who exhibits?
See the following pages for exhibitor and sponsor listings for the Annual Conference:
Socitm 2008 exhibitors and Socitm 2008 sponsors. See here for Socitm2009 exhibitors and sponsors currently booked.
Are the events always in the same place?
No, they tend to move around the Socitm regions. Past venues have included Belfast (Waterfont Hall), Birmingham (Hilton Birmingham Metropole (NEC)), Blackpool (Imperial Hotel), Bolton (Reebok Stadium), Brighton (Grand and Metropole Hotels), Bristol (Webbington Hotel), Edinburgh (EICC and partner hotels), Egham (Savill Court), Glasgow (Moat House Hotel), Harrogate (Harrogate International Centre & Majestic Hotel), London (The British Library), Maldon, Essex (Five Lakes Hotel and Country Club), Newport (Celtic Manor Resort), Coventry (Stoneleigh Park) and Torquay (Palace Hotel).
Can we provide a speaker/presentation?
For many years now, we haven’t offered sessions in the main programme to suppliers, because on the few occasions we’ve tried it, it has been pretty unpopular with the delegates. But following a pilot at our spring event, we do intend to offer our Socitm09 Major Sponsors and Key Sponsors (the ones spending more than £6,500, basically) the chance to give a workshop-style presentation, which will be offered alongside other workshop sessions we are running on the Monday of the conference. We may also run sponsor presentations on the Tuesday in parallel with the IT Excellence Awards entries’ sessions. It may be that if the sponsors don’t all opt to take up these sessions, we could offer them to exhibitors at an additional ‘opportunity cost’ but that has yet to be worked out. If you are interested in sponsorship or in securing one of these presentation opportunities, please contact the exhibition organiser.
Can we run a workshop or reception of our own?
Usually, no, exhibitors and sponsors are not permitted to run events that potentially clash with, or distract from, the conference programme. Instead, to reach the delegates and get exposure for your organisation, why not consider one of the sponsorship opportunities? For more information contact the exhibition organiser.
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Exhibition basics
If you want to go on our emailing list for Socitm events, send an email to the exhibition organiser.
How many stands are there?
Typically around 80 for the Annual Conference, 25 to 30 for the Spring National Conference. Other events vary depending on the venue and the target audience. See the information pack for each, for further details.
What does exhibition space cost?
Annual Conference space typically costs £310 - £325 plus VAT per sq m depending on your stand location. National Conference (spring) exhibition space costs £220 per square metre. All exhibition bookings for these two events include a 'shell scheme' with fascia/name board, basic lighting and electrics. For more details see 'What do I get as part of the package?' and 'About the shell scheme'. Exhibition space for 'Building Perfect Council Websites) starts at £1950 for a 3m x 2m display space for a pop-up stand or a table and graphics display (no shell scheme).
Where can I see a floor plan?
Any plans that are available will be with the booking instructions for the event - see our Exhibitors and Sponsors page.
How is space allocated?
Space at events is allocated on a first-come, first -served basis with the exception of Major Sponsors and other high-spending sponsors, e.g. Host sponsor, Gala Evening Sponsor. Because Socitm events typically sell out before the event, you need to bookmark our Exhibitors and Sponsors page, or send an email to the exhibition organiser to go on our e-mailing list. You will then receive an email when bookings are about to open. Socitm2009 exhibition space bookings can now be made here:
Socitm09 Exhibition Stand Booking Form
I book more than one space?
Yes, subject to availability.
What do I get as part of the package?
All exhibitors at the Annual Conference and National Conference (spring) get:
Shell scheme with basic power, lighting and fascia board
Complimentary set of furniture (subject to availability - 40 sets provided on a first-come, first-served basis)
Company listing in the delegate pack and on Socitm's website, with a hyperlink to your website
Exhibitor passes/lunch/refreshments - these do not include access to conference sessions. Your complimentary allocation is based in your stand size (usually two passes per stand) but additional passes may be purchased (guide price £35 plus VAT per day per person).
Delegate list (printed list supplied at the event)
Delegate pack/bag
What if I don't want to use the shell scheme?
