Currently, the NEC has one member elected by and from members in Scotland and Northern Ireland, one from Wales, nine from England and one by and from Youth members (12 in total).

This will be amended to one member elected by and from members in Scotland, one from Wales, one from Northern Ireland, eight from England and one from each of the BAME, (dis)Ability, LGBTQ+ and Youth Networks (15 in total).

The NEC members for each network will be elected by one member one vote, by and from all eligible members of that network.

The NEC members for England will be elected from four regions, two members (gender balanced) per region. The electoral regions, along with the other detailed procedures for the next election, will be agreed by the NEC and published before the end of this year.

In addition to the two members of the Westminster Parliamentary Group, there will be two NEC members elected by all other Labour and Co-operative elected representatives e.g. MSPs, MSs, PCCs, elected mayors, London AMs and councillors.

The NEC currently has two members appointed by the Co-operative Group and two elected by and from all other subscribing societies and affiliates plus a seat for Co-operatives UK, which has remained unfilled.

The new NEC structure will keep the two seats for the Co-operative Group, plus the other two seats, which will be now restricted to subscribing retail societies only. A fifth NEC seat will be for all other subscribing non-retail societies, co-ops and affiliates, including Co-ops UK.

The NEC discussed rolling elections as a measure to guard against excessive NEC turnover in a single election. This was supported by many who responded to the consultation and would have meant increasing the NEC term from 3 years to 4, and electing around half of the NEC places every two years.

However, the NEC didn’t think it would be appropriate to introduce this in 2023 at the same time as a significant change to structure of the NEC, as it would have meant electing some new seats at that first election for a two-year term only.

This will be kept under review.

The formal rule amendments necessary to implement the changes to the NEC will be published ahead of the Party’s AGM on 25 June.

Following a vote at the AGM they will be sent to the Financial Conduct Authority for approval.

The detailed process for the election will be agreed by the NEC before the end of the year and circulated ahead of the NEC elections in Spring 2022.

See here for details of the NEC. You can contact the NEC at nec@party.coop or by emailing Karen Wilkie, Board Secretary at board@party.coop.