CIEH Licensing Conference

Daniel Askew, Public Affairs Manager - Product Regulation & Crime, Association of Convenience Stores (ACS). Daniel Askew is Public Affairs and Policy Manager at the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), leading its work on tobacco, vaping and wider product regulation. He is closely involved in ACS’ engagement with government on the implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Act, including the generational tobacco sales ban where he leads ACS’ Decline09 compliance campaign, helping thousands of retailers prepare for the new tobacco age-of-sale rules coming into force in 2027. His work focuses on making complex regulation practical for retailers and ensuring government understands the operational impact of new rules on convenience stores.

David Etheridge, Licensing Team Leader, Tewkesbury Borough Council. David Etheridge is a very experienced local government licensing practitioner, having begun his career at Worcester City Council in 2004.   Since then, he has worked for a number of local authorities and has developed a broad range of knowledge across various licensing disciplines.  David has significant experience of implementing new licensing regimes, including those created by the Licensing Act 2003, the Gambling Act 2005, the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, and by regulations made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.   David sits on a number of the Institute of Licensing’s Policy Committees, including on Tobacco and Vapes.

David Hunt, CTSI Lead Officer Tobacco, Nicotine and Vaping and Senior Trading Standards Officer, London Borough of Hackney. After a 16 year career in the police service David joined local government at the London Borough of Camden, retraining and qualifying within the Trading standards team. David has been working in the field of Vapes and Nicotine products since 2012 becoming aware of the sudden increase in vaping products that were reaching the market and their appeal to young people visiting the area. He was responsible for putting together a regionally funded testing operation on these products that identified a number of issues with these products. David was the London Trading Standards Representative on the Tobacco focus group and trained officers in London on Tobacco Products  and Standardised Packaging. He has continued his work on vaping products taking a lead on these and preparing training courses for officers across GB and has built up expertise in this area with officers nationally and Public health teams and teaching staff in London. He is currently working for the London Borough of Hackney as Tobacco and Alcohol lead, which incorporates work on vaping products in Hackney and the City of London. He was elected to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute College of fellows in 2022 for his work in the field. David prepared and presented the training for officers across GB in the Single Use Ban and has written and is the trainer in the new CTSI qualification in Tobacco, Vapes and Nicotine products. David is lead trainer for the Chartered Trading Standards Institute on the Tobacco and Vapes act and has been involved with consultations on implementation.

James Button, President, Institute of Licensing (IoL). Jim Button is a solicitor with over 30 yrs experience of local government and licensing work, having been an articled clerk at South Tyneside MBC, and a solicitor at Manchester City Council, now running his own niche Solicitors’ practice specialising in the fields of licensing, environmental and public health. He regularly advises local authorities, as well as appearing in the magistrates’ court on licensing appeals and is a popular and engaging trainer.
As a writer he is best known as the author of 4 editions of “Button on Taxis: Licensing Law and Practice”, as well as writing for the “Journal of Licensing”. He has written and contributed to many other books and periodicals.
Jim is President of the Institute of Licensing, having been a founder member and Chair of its predecessor, the Local Government Licensing Forum. The Institute honoured him with Companionship in 2012.

Joanna Seymour, Head of Environmental Health Workforce Programme, CIEH. Joanna Seymour is a UKPHR-registered Public Health Practitioner and Registered Environmental Health Practitioner, currently Head of the Environmental Health Workforce Programme at CIEH. She has extensive experience across housing, environmental health, and public health, with a particular focus on improving housing conditions for vulnerable populations and tackling fuel poverty.

Joanna brings extensive leadership and delivery experience across environmental health, housing, and public health. Prior to joining CIEH, she was Partnerships Director at Warm Wales, where she combined strategic project development with operational delivery, staff management, and the identification and cultivation of new partnerships. She led on the development of new project opportunities aimed at tackling fuel poverty and improving health outcomes.

Earlier in her career, Joanna held senior housing and environmental health roles across a range of local authorities. At Flintshire County Council, within Housing Standards, she focused on improving housing conditions for the most vulnerable tenants, working closely with homelessness prevention, housing options, bond teams, and tenancy support services. Her role included investigating complaints of harassment and illegal eviction.

