Following the recent AGM approval for the rule change on the election of the NEC, the NEC is required to take several decisions in relation to the process and procedure for the next election in 2023.  These include the allocation of the regions to four sections for the election of the eight members from England.

At the AGM, the NEC committed that no more than one member from any region would be elected to these places.  It also agreed to consult with the local Parties in England on the allocation of the regions to the sections.

After discussion on the viable combinations, the NEC has agreed that the best option would be:

• England North: NE & Cumbria, North West, and Yorkshire & Humber Regions
• England Midlands: East Midlands and West Midlands Regions
• England East & London: East and London Regions
• England South: South East and South West Regions

Party Council Secretaries were contacted after the meeting to invite comments on the allocation of the regions to the voting sections – you can read the briefing in full here –  NEC Election 2023 – Consultation – Co-operative Party.  Please email board@party.coop by 16 November 2022.

The NEC also discussed the rules on the election of two MSPs, MSs, PCC, elected mayors and councillors to NEC, and measures to seek gender balance.  These, and other procedures for the NEC election will be confirmed in November and published before the end of the year.

The NEC discussed the Co-operative Party’s response to the current Labour Party review on electoral representation in Northern Ireland, which has been drafted in consultation with the Northern Ireland Party.

Revised procedures for elections to the Youth Committee, bringing this into line with the other equalities networks, were approved.  These will be circulated to members in October, together with the timetable.

Each quarter, the General Secretary reports to the NEC on the Party’s activity and progress towards our Strategic Objectives. Here is a summary of the most recent report, in September:

In line with the aims of the year and 3-year plan the Party expanded its Westminster Parliamentary Group with the addition of Simon Lightwood following his selection and election in the Wakefield by-election. Party Officers went to support the campaign and local members organised a campaign day and supported the Socialist Societies’ campaign days.

 Following the record local election returns in May, the Party’s focus in this strategic objective lay in Westminster selections. As previously reported the Party has issued guidance on selections, formed a Westminster panel of potential candidates and undertaken several rounds of training.

The Party conducted a range of ‘official Co-operative Party’ selections and supported other unofficial selections through the reporting period. Those selections have now also concluded in the Labour Party as well, so the new Labour & Co-operative Party candidates selected thus far ahead of the next General Election include:

• Oliver Ryan, Burnley
• Alice MacDonald, Norwich North
• Jayne Kirkham, Truro and Falmouth
• Andrew Pakes, Peterborough
• Jack Abbott, Ipswich
• Rachel Blake, Cities and Westminster
• Jo Platt, Leigh
• Gareth Snell, Stoke on Trent Central
• Helena Dollimore, Hasting and Rye
• Sally Jameson, Doncaster
• Sarah Hall, Warrington South

To note: four of the above selections fall just out of the top 50 targets and therefore will receive the lower Constituency Plan Agreement. A programme of engagement and education is being rolled out with the new PPCs.  Official processes were also run in Gedling, Huddersfield and Swindon South. Party Officers have also supported 10+ unofficial selections including Shipley, Exeter and Chingford and Woodgreen.

The Party has also been active in ensuring Co-operative Party input into new processes coming forward from Scottish Labour.

The Party staff team has also started the candidate recruitment and build ahead of local elections in 2023. Whilst not traditionally the strongest year within the local election cycle for the Party, there are plenty of opportunities for the Party to make gains.

Early July saw the relaunch of the Candidate Development Programme. The Party has run the first cycle of training sessions already with the next cycle planned for September. The Party has 350+ potential candidates identified ahead of next year.

The Party team also delivered post-2022 election work with a ‘de-brief session’ for candidates and wrote to all successful and unsuccessful candidates.

Levelling up influencing and legislation work

 The Party has been working with a range of leading community ownership and community power organisations, campaign groups and the Labour frontbench for some time especially in the run up to the Levelling Up Bill. Through this work and from our own publication of ‘Community Power’ the Party’s wants from the Levelling Bill crystalised into:

• A community right to buy.
• An extension of the period for community bids for assets.
• Better access for community bids to seed funding.
• An exploration of the desirability of a ‘Buy-out fund’ for communities.
• A duty on local and national government to promote co-operatives.
• A duty on all levels of government to co-operate
• The extension of community assets to cover non-physical assets

 Following on from strong co-operative content from Alex Norris (Shadow Levelling up Minister) at the 2^nd Reading of the Levelling Up Bill we would expect strong showing for the above through the post summer committee stage. In the reporting period Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Secretary for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities delivered a keynote speech in Darlington on Levelling up. She then wrote to Co-operative Party members and supporters (with online clips) outlining the co-operative content of her and the Labour Party’s approach to Levelling up. Much of the above Co-operative Party asks above featured in the speech including a community right to buy, an extension of the period for community right to bid and better access to seed funding.