At events where a shell scheme is included, you can usually opt to have the shell scheme partly or wholly left out, provided you notify the approved contractor well in advance. No discount will be given if you don't use the shell scheme, though and custom builds are not allowed at one-day events.
What do I need to bring with me?
You can either bring graphics to put up on the shell scheme, or you can bring a modular or 'pop-up' type of display that will fit within the shell. Purpose-built stands are allowed at the Annual Conference as long as the approved contractor considers the build-up schedule allows enough time and provided you get agreement well in advance. Unfortunately we cannot usually offer a porter service so please make sure you can cope with whatever you bring yourself. Some exhibitors find folding trolleys useful. Remember to bring along a toolkit of extra hook-and-loop dots or tape, scissors, etc. Also don't forget to bring along literature, promotional giveaways, name badges, enquiry forms, hole punch, business cards etc. At the Annual Conference, if you are going to the Gala Dinner, it's optional black tie, so don't forget your glad rags…
Can I send my stand in advance and have it collected later?
Usually, yes. Further details will be in the exhibitor information for each event.
Can we run a competition or prize draw on our stand?
Yes. There's no problem with you running a prize draw but bear in mind that public sector employees are governed by strict guidelines regarding items and hospitality they may/may not accept . For more information on these guidelines, contact the exhibition organiser.
Can I offer drinks on my stand?
Yes, soft drinks will be provided with lunch but should you wish to offer delegates an alternative, you can. Contact the venue for further details - venue contact details will be given in the exhibitor information.
Are there any restrictions on what I can have on my stand?
Yes, for example, pyrotechnics are forbidden at most venues and helium balloons may require special permission from some venues. Apart from specifics like that, provided everyone uses common sense, there are usually no problems. You are expected to show common courtesy to your neighbours by restricting noise levels so that any presentations on your stand are not a distraction to visitors to theirs. You must make sure that literature dispensers etc stay within the boundary of your stand, not in the gangways. If you have something specific in mind, and you are not sure whether it would be allowed, please contact the organiser in advance - agreement can often be reached provided you allow enough time. As a last resort, the organisers reserve the right to remove any material from your stand that is causing a potential nuisance or hazard.
Insurance and Health and Safety
Socitm recommends that you make your own insurance arrangements. Socitm and the venue accept no responsibility for your staff, property or any consequential losses arising in connection with the event. Exhibitors at the Annual Conference will be required to complete a Health & Safety form for the approved contractor. This will be issued to exhibitors nearer the event.
Why doesn't Socitm make the exhibition area bigger?
The wish of the membership is that the conference programme is, and will remain, the main thrust of the event, and the exhibition is intended to be complementary. We try to strike a balance between a relevant and interesting exhibition for the delegates, with a good turnout and high quality of delegates for the exhibitors. If the exhibition were to be enlarged, the delegates may be too thinly spread and the value for money for exhibitors and sponsors would decline.
If I book exhibition space, do I need to pay for entry level sponsorship?
No, if you book exhibition space, you automatically get the benefits that are included in the entry level sponsorship package, so you don't need to buy into that as well. Many of our current exhibitors begin as entry level sponsors.
How much time will the delegates spend in the exhibition area?
Refreshments and lunches are always served in the exhibition area; this is how we encourage delegates to visit your stand. We provide limited general seating, to encourage people to circulate with their drinks/plates. The Annual Conference (October) begins for delegates on Sunday evening. Sometimes the exhibition also starts on Sunday evening and sometimes on Monday morning, depending on the programme and venue. (Specific information will be in the exhibitor instructions). We try and allow enough time for delegates to get round all the stands - 40 minutes for refreshments and at least 90 minutes for lunch. The lunch and refreshment breaks are by far the busiest times, with most delegates attending the conference sessions otherwise. (The exhibition can be pretty quiet on the Tuesday morning following the Annual Conference Gala Dinner....!). While this may not seem a lot, our regular exhibitors seem to think the format works well, and is worth it, to reach such a focused audience. Some exhibitors do also manage to keep their stand busy throughout the day.
