Welcome to our SoLR update for April 2024.
33 of our members are now actively collaborating to deliver SoLR's objectives as members of focussed committees, and our April update includes an update from each of these.
Community
Our Manchester in-person networking event will be held on 9 May, and tickets are now available. There will be a small charge which will supplement the bar and food bill and this is discounted by 50% for SoLR members so only £10 each. Our Community Sub-Committee are busy arranging more events for throughout the year, which include:
Birmingham Networking event
London Networking event which will follow the conference
Clean Air week and regional office litter picking in June 2024
Summer Socials WC 05 August 2024
5KM/10KM Running event (Run Through)
World food week October 2024
Christmas Socials WC 04 November 2024
Standards & Ethics
SoLR adopts a Code of Conduct
As befits a professional industry organization that is committed to setting the highest standards in our industry, SoLR has developed and adopted a Code of Conduct. This may be found here. SoLR exists to advance the land referencing profession and in doing so we want to encourage and operate within a supportive and inclusive community of fellow professionals. The Code of Conduct sets out the principles of behaviour applicable to all who participate in SoLR events and helps hold us to the behavioural standards expected of an industry body and its members, thereby helping to maintain SoLR’s reputation and that of our members and other participants. The publication of the Code of Conduct is the first output from SoLR’s recently established Standards & Ethics Sub-committee and represents a further step in the confidence and maturity of SoLR as a thriving professional community.
Standards & Ethics Sub-committee progress and request for contributions
The Standards & Ethics Sub-committee is working to develop the standards are applicable to professional land referencing practice. The committee is making progress with the core conceptual standards, including geospatial data standards, applicable across our work, regardless of where it is delivered, the purpose or under what process. It will then consider the appropriate additional layers of detail applicable to particular jurisdictions and individual statutory processes. In developing these additional layers of standards we are inviting experienced land referencing practitioners to volunteer to contribute. The development of the national and regional standards will necessarily follow the development of the core conceptual standards so this work will not begin in earnest for a few months yet. Nevertheless , if you would be interested in helping develop the geospatial standards or any of the standards specifically applicable in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland, including for the procedures associated with these jurisdictions, please contact the Standards & Ethics Sub-Committee chair, Ashley Parry Jones.
The Society of Land Referencers Professional Engagement Sub-committee, in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) is planning its inaugural conference for land referencing in October 2024.
SoLR’s first Land Referencing Conference will bring together professionals throughout the industry with the aim to promote the importance of the practice throughout project lifecycles. It will provide an opportunity to:
Showcase expert insights and industry knowledge to 100 attendees – representing both client and consultancy organisations
Increase visibility of the services offered across the industry, with branding options to make sure your company is promoted at the event and throughout the lead up
Support SoLR and its community in the first year of this conference, helping to make the event a success
Speakers at the conference will come from a range of technical disciplines, client organisations and acquiring authorities.
Ticket availability will be limited. If you register your interest below, you'll be one of the first to be notified when tickets go on sale.
Our Professional Engagement Sub-Committee have arranged the following two webinars which are free for SoLR members:
Identity
SoLR members Simon Harth and Mike Crowther will be presenting on 'Successfully undertaking land referencing' a this year's Waterfront Land Assembly and Compulsory Purchase for Major Infrastructure conference in London. This will be the start of presenting a unified definition of the risks which land referencers mitigate through the delivery of professional services, underpinned by technical standards. A unified and consistent value proposition for professional land referencing is core objective of our Identity Sub-Committee, which will lead to enhanced credibility of our practice.
Through our annual partnership with Waterfront, SoLR members can get 15% off tickets to the conference by using discount code CP24SOLR.
Careers
The Careers Sub-committee will be kicking off the ‘spotlight series’ shortly. Over the coming months, various land referencing professionals will be featured in short videos posted on the SoLR socials, where we will hear about their career and experiences, hopefully gaining some great insight along the way! Currently, we have content confirmed from graduates, directors, and consultants, so keep an eye out!
Find out more about all the SoLR committees:
