The NEC agreed the following membership subscriptions for 2024.  These will be put to Annual Conference for confirmation in September.

The NEC had previously agreed to recommend to the Annual Conference each year an increase to membership rates based on the RPI rate of inflation plus 1%. It is recognised that given the extraordinary levels which RPI currently sits at that this level of increase is an unacceptable burden to place on our members. For 2024 that would mean an increase of 14.5% to membership rates.

Subject to formal approval by Annual Conference a rise of 5% to individual membership subscriptions is proposed. This means the following membership subscriptions are proposed from 1 January 2024:

Notes on how increases are applied:

• The increase is rounded to the nearest 5p and added to our standard monthly rate.
• The reduced income rate is fixed at £1 per month below the standard rate.
• The optional solidarity rate is fixed at £2 per month above the standard rate.
• The annual rates are 12 x monthly rates, rounded to the nearest 5p.
• The youth rate is linked to Labour’s youth rate and will see no increase in 2024.
• The fundraising clubs are optional fixed donations, so no inflation rises are applied.

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 June.

Local Elections 2023 Candidates

Following the Party’s record breaking last two years for local election candidate numbers, in the strategic plan we hoped to attract 800 candidates in 2023. In the event the Party surpassed this target and attracted another record number with 1000+ candidates. This number is more than double the last time these seats were up four years ago.

The Co-operative Party is once again fielded a record number of candidates with 1,015 candidates fighting 1,103 contests across every region of England. We have also grown our parish and town council candidates, with 128 standing for parish, town or community council.

Retention of Labour & Co-operative Councillors is high with 224 candidates standing for re-election as Labour and Co-operative, leaving 99 that did not, for a variety of reasons, mainly retirement.

We continued to have a good spread of candidates, with (80%) of councils contested in England and with again many places having their first-ever Co-operative Party candidates.

We continue to monitor the diversity of our candidates and for the first time collated whether they have caring responsibilities for young children. 9.72% identified in this category and we have run special support sessions.

Our youngest candidate was 18yrs and 2 months and the oldest candidate was 89yrs at election time.

The Councils with the highest numbers of candidates were:

38        Derby City Council, Medway Council

23        Nottingham Council

22        Hertsmere Borough Council, York City Council

21        West Lancashire Borough Council

20        Lancaster City Council, Slough Borough Council

19        Oldham Council

Local Government elections results

The Party had 680 candidates elected. This number has taken us to the highest number of elected representatives in our history with the best part of 1600 Co-op Councillors at its core.  See detailed report below.

Local Government Support and training

The Party sent a campaign pack to every official and supported candidate, which included a copy of our Build Your Own Manifesto tool and some campaign basics such as posters and stickers. Further materials are available to purchase in the campaign shop online.

We run a candidate’s resource hub that includes access to the relevant logos, Canva templates and sharers. All of this was available online: https://party.coop/local/candidate/resources

Regional organisers ran Co-op Campaign Days as well as staff visits to a range of council campaign sessions across the country. The Party also completed its last candidate development programme training session and delivered a specific session on digital campaigning.

New West Midlands Metro Mayor

The Party has a new Metro Mayoral candidate in the West Midlands with Richard Parker achieving both nominations.

General Election selections

The Party’s work in the General Election selections continues and since the last report the Party has stood official candidates in Broxtowe, Mid and South Pembrokeshire, Midlothian and East Lothian, with unofficial selections taking place in a wide range of other seats. The Party has added Douglas Alexander and Kirsty McNeill to the list of official Co-operative Party candidates.

The Co-ops Bill (PMB)

The Co-ops Bill, which Lab & Co-op MP Sir Mark Hendrick steered through the Commons began its Lord’s stage. Lord Kennedy has now sponsored the Bill and it is has passed through all stages apart from 3^rd Reading and Royal Ascent. Royal Ascent is expected in mid-June. This Bill has been called for by co-operative societies and will provide for a more robust asset lock for co-ops to take up if they choose.

[Update: The Co-operatives, Mutuals and Friendly Societies Act received Royal Assent on 29 June 2023]

‘Best place in the world to set up an alternative model business’ report and launch

Since the last report the Party embarked on a partnership piece of policy development work with Social Enterprise UK. Whilst the Party has had a close working relationship with Social Enterprise UK, this is the first piece of joint work for some time. The work sought to build upon the review of the needs for new start up business’ Lord O’Neill conducted for the Labour Party. The report can be seen here: Making Britain the best place to start an alternative business – Co-operative Party

Questionnaire work was conducted with co-operatives across the country and the membership of Social Enterprise UK. The report was launched with a Westminster roundtable event which Labour and Labour & Co-operative Party frontbenchers attended, including Party Chair Jim McMahon MP and Seema Malhotra MP.