At Wirral Council, Joanna managed the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Team and led Healthy Homes, a multi-agency initiative delivering cost-effective home improvements with significant health benefits. This work particularly improved housing standards in the private rented sector for vulnerable households and those experiencing fuel poverty.

Joanna has also worked for Chester City Council, Wrexham County Borough Council, and Manchester City Council, including within a busy reactive housing enforcement team dealing with complex housing complaints and large HMOs.

She qualified as an Environmental Health Practitioner from Birmingham University in 2005, completing an MSc in Environmental Health.

Kerry Simpkin, Head of Public Protection and Consumer Standards, Royal Borough of Greenwich. Kerry Simpkin is Head of Public Protection and Consumer Standards at the Royal Borough of Greenwich, with over 25 years’ experience in local government. Having previously held senior leadership roles at Westminster City Council, Kerry has extensive knowledge and practical experience across a broad range of licensing regimes, including complex applications, enforcement matters and appeals. He has played a key role in developing licensing policies, building high-performing teams and supporting the professional development of licensing practitioners. His work combines strategic leadership with hands-on regulatory experience, championing proportionate, effective licensing that supports economic growth, vibrant communities and public protection.

Louis Krog, Head of Public Protection, Cheltenham Borough Council. Louis Krog is Head of Public Protection at Cheltenham Borough Council. 
He has worked in local government licensing since 2009 and is the IoL’s National Communications Officer, as well as Chair of the South West region.

Marsha Kuye MBE, Head of Licensing and 24-Hour London, Greater London Authority. Marsha Kuye MBE is Head of 24-Hour London and Licensing at the Greater London Authority, where she leads the development of the Mayor of London’s Strategic Licensing Project and wider work to support London’s evening and night-time economy. With over 24 years of experience across local, regional and central government, Marsha has held senior roles spanning public policy, governance, resilience, economic development and major programme delivery. Her career has included leadership and advisory responsibilities on nationally significant initiatives, including border infrastructure, emergency response and recovery, public sector reform and organisational governance. Marsha was awarded an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to post-Brexit border delivery and public service.

Mike Smith, Licensing & Community Safety Lead, Guildford Borough Council. Mike Smith is a Licensing Manager within a shared local authority regulatory service in Surrey. With a background spanning local government, Environmental Health and the licensed trade, he has specialised in licensing since 2013 and has particular expertise in licensing law, policy development, enforcement, governance and regulatory reform. Mike is an experienced trainer and conference speaker for the Institute of Licensing, an Advisory Council Member for the IoL South East Region, Chair of the LGA Licensing Forum and Chair of the Surrey Licensing Forum. He is currently helping to lead work on the licensing implications of Local Government Reorganisation in Surrey. A regular contributor to professional publications, Mike was awarded the Russell Jenner Award in 2022 for outstanding achievement in regulatory services.

Sue Nelson, Director of Policy and Stakeholders, Institute of Licensing (IoL). Sue is the Director of Policy and Stakeholders at the Institute of Licensing (IoL), leading the organisation's work on policy development, stakeholder engagement and strategic partnerships. Working with licensing practitioners, government departments, enforcement agencies, industry representatives and community organisations, she is committed to promoting high professional standards and supporting effective licensing that helps create safe, vibrant and sustainable communities.

Sue began her licensing career with 18 years in local government. As Licensing Manager at Restormel Borough Council (now part of Cornwall Council), she chaired the Cornwall Licensing Officers Group, bringing together licensing professionals from across the county to encourage collaboration, consistency and the sharing of best practice.

Tony Ireland, Head of Public Protection, Luton Council. Tony Ireland is the Head of Public Protection for Luton Council, managing a range of regulatory services including licensing. Tony moved to regulatory services to implement the Licensing Act 2003 and has delivered projects including the award of a Small Casino Licence under the Gambling Act 2005, Introduction of a Business Improvement District (Luton BID), submitting a successful application for a Local Alcohol Action Area (Phase 2) and led on successful awards for Purple Flag since 2018. More recently he has worked in partnership to deliver key events in the town such as Party in the Park & Radio 1 Big Weekend. He has 42 years’ experience working in Local Government.