‘The Duty to Co-operate’ – Anas Sarwar MSP

 As can be seen above the duty for different levels of Government to co-operate features within the Co-operative Party’s approach to Levelling up. It was also something Anas Sarwar called for following the SNP’s renewed call for a further independence referendum. Following this call Anas wrote on the new duty for the Scottish Co-operative Party, a piece which was then promoted across the country.

 Mark Hendrick MP Private Members Bill

 Working with Mark and Mutuo the Party has worked towards Mark Hendrick MP submitting a PMB titled ‘Co-operatives and Friendly Societies Expansion Bill’. This Bill contains a range of measures to update legislation and better support co-operatives and friendly societies including new capital instruments and protections around demutualisation.

Through the reporting period the Bill was introduced. The Bill is high within the Private Members Bill ballot so stands a good chance of receiving the Parliamentary time necessary. Work is now underway to assess the level of Government support for this piece of legislation. The Party has provided online support for the Bill highlighting it with members and supporters. Mark Hendrick has also provided video content related to the Bill which the Party issued on International Co-operative Day.

Gareth Thomas MP also asked a Treasury Oral Question on the substance of the Bill calling for Government support – something the Party clipped and promoted.

High Streets

In addition to sitting on the Shadow Chancellor’s High Street’s Commission, which will be consulting over summer the Party has been working to ensure newly elected Councillors had the opportunity to develop their understanding of what they can do to support their local high streets. Working with an organisation called ‘Power to Change’ the Party developed and delivered two bespoke training sessions on the topic which took Councillors through a range of actions they can take whether in power or opposition.

Other work in this strategic objective

• Online and in-person sessions with Councillors and Council Groups on delivering co-operative aspects of local manifestos. Local Parties have also delivered similar events especially the Birmingham event which featured co-operative marketplace and training sessions for newly elected Co-operative Councillors.
• As part of emerging policy work in education the Party conducted events with the Shadow Minister for Early Years and our subscribing society member Midcounties.
• The General Secretary delivered a presentation to the Labour’s NPF ‘Better work, Better jobs’ policy commission and Party officers submitted evidence to other NPF commissions ahead of pre-Labour conference deadlines.
• The member led policy process came to an end through the reporting period. Whilst a full report will be available post process it has been a stronger year in terms of local party and individual involvement in the process.
• The Scottish Co-operative Party had a campaign win with the Scottish Government forming a food commission and committing to the introduction of a right to food before the end of the year.
• Following the publication of the Government review of child social services written by Josh McAllister, Rachael Maskell MP picked up on the proposed new Regional Care Co-operatives. Rachael called for these proposals to be taken on by Government when they respond to the report.

West Lancs. Council and Cherwell Councils passed the Party’s Food justice motion.

FairTax Councils

Following the Local Elections results the Party sought to inspire CLP delegates and councillors to pass FairTax motions at Council and CLPs. When passed the motion effectively means the Council becomes a Fair Tax Council. The Party had inspired 7 Councils to do this through 2022. Through the reporting period at least a further three had taken that course – Liverpool, Reading and Preston, with many more now in the pipeline. We have also seen CLPs passing the motion and from there going to Labour Groups at Council – Blaydon CLP is an example of that.

• The Party has provided solid online communication support for Fair Tax fortnight
• Produced online events for Councillors with the FairTax Foundation through the period.
• Delivered a fringe on Fair Tax at the Labour LGA Conference.

• Delivered a Co-op Party CLP delegate session on the FairTax CLP motion.

Energy and fuel poverty

 With the coming energy price increases the Party issued a call for the Household Hardship Fund to be doubled post September and for Councils to be given freedom over how the fund is distributed. Through agreement the Party has also issued a campaign toolkit developed by NEF for local party and councillors on the need for local retrofit schemes. This is linked to a new national call for a network of new retrofit co-ops to be established inspired by Carbon Co-op in Manchester and others.

• Geraint Davies MP also asked a Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Oral Question in Westminster on the topic of Community Owned Energy.
• The Party continues to promote and build upon its new five-point plan for community energy including policy work with the Labour frontbench.

Employee Ownership

Using the work we had contributed to the CLES’ Report on Employee Ownership in Wales we used Employee Ownership Day to hold a Welsh event with the Cwmpas (formerly the Wales Co-operative Centre), Huw Irranca Davies MS and CLES to have a preview of the report and its findings. Ansa Sarwar MSP also used the day to visit an employee-owned business and produce online communications about the visit.

Conferences

The Party held a successful in-person Local Government conference for the first time since the pandemic. The conference, which took place in Coin Street, London featured a range of practical sessions with external organisations as well as the main programme.