Co-operative Rural Review report publication and launch

Over a number of months the Party has worked with a range of Commissioners of the above review, which have included Lab & Co-op Peers and experts. The Party undertook a call for evidence, looking for input on the best rural co-operative policy ideas. Working with the evidence the Commissioners and Party staff drafted and published the final review. The review document can be found here: Co-operative Party Rural Commission Report – Co-operative Party

The review was launched in Westminster with a range of speakers including Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food, Rural Affairs and Party Chair Jim McMahon, Lord Steve Bassam and Baroness Hayman. The document has been submitted to the Labour Party NPF and has been subject to private events hosted by Labour Coast and Country.

Scottish Co-operative Energy publication and launch

Through the reporting period the Party also published a report looking at the potential contribution of co-operative energy within Scottish energy mix. The policy was development between Party staff, the sector and Scottish Co-op MSPs. It was launched at an event in Holyrood and can be read here:  Scotland’s Green Energy Future: A Co-operative Energy Transition – Co-operative Party

Co-operative Growth policy work

Over the reporting period the Party has spent time developing policy surrounding the double the size of the co-operative sector policy ask. This work is now finished, and work has started in its distribution. The Party has started a range of communications around the policy which has seen Metro Mayors, senior Lab & Co-op political representatives all echo the need for co-op growth. The work now has a brand and has been supplemented through work like Local Election manifesto pledges from around the country, Scottish Party calls to the new Scottish First Minister and action such as in Hackney Council who have announced a new co-op growth fund.

The basic call for Co-operative Growth was echoed within Gareth Thomas MP’s recent Ten Min Rule Bill on the topic.

Labour Party National Policy Forum

Double the size of the co-operative sector has been included in the concluding papers of the Labour Party’s National Policy Forum. The Party has been very active through the Commissions we are represented on and through our members of the NPF through the reporting period. The Party submitted evidence to all Commissions and is now currently promoting a range of amendments.

Welsh Government co-operative commitments

At the Welsh Co-operative Party conference (referenced later in the report) Vaughan Gething MS announced new funding (£3m) for employee ownership in Wales and Jeremy Miles MS announced a new programme for co-operative education in Wales.

Other work in this strategic objective area:

• Both Doncaster and North Yorkshire Council adopted Fairtax Council status.
• The Party issued a response to the Westminster Government’s Football Governance Review
• Camden and the GLA adopted the Modern Slavery Charter
• The Party has collated all the different co-operative policy commitments made in local manifestos through the course of the local elections.
• The Party issued strong responses to both Westminster and Scottish budget statement.

National and Regional Co-operative Party Conferences.

Since the last quarter’s report, the Party has completed the full range of national and regional Co-operative Conferences. Since the last report the Party has worked to deliver:

• Welsh Co-operative Party Conference
• Scottish Co-operative Party Conference
• Yorkshire and Humber Co-operative Party Conference
• Midlands Co-operative Party Conference
• London Co-operative Party Conference
• Northern Ireland Co-operative Party Conference
• South West Co-operative Party Conference
• East of England Co-operative Party Conference

Clearly these eight conferences take much organisational capacity to produce and deliver. Combined, hundreds of co-operative Party members have attended, and tens of speakers have been profiled. Many have been attended by senior Lab & Co-op elected representatives. They have been a great success and feedback has been very positive.

Scottish Labour and Welsh Labour Conferences

The Party had a full presence on the Platform, fringe and marketplace through both the Welsh and the Scottish Party conferences. Both had well attended fringes profiling Co-operative elected representatives and figures from the co-operative movement. Anas Sarwar MSP and Scottish Labour leader underlined a range of Co-operative Party and Scottish Labour policy commitments through his speech, this followed up with email content to members and supporters.

Modern Slavery

Following the introduction and the passage of the ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ the Party has focussed on the issue of eradicating modern slavery and the appointment of a new Anti-Slavery Commissioner (now a year the role has been vacant). Through the course of this work 3,000 members and supporters contacted their MPs in support of Co-operative Party and Labour Party amendments to this Bill. The Party has also had a range of member facing events and communications featuring Labour Party frontbench members such as Jess Phillips MP. Several Co-operative Party Parliamentarians carried Co-operative Party content through the range of Parliamentary stages of this Bill.

