Building Community Power: Annual Conference & AGM 2021

After the success of our first ever online annual conference last year, we have taken the decision – based on uncertainly caused by Covid-19 – to hold Building Community Power: Co-operative Party Annual Conference 2021 online only.

Conference will kick off on Tuesday 5 October with an evening series of parliamentary reports from Labour & Co-operative elected representatives in the UK, Scottish and Wales parliaments.  The main Conference Weekend will take place on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th October, filled with an exciting programme of keynote speakers, policy debates and campaign workshops. This will then be followed by a week of events from our Equality Networks, and will close on Saturday 16th October with the Co-operative Party’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference Voting.

Our Building Community Power conference is free to attend and open to all.  Bringing communities together is at the very core of our Party and our movement. Conference is a great opportunity to come together, celebrate our Party and shape the future – from those who’ve just joined, to longstanding members of our movement, there’s something for everyone to get involved with during our Conference.  Please encourage members to take part … sessions will be livestreamed on our Conference webpage or held on zoom.  Links will be emailed to all those registered to attend.

For details of the full programme for Annual Conference, please click here: https://party.coop/conference21

Annual Conference 2021

PARLIAMENTARY REPORTS:

• Tues 5th Oct @ 7pm: Building Community Power in Westminster: a Co-operative Election Manifesto on zoom.
• Wed 6th Oct @ 7pm: Building Community Power in Scotland: Campaigns and Legislation on zoom
• Thursday 7th Oct @ 7pm: Senedd Cymru Building Community Power: When in Power on zoom

CONFERENCE WEEKEND:

Saturday 9th Oct – from 10am:

• Keynote speeches from Jim McMahon MP – chair of Co-operative Party; Anneliese Dodds MP – chair of Labour Party; Vaughan Gething MS – Minister for Economy, Wales Senedd; Andy Burnham – Mayor of Greater Manchester and Tracy Brabin – Mayor of West Yorkshire
• 13.oo Interactive High Streets policy discussion on zoom
• 15.00 Interactive Campaigning workshop: Climate Change on zoom

Sunday 10th October from 10am:

• Keynote speeches from Joe Fortune – General Secretary Co-operative Party; Sarah Longlands – CEO CLES; Anas Sarwar MSP, Leader of Scottish Labour
• Building Community Power panel highlighting the work of co-operatives in communities with Co-operative Town; Zero Waste @ Shrub Co-op; Tonic Housing; New Local (thinktank on Community Power) and the Co-op Foundation.  Chaired by Baroness Thornton
• 13.oo Interactive Social Care policy discussion on zoom
• 15.00 Interactive Campaigning workshop: The future of public service broadcasting on zoom

NETWORKS:

• Mon 11 Oct @ 6.30pm: Co-operative Party Youth on Climate Change
• Tues 12 Oct @ 6.30pm: LGBTQ+ & Co-operators on Hot Button Issues
• Wed 13 Oct @ 6.30pm: Co-operative Party BAME on Increasing Opportunities for BAME
• Thu 14 Oct @ 6.30pm: Co-operative Party Women on Women in Public Life
• Fri 15 Oct @ 6.30pm: Co-operative Party (dis)Ability on Social Care

Co-operative Party Ltd AGM & Conference Voting

The Annual General Meeting of Co-operative Party Ltd will once again be held virtually. It will take place online Saturday 16 October from 9.30 to 12.30pm. It is a priority that all Party Councils and Subscribing Societies send delegates to attend and vote.  Submit your delegates here

Please note that this online event will also incorporate a session whereby the votes on policy, organisational motions, rules changes, membership subscriptions and the Conference Arrangements Committee (that are normally held during Conference) can take place. Ideally your delegates should make themselves available to take part in our online Conference policy debates the preceding weekend but also the AGM & Conference Voting on Saturday 16 October.

Do also advise appointment of the Lead Delegate to the AGM and Conference Voting, who will be responsible for casting Card Votes on behalf of your organisation. If you have any questions regarding this year’s session on Annual General Meeting and Conference Voting, please email events@party.coop

For consultation

All Conference related papers can be found here: All Conference related papers can be found here: https://party.coop/conference21#resources

These will be taken during the AGM & Conference Voting session on Saturday 16 October and include:

• Annual Summary 2020
• Board and Financial report for 2020
• Policy Papers x 2 (High Streets and Social Care)
• Organisational Motions x 2 (from CMS and Central Midlands Co-operative Party Council)
• Rule Changes
• Membership Subscription for 2022

Due to the online nature of this event, we are unable to take emergency motions as part of the programme for Conference 2021.  If you have an emergency motion, please forward it to the NEC member representing your region, for consideration at the next meeting of the Co-operative Party’s National Executive Committee.  For details of NEC members click here: https://party.coop/people/nec/ 

CAC Election 

The Conference Arrangements Committee (CAC) governs the procedure of the business of Conference.  The CAC is composed of five persons: two elected by ballot at each Annual Conference and a fifth member from the NEC. At each Annual Conference, two members are elected.  In 2021 candidates nominated are:

• Jackie Jones, Wales Co-operative Party
• Lis Telcs, East Sussex