 The Party supported an online conference held in Northern Ireland and an in-person London conference which happened in parallel with the Local Government conference

Co-operation Live events

Through the reporting period the Party has continued to provide high quality Co-operation Live events for members. The Party seeks to provide one session at least every two weeks. Though this period sessions have included but not limited to:

• Mental Health Awareness Week – with Dr Rosena Khan MP and Co-op Group.
• ‘Proud to be a Co-op’ (through co-op fortnight) – with Energy Co-ops and Central England Co-op
• World Refugee Day – with CEO Refugee Council, Kate Osamor MP and local refugee action groups
• National Food Strategy – with Daniel Zeichner MP and CEO of Sustain

Other work in the strategic objective area:

• Alex Norris MP, Gareth Thomas MP and Mark Hendrick MP all provided Co-operative Party content through the Queen’s Speech debate.
• The Party had a presence at Co-operative Congress in Birmingham. The General Secretary also spoke at the event on the topic of meaningful membership.
• The General Secretary undertook a session with Labour in Comms about the Party.
• The Party had a presence at a launch of a Labour Business ‘Purposeful Business’ report launch. The Assistant General Secretary spoke, and the Party supported online with clips from the Shadow BEIS SoS Jonathan Reynolds MP.
• Paul Sweeney tabled a statement of opinion regarding co-operative growth through Co-operatives Fortnight. Mark Hendrick did the same laying an EDM through the same period.
• The Party had a further push around International People Trafficking Day for councils who have not yet adopted the Party’s Modern Day Slavery campaign to do so.
• The Party held a briefing event for MP researchers only, aimed at widening the understanding of the Party’s work and aims beyond the sitting Co-op Member.
• Youth Committee members provided a Party stall and presence at a Co-ops UK ‘Youth Summit’.

The Party delivered a summer school for newer members of the Party. This summer school took the form of four separate sessions about aspects of the Party including:

• Making the most of your membership.
• Becoming an officer in the Party.
• Standing for election.
• Campaigning with the Party

Working with Subscribing Societies the Party has energised the campaign for VAT to be taken off sunscreen. This has seen the Party conduct polling, issue a press release (picking up some local coverage) and have a renewed call to members and supporters.

Also working with Subscribing Societies, the Party delivered a roundtable on the issue of retail crime with a range of Co-operative Party Police and Crime Commissioners. The event was highlighted with video and blog content from Kim McGuinness PCC.

In addition to Party submissions to the Member-led policy process there have been on-line nationally delivered policy process zoom sessions with Party Officers and speakers aimed at encouraging individual submissions.

Policy submissions were made by 33 units of the Party on the Health Consultation (113 individuals) and 25 Party units on the International Development consultation (44 individuals). Discussions on policy are one of the key purposeful meetings we encourage branches to hold, and this resulted in an increase in responses compared to previous years.

The Party held its quarterly new society P6 recruitment event on the topic of rural affairs.

CLP delegates were provided with a tool kit of resources and an online briefing on Fair Tax and earlier in the year the Online Sales Tax to encourage activity in this area.

The Labour Party issued an email from Jim McMahon MP about the Co-operative Party and its work to every Labour Party member.

The Equalities Advisory Group has met several times through the reporting period, co-producing the new Equalities Conference planned for September.

Working with our networks the Party has produced events to celebrate Pride. This was supported by the procuring of new Pride materials which the network has distributed. Video content was also produced by network members which was supported nationally.

Both the Youth Network and the (dis)Ability Forum held policy process events.

Co-op Party had good presence at Central England and Midcounties AGMs, where the Party had stalls and video content shown through the main AGM agenda.

The Party remains committed to encouraging branch and party council activity around:

• Identifying potential new officers of the Party.
• Restarting dormant branches
• Increasing the Party’s data on CLP delegates
• And encouraging purposeful branch meetings.

In addition, the Party has carried out new officer training sessions and continued to seek to identify potential new officers.

In both Yorkshire and the South East several dormant branches have been supported to meet again – there is no one size fits all approach, with some branches requiring ‘fostering’ by the neighbouring branch and in others the branch has quickly got back to conducting local activity and recruitment.

As well as training and identification for new officers we have trialled innovative ways to encourage and support members into these roles – one on one training from organisers, shadowing and mentoring have all been trialled in different areas.

We have developed our membership retention work to better contact lapsing members in real time and inform Party Councils of membership changes which may be followed up on locally.

Through the reporting period the Party campaigned and reported on progress ahead of Society AGMs. Each society with a Party related vote came back positive for the Party. The Co-op Group’s vote had just over 80% support for the first time and Midcounties was over 91% for their related vote.

Following the winding up of PQASSO we have moved to a new provider to monitor our systems and processes and we are working through this with the Audit Sub Committee.

Party Council Grants have been paid out to CG Parties.