Fairtrade Fortnight

The Party provided focussed support to Fairtrade Fortnight this year. This saw activity in each Parliament including EDMs, Debates and video content. Photo opportunities also happened in Westminster and the Welsh Parliament. This was supplemented with Co-op Live and Local Party events.

Co-operative Growth

Co-operative growth has remained the focus of the Party’s campaigning work through the reporting period. In addition to the update on the policy work referenced earlier in the report, the Party has carried growth content from Angela Rayner MP (Dep Lab Leader), Ed Miliband (Energy), Jim McMahon (Chair and EFRA) and Jonathan Reynolds MP (Shad BIS).

We have supported visits to co-operatives in South Yorks. for Lab & Co-op Metro Mayor Oliver Coppard with following content, and Northern Ireland for Jim McMahon MP. The Party has also produced two Co-op Live events on the topic through the reporting period.

Other activity within this strategic objective:

• Party Officers attended the launch of the Labour Party Policy Missions at Co-op Group HQ and participated in meetings between senior Co-operative executives and senior members of the Labour leadership team.
• Attended and participated in Jim McMahon’s Food Security Summit as well as producing subsequent communications.
• The Party has also issued communications surrounding reports of potential changes to the ownership model of John Lewis Partnership.

Co-op Live Events

Through this period there has been a strong programme of Co-op Live members’ events including but not limited to

• International Women’s Day event
• Online Iftar event
• Animal Welfare event
• Fairtrade event
• Co-op growth events
• Co-op housing event
• LGBTQ+ history month event
• Youth network event

Membership

See separate report – Recruitment & Membership.  There has been strong membership growth which combined with a strengthened retention rate leaves the Party well placed for the rest of 2023.

Diverse Council Charter

The Party worked with a range of commissioners including LGA Vice Chair Cllr Antoinette Bramble and Baroness Wilcox to develop and launch a Diverse Council Charter, which aims to ensure the operation and membership of Local Authorities encourage increased diversity in local government. Southwark Council was the first Council to sign the charter.

Subscribing Society Meeting

Since the last report the Party carried out the latest in the regular meetings with our Subscribing Societies. The meeting covered a range of issues including upcoming Local Elections and future manifesto priorities. Through the period subscribing Societies have been represented through the range of conferences previously outlined and Societies such as Midcounties have presented at the Westminster Parliamentary Group.

National Retail Conference and Society AGMs

The General Secretary spoke at the National Retail Conference, where the Party had a presence in the Marketplace. The Party has also had a presence at Society AGMs. The General Secretary also spoke at the Midcounties AGM and Fairer Living Festival.

Other activities in the area of this strategic priority:

• The latest edition of the Pioneer magazine was issued.
• The Chris Herries Women’s leadership scheme began in partnership with the Labour Women’s Network.

• The Party has conducted an internal audit of branch activity and Party support and organising staff are taking forward a range of work following its findings.
• The Midcounties Co-op voted at their AGM to contribute to the Party (90+%).
• The Party conducted its Annual Keep it Co-op work prior to the Co-op Group AGM. This included the Labour Party sending an email to each of their members about the Party and the ballot.
• The Party, with its auditor, finished its annual audit.
• The Party is engaging with the Electoral Commission following rule changes.
• New Officer and new member events have been conducted.
• The latest P6 event with non-member co-operatives has been carried out.
• The Party has led an updating piece of work in relation to its staff handbook.
• Party Officers have attended a range of HR related seminars.
• The Party has completed its annual performance management exercise.

• Our total membership as of 31 December was 13,631.
• Our total recruitment for 2023 Q1 stands at 577 – this includes both new joiners and those who have re-joined after being lapsed.
• Our recruitment strategy continues to focus on increasing 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 a couple of times each month, making use of a diverse group of members, representatives and issues to make the ask.
• From the beginning of last year, we began to place stronger emphasis on membership retention, with more targeted emails and letter to those who are at risk of lapsing in 2023, and those who have fallen into arrears.
• Our target is that we retain 80% of new members after the third year of membership and keep the retention rate of years 1 and 2 above 90%
• Although we did not recruit any additional ones in 2022, it remains our aim to attract new subscribing society members in 2023 in addition to our current 17.
• Although our “Join Asks” provide by far the most of our new joiners, we are now gaining some new members through stalls at regional and national events, and we continue through other social portals such as Facebook & Twitter.
• Every month we ensure that the supporter Join Asks are written by a diverse range of co-operative figures from various backgrounds, regions & nations and based on a current topic.
• It is expected that new recruitment will continue to be challenging in 2023, and we have been placing additional focus since 2022 on membership retention, particularly at a local level. We are about to begin “signposting” new members to activity in their area, or at a specific national level, as part of the Membership Journey from joining.
• Due to the record recruitment in 2020 & 2021, there has been a larger pool of members who could lapse, which is now coming through in the arrears reports. At the end of 2022 net growth was around 250 extra members. Members due to lapse in 2023 were taken off in April and will be reflected in the Q2 report.
• For those at risk of lapsing and in arrears we have continued to run a targeted campaign through email and post which has clawed some memberships back which would have otherwise expired.

