Do make note of the following deadlines:

w/c Monday 22 July:

• Preliminary agenda (i.e. organisational motions) sent.

Friday 30 August:

• Advise any amendments to organisational motions
• Nominate candidate for Conference Arrangements Committee election – by completing this form: CAC nomination form
• Propose a member to achieve a recognition of merit award

Thank you for submitting your Policy Submissions on:

• Climate change, energy and the environment
• Community, place and power

All your submissions are currently being reviewed and will be incorporated into two 2019 Policy papers.  These will be available online only the week commencing 23 September.  A link, along with responses to submissions received, will be sent by email to all registered delegates. 

The NEC were sympathetic to the motion remitted at Conference 2018 asking that additional time to debate topical issues should be incorporated into the Conference programme. This is being trialled this year.  Party Councils and affiliates were requested to propose topics and as only two were submitted no ballot will be required.

The Party Council who proposed each issue will be invited to introduce the discussion and say why this is important. This will be followed by contributions from delegates.  This discussion will take place in the session immediately preceding the Co-operative Party AGM on Sunday 13 October and will take priority over the discussion of any emergency motions received.

Topical issues for discussion are:

• Mental health (Bath and West Co-operative Party)
• Modern Slavery (Oxfordshire Party Council)

Following their June meeting, the Conference Arrangements Committee (CAC) has deemed the following organisational motions as valid for submission to Conference:

Gloucestershire and Swindon Party Council Motion 1:

‘The Gloucestershire and Swindon Party Council requests the NEC to make a change to the model rules for Party Councils to ensure a gender balance of core officers.’

Gloucestershire and Swindon Party Council Motion 2:

‘This Conference requests the NEC to seek a change to the National Agreement with the Labour Party that would enable Labour and Co-operative local government candidates to be identified as such alongside Labour candidates on the ballot paper in multi-member elections.’

Wales Party Motion:

‘As the Co-operative College achieves its centenary as an educational institution providing services to the Co-operative Movement in the UK and internationally, we also note this serves a timely reminder that Co-operative Principle 5 is Education, Training and Information.

At a time when the economic and social landscape globally is changing rapidly, we believe the Co-operative Movement should support and take the lead in promoting co-operative education and research which can address the challenges of our times.

We call upon the Co-operative Party to:

1. Celebrate the work of the Co-operative College over its 100 years and actively support the launch and development of a Co-operative University as a centre for co-operative learning and research in line with Principle 5 across the UK nations;
2. Recommit to the importance of Principle 5 by reviewing their engagement with co-operative learning for their members; and
3. Seek out opportunities for members to access co-operative learning programmes and projects, including those provided by the Co-operative College.’

How to amend these motions:

Only Party Councils, Societies and Affiliates may propose amendments.  The deadline is 30 August 2019. To submit an amendment, please send to Issy Oozeerally

Building on the continuing enthusiasm and energy for Co-operative Party solutions and our plans to develop the commitment to double the size of the UK co-operative sector, the programme for Annual Conference will include a full and diverse programme of speakers, debates and topics championing our vision for a more co-operative model of ownership

Over 400 members and delegates representing local Co-operative Parties across the regions and nations of the UK and our subscribing Societies and affiliates together with other representatives of our partners in the Co-operative, Trade Union and Labour movements take part in Conference. Annual Conference is the Party’s most important event each year, and with a growing membership we want to make sure that we have delegates from right across the country, representing the diverse views and experiences of our members.

Delegates have opportunities to contribute to policy debates, attend fringe events, take part in training workshops as well as visit a large marketplace area. There are also a number of opportunities to network with like-minded co-operators, attend social events and take part in sessions held by our networks: LGBT+, Women’s, BAME and a forum on disability.

If you have any questions about booking your delegation or if you feel your Party Council will struggle to send the recommended delegation level, please contact Shane Brogan (s.brogan@party.coop or 020 7367 4151).

Both days of Co-operative Party Annual Conference will be held in the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 36 Cambridge St, Glasgow G2 3HN (map).

Friday 11 October:

• Conference Registration
• Delegation meet ups
• 3pm – Yorkshire, North East, North West, East Midlands, West Midlands
• 4pm – Scotland & Northern Ireland, East, South West
• 5pm – London, South East, Wales, Subscribing Societies
• Welcome Reception (7.30pm)
• Youth Network social (8.30pm)

Saturday 12 October:

• Conference Registration
• Conference Day 1, sessions commence 9am
• LGBT+ network social from 7pm
• Conference Party from 8.30pm (NB: doesn’t include dinner)

Sunday 13 October:

• BAME network breakfast (from 8.30am)
• Conference Day 2 (concludes around 1.15pm)
• Women’s network lunch (from 1.30-3pm)

Delegate places are usually booked by your party council secretary or your co-operative society secretary. Party councils will receive a suggested delegation size based on the number of members and branches in your area.

We have worked hard to keep the delegate fees the same as 2018, the early-bird discounted registration deadline has passed. Please note accommodation is allocated on a first come basis so you should reserve your places asap.

This year’s fees include lunch on Saturday and the Conference Party on Saturday evening:

• Standard passes £195
• Youth (30 or Under) passes £145

To book your delegation passes and accommodation please contact Shane Brogan (s.brogan@party.coop or 020 7367 4151) or complete and return the booking form.

You can again book accommodation for your delegation through the Co-operative Party.   The Party has rooms allocated at the following hotels:

Doubletree by Hilton, 36 Cambridge St, Glasgow G2 3HN (Conference Venue):

• 70 standard rooms on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th October at £125 bed and breakfast based on single occupancy
• 20 deluxe rooms on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th October at £150 bed and breakfast based on single occupancy

Travelodge Glasgow Central 5-11 Hill Street, Glasgow, G3 6RP (adjacent road, 5 minutes from Conference Venue)

• for £94.80 on Friday 11th and £130.80 on Saturday 12th October plus a Full English Breakfast Buffet at £8.95 per person, per night.

There are also a variety of other accommodation options near the Conference Venue, which can be found through websites such as booking.com

The main station is Glasgow Central which is a 15 minute walk, 10 minutes by bus or 5 minutes by taxi to the Conference Venue (click here for map).

Travelling by public transport is the most cost effective way to attend Conference and reduces our environmental impact.