CLP Affiliations have been paid to all CLPs alongside writing to CLPs explaining the affiliation, the link with the Co-operative Party and our current campaigns. This has resulted in the opportunity to speak at multiple constituency meetings about the work of the Co-operative Party.

The Party also successfully conducted its second online AGM. The well attended event received positive feedback from attending members and the governance functions were well performed.

In recent months we’ve continued our work on food justice, particularly around the impact of the cost-of-living squeeze and how this will affect people’s ability to afford good, healthy food. As Shadow Secretary of State Jim McMahon has regularly raised this with the Government from the Despatch Box, urging them to act on food security and calling for a Comprehensive National Food Strategy.

• Over 5,000 people have also signed out petition calling on the government to uplift the value of vouchers in line with inflation, as the current rate now won’t cover even a single tin of most infant formula brands as intended
• We have also tabled parliamentary questions on the assessment the Government has made of inflation on food security, similar on Holiday Hunger and several around the take up and effectiveness of Healthy Start Vouchers in this context and their recent digitisation

Legislatively, we have been working with the relevant Labour frontbench team on the Financial Services and Markets Bill to ensure the interests of mutuals and financial co-operatives are represented.

We have also been working with Alex Norris and the Shadow Levelling Up Team on the Government’s flagship legislation to ensure Co-operative Party campaigns on community empowerment through issues like community ‘right to buy’, devolved power and funding, and strengthening asset of community value legislation will be reflected in it.

Mark Hendrick has introduced a Private Members Bill titled the ‘Co-operatives, Mutuals, and Friendly Societies Bill’, which will seek to make it easier for co-operatives to secure external capital and investment whilst safeguarding their mutual or co-operative status. The Party will be working closely with Mark to support his Bill ahead of its second reading in October.

Jonathan Reynolds has also written for us on the importance of continuing to address economic crime and building on recent legislation with a second Economic Crime Bill that will provide the proper tools to do so. This includes reforming Companies House and properly equipping enforcement services, and the Co-operative Party will once again be supportive in these efforts.

Jonathan also recently made a commitment to level the playing field for Co-operatives, by moving responsibility for co-operatives from Treasury to BEIS under a Labour and Co-op government, to prevent their interests falling through departmental cracks as if often the case. This was further reported in Co-op News.

Following the independent review published on Children’s Social Care which called for the establishment of regional care co-operatives, Rachael Maskell raised the issue in the Commons and called on the Government to implement the recommendations of the report including these co-ops in full.

We’ve also been making the case for community energy and have shared content from others including Ed Miliband on the importance of co-operative and community energy, and the importance of this to our energy future. Using a recent BEIS Oral question Geraint Davies also pressed the Government to do more in this area.

Going further back to the Queen’s Speech debates in Westminster we saw key contributions from members of the Parliamentary Group flagging these issues and others, including contributions from Gareth Thomas on support for the mutual sector, Mark Hendrick on the need to do more on food security and a right to food, and Alex Norris on wider support for the co-operative sector, the benefits of credit unions and building societies and the need to increase their number, the case for a UK Marcora Law around employee buyouts, and the overall benefits the co-operative sector brings to our economy.

Following the Queen’s Speech there are several key pieces of legislation announced that we will be seeking to be active on, and ensure they reflect core co-op party campaigns and those of the wider movement.

• Energy Security Bill – to ensure it includes our plan for supporting the community energy sector
• Financial Services and Markets Bill – around safeguarding access to cash, implementing a last bank in town approach, and supporting the credit union and building societies sectors
• Levelling up Bill – around co-operative approaches, devolved funding and decision making, and introduction of a High Street Buyout Fund
• Procurement Bill – to include provision for local authorities to better consider and achieve social value in their procurement
• Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill – in strengthening exiting regulations, reforming Companies House, and giving them and other bodies the ability to more rigorously enforce
• Modern slavery – to properly enforce existing requirements in Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act that requires statements from commercial organisations, and extend this to the public sector
• Media bill – in offering the mutualisation of Channel 4 as an alternative model to privatisation
• Renters reform bill – in supporting private renters and increasing scrutiny and accountability of landlords and the lettings market.

Our total membership as of 30 June was 12,478 with recruitment at 917

Our recruitment strategy continues to focus on growing the supporter list through a wide variety of public facing campaigns, off the back of local conferences and events and paid for social media. With local events starting back again in 2022 we are also distributing paper forms at stalls.

Our supporter journey sees a join ask sent several times each month making use of a diverse group of members, representatives and issues to make the ask.

From March this year, we began to place stronger emphasis on membership retention, with more targeted emails and letters to those who are at risk of lapsing in 2023, and those who have fallen into arrears.

Our target is for 75% of members to still be a member after three years.

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.