Membership Demographics

• Equality questions are now part of our core forms, giving us accurate data on new members, and building data on existing members.
• Our recruitment has improved significantly across all equalities groups since we first reported, building a more representative Party membership:
  • 9% of new members and 8.1% of all members are BAME
  • 9% of new members and 11.8% of all members are disabled
  • 9% of new members and 7.1% of all members are LGBTQ+
  • 41% of new members and 39.3% of all members are Women
  • 6% of new members and 9.4% of all members are aged 14-30 (Youth)
  • 1% of new members and 0.6% of all members are non-Binary
  • Proportions of all the demographics have increased since the last quarter as we gain more data from new members and existing members.
• Over 40% of new members are women, and the percentage of members in the Youth category who are new is almost double that of the membership (16.5% to 9.4%).
• For members applying to the local government candidate development programme we introduced a “caring responsibilities for young children” tab to the questionnaire so we can help with accessibility issues for potential candidates and meetings in terms of Zoom times, creche facilities at in person meetings etc. So far, we have had about 178, or 1.3% of all members who have declared this.
• For members who have joined in Q1 this rises to 32, or 5.5% of all new members

The final meeting of the 2020-23 NEC in May received a verbal report of the local elections.  Here is a summary:

We have 1,522 members holding 1,538 council seats across every region of England and nations of Scotland and Wales

• We elected the Labour and Co-op Mayor of Middlesborough
• We have more than trebled our councillor numbers in just five election cycles
• 681 elected – 66% success rate
• 344 not elected
• Cllr numbers grew by 25% this cycle, rising from 1,200 to over 1,500

Total councillor numbers by region:

• England – 1403
  • East Midlands – 147
  • East of England – 137
  • London – 359
  • North East & N Cumbria – 92
  • North West – 218
  • South East – 168
  • South West – 76
  • West Midlands – 108
  • Yorkshire & the Humber – 96
• Scotland – 72
• Wales – 46

Of those who have provided equality data:

45% identify as women, 54% identify as men, >1% identify as non-binary

• 25% identify as BAME
• 20% identify as having a disability
• 15% identify as LGBTQ+
• Also, 22% have caring responsibilities for young children

Age profile:

• 18-30 – 113 – 7% (Youth members)
• 31-65 – 1,017 – 67% (working age)
• 65+ – 391 – 26% (pensionable age)

Our youngest councillor is 18yrs and 2mths of age, the oldest councillor is 89yrs of age.

We now have new and in many cases for the first time, Labour and Co-operative Council Leaders at

• Liverpool
• West Lancashire
• Oldham
• Swindon
• Medway
• Plymouth
• Stoke
• York
• High Peak
• Bolton

*The data may sometimes appear inconsistent due to how numbers are calculated, e.g., the number of individuals versus number of seats held, as some members hold more than one seat such as sitting on parish and district, or district and county.

The Co-operative Party AGM took place on Saturday 24 June 2023, online.

Attendance

42 delegates representing twenty-three local Co-operative Parties, Societies and affiliates were present.  In addition to the registered delegates, 74 individual members and twelve members of the Board attended.

To receive the revenue account and balance sheet for 2022

Following the presentation of the Board Report and Accounts and questions, the Board Report and Accounts 2022 were approved.

To receive a report on the Party’s performance in 2022 and forward plans for the next two years

The General Secretary and Senior Management Team presented the Annual Review and forward look.

To appoint financial auditors

The re-appointment of Crowe UK as the Party’s Auditors was approved.

See here for details of the NEC. You can contact your NEC representative via the link on that page or by emailing Karen Wilkie, Board Secretary at board@party.coop.