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Booking and payment for space and sponsorship
Booking and payment for space and sponsorship - Socitm2009
You can make a provisional booking for Socitm09 now by emailing the exhibition organiser. Exhibition space will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis, the exception being high-spending sponsors with free space included in their sponsorship package, who get first refusal.
See the contact details section of this document for Socitm's financial details.
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Sharing and partnering - sponsors and exhibitors
Exhibitors and sponsors can 'partner' or share exhibition space or sponsorship opportunities, but there are some restrictions. Bookings must be made in the name of a single organisation. All monies must be paid to Socitm by this organisation and re-selling of exhibition space or sponsorship opportunities is strictly forbidden. When referred to in delegate material or on Socitm's website, only the name of the lead organisation will be used. Partner organisations may be mentioned in organisations' company listings, but not in the title. A partner organisation's name or logo may appear on the lead organisation's exhibition stand provided its prominence is secondary to the lead organisation. Equal branding/prominence is not permitted. No more than two partner organisations may be represented unless by special arrangement and depending on the size of exhibition stand/sponsorship. A partner organisation's literature may appear on the stand provided it also makes reference to the lead organisation. Partner organisations' personnel may use exhibition passes provided to the lead organisation, but no separate exhibition passes will be issued in the name of the partner organisation(s) and staff will be refused entry unless they are registered in the name of the lead organisation. Staff from Partner organisations may wear their own company name badges as long as they also wear an exhibitor pass in the name of the lead organisation. Staff from Partner organisations should not appear in different apparel from the staff of the main organisation e.g. polo shirts of the partner organisation, rather than the lead organisation. Only the lead organisation has rights in respect of delegate lists, access to press, running prize draws, complimentary invitations to dinners or other benefits which may form part of any sponsorship package.
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Attending conference sessions, accommodation, partners and visitors
Can exhibitors attend conference sessions?
At the Annual Conference, if you wish to attend conference sessions, you need to book as a delegate. A number of different delegate packages are usually available and more information can be found on Socitm's Events pages as and when the details are confirmed. At some other events, access to the conference sessions is complimentary - see the individual booking information for details or contact the exhibition organiser. At the National Conference (spring) exhibitors' staff are allowed to join the main conference sessions subject to space being available in the auditorium.
Accommodation (Annual Conference)
Only those people booking the full delegate package, through the Socitm Office, will be allocated B&B accommodation. No special deals are are available to exhibitors, sorry, but details of convenient hotels will be in the exhibitor information for each event so you can make your own arrangements.
Gala Evening (Monday evening of Annual Conference)
Tickets for the Gala Dinner are usually available for purchase by confirmed exhibitors and sponsors nearer the event. Tickets will be sold subject to availability with online booking and credit card payment only. Price in 08 was £95 plus VAT per person.
Can I attend the receptions and dinners at the Annual Conference?
Only those people booking the full delegate package, through the Socitm Office, will be automatically eligible to attend receptions and dinners, unless you are a sponsor and your package includes a place or places, but additional tickets may be purchased nearer the time. Tickets will be sold subject to availability with online booking and credit card payment only.
Is there a seating plan at the Gala Evening (Annual Conference)?
No, there is no formal seating plan, apart from the President's and Vice-Presidents' tables. If a group of you are booked as full delegates and coming to the Gala Dinner, we suggest that if you want to sit together, you hover near the door of the dining room just before dinner, and go in as a group as soon as dinner is announced, that way you should find enough seats together.
What do people wear at the Gala Evening (Annual Conference)?
The dress code of the Gala Evening has been changed to encourage everyone to feel welcome and comfortable, and is now 'Smart dress, black tie optional'. Although there have been fluctuations over the years, about half the men do tend to come in dinner suits and the majority of women in 'party frocks'.
Can I invite specific people to sit with me (Sunday and Gala Evening, Annual Conference)?
Unless you are the evening's sponsor, we would prefer you not to do this, as in the past we have had concerns expressed by delegates/members that it puts them in a difficult position, particularly if they have several offers.
Can I bring my partner to the Annual Conference?
If you have booked to come as a full delegate, yes. The partner package includes the same accommodation as the delegate package but not lunches. See the delegate booking information for each event for further details or contact the Socitm Office on 01604 497774.
