Cardiff September 2026 Meeting 

How Much Time & Money can YOU Really Save on Your Projects? - Paul Hilliard
 

Refurbishments are where many property deals are won or lost, but for many landlords they remain unpredictable, time-consuming, and notoriously difficult to control. With costs continuing to rise, small mistakes are becoming increasingly expensive.

At our next event, we’re tackling this head-on.

LNPG, the UK’s largest buying network for landlords, will be sharing how their members are approaching refurb projects differently, using collective buying power to access contract-level pricing from major national suppliers, alongside a more structured approach to specification and delivery.

What makes this session stand out is what’s being revealed.

The pricing LNPG members achieve is not publicly available and is rarely discussed outside of their network. At this event, it will be shared openly, alongside practical insight into where most landlords overspend without realising.

These are the kinds of numbers and decisions that can materially change how your next project performs.

If you’re serious about improving margins and reducing risk, this is not a session to miss.

ALSO...Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities (Housing & Homelessness) Councillor Lynda Thorne 

Cllr Lynda Thorne is one of Cardiff Council's longest-serving elected members, with almost four decades of public service and more than 25 years of leadership in housing, homelessness and social justice.

First elected as a councillor for Grangetown in 1986, Lynda has played a leading role in shaping housing policy and services across Cardiff. She was the first Chair of Cardiff's Housing Committee before becoming a member of the Council's inaugural Cabinet in 1999 and later Deputy Leader with responsibility for Social Justice.

Throughout her career, Lynda has championed initiatives to improve housing conditions, reduce inequality and support vulnerable communities. She was instrumental in delivering Cardiff's first new council homes in more than a decade and introducing the Council's "New Deal" for council housing tenants.

Following a period working within the housing association sector, where she helped develop innovative private rented sector and temporary accommodation schemes, Lynda returned to Cardiff Council's Cabinet and currently serves as Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities on a job-share basis alongside Cllr Lee Bridgeman.

Today, Lynda's focus is firmly on tackling Cardiff's housing emergency. She leads on housing, homelessness and housing support services, helping to deliver Cardiff's response to unprecedented demand for housing. Recent achievements have included expanding homelessness prevention services, increasing temporary accommodation provision, delivering new family temporary accommodation at the former Gasworks site in Grangetown, strengthening rapid rehousing programmes and securing significant investment in support services for some of Cardiff's most vulnerable residents.

This has included the development of multi-disciplinary support services that bring together housing, health, social care and specialist support providers to help people experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping and complex needs secure and sustain long-term accommodation. Cardiff has also expanded dedicated housing support services for vulnerable individuals and families, recognising that successful rehousing is about more than simply providing a roof over someone's head.

Lynda is also leading the largest council house building programme in Wales. Since the programme began, Cardiff Council has delivered almost 1,900 new council homes, comprising permanent, supported and temporary accommodation, with hundreds more homes currently under construction and a long-term ambition to deliver 4,000 homes by 2035, including at least 2,800 new council homes.

A passionate advocate for partnership working, Lynda works closely with housing associations, health services, the voluntary sector and private landlords to address homelessness and improve housing opportunities for Cardiff residents.

Lynda is a strong believer that addressing Cardiff's housing crisis requires partnership between local government, housing associations, developers and the private rented sector. She recognises that all parts of the housing system have a vital role to play in ensuring residents have access to safe, secure and affordable homes. She is committed to working constructively with responsible private landlords and investors, recognising the vital role the Private Rented Sector plays in preventing homelessness, supporting rapid rehousing and helping meet Cardiff's growing housing needs.