Can I invite someone to the exhibition if they are not coming to the event as a delegate?
Normally, no, they must register as a paying delegate. In special circumstances, limited access can be agreed in advance at the discretion of the exhibition organiser e.g. access for film crews etc.
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Photography, press and media
Will there be an official photographer?
For the Annual Conference, yes. But they are contracted primarily to take photos of the conference and will need to fit in photos of stands around this. Consequently there will be limited availability and this will be allocated on a first come first served basis. To arrange this, contact the exhibition organiser during set-up or while the event is in progress, the photographer will then contact you to agree your requirements and provide prices etc.
What about any photographs of our stand the photographer takes in the course of photographing the event for Socitm?
You may be lucky and a photograph of your stand appear in a Socitm publication or on the website, but we do not have the resources to review and distribute the photographs taken by the photographer in the course of the event, so if you want some of your stand, or for your own use, please make your own arrangements.
How can I get hold of a press list?
A list of media representatives that have been invited to the event will be available two weeks before the event. To receive a copy, please email the press officer.
Where I can leave some press/media packs?
There will be a press area at each event, for details see the exhibitor instructions.
Can I use the Socitm logo?
No, but if you are a Major Sponsor, Sponsor or Exhibitor, you will be provided with a custom-designed logo for use in conjunction with each specific event you book for.
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Delegate list
A full list of delegates will be available to exhibitors and sponsors at the event(s) as a printed list (as part of the delegate pack), and supplied to non-attending sponsors after the event. No other formats are available, sorry. Delegate lists are not normally available in advance of an event. Socitm does not make available or sell member information. Copies of the previous year's delegate lists for some events are available on request from the exhibition organiser. These should be used for information purposes only and not for marketing. Delegate lists usually only include the person's name and organisation, not job title.
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Contact details
Socitm's financial details
The Company name is Socitm Ltd. Bankers are Nat West, The Drapery Branch, 41 The Drapery, Northampton, NN1 2EY, Account Name Socitm Ltd, Account No 00150541, Sort Code 56 00 60. IBAN number: GB85NWBK56006000150541. SWIFT code: NWBKGB2L. VAT Registration No 799 6049 58. Address for postal payments, remittance advices and purchase orders is: F19 Moulton Park Business Centre, Redhouse Road, Northampton, NN3 6AQ, Tel: 01604 497774 Fax: 01604 497610, email finance@socitm.net.
Billing/payment queries
Contact the Socitm office quoting your Purchase Order number Tel & Fax 01604 497774, email enquiries@socitm.gov.uk
Cancellation policy
If exhibitors/sponsors withdraw or cancel their booking for any reason, £500 (plus VAT) of any fees paid will be retained by Socitm and the booking will be demoted to a booking for Entry Level Sponsorship. The exhibitor or sponsor's details will remain on the website as Entry Level Sponsors, and the exhibitor/sponsor receive the benefits associated with Entry Level Sponsorship, unless they request otherwise (but the £500 will still be retained by Socitm). Every effort will then be made by the organiser to re-sell the exhibition space/sponsorship opportunity. If this proves successful, part or all of the fees paid (except the £500 mentioned above) will be refunded at Socitm's discretion. For guidance, in the past, cancellations have been rare and almost always the space/sponsorship has been re-sold, and all but £500 of the fees refunded. Cancellations may impact your organisation's standing with Socitm when it comes to being offered future promotional opportunities at Socitm Events, and should therefore be treated as a last resort . No monies will be refunded if cancellation takes place within 60 days of the event.
Delegate bookings/partner bookings/programme
See the event pages of the website or contact the Socitm office - Tel & Fax 01604 497774 email enquiries@socitm.gov.uk
Press/media enquiries
Email the press officer
Exhibition and sponsorship organiser
Email the exhibition organiser or call 0208 123 1294
Approved Contractor
Warwick Corporate Events
Tel: 0845 351 0392
Fax: 0845 351 0396
Web: www.wce.co.uk
Socitm office
Tel & Fax 01604 497774 email enquiries@socitm.gov.uk
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Still got a question?
Contact the exhibition organiser on 0208 123 1294 who will be pleased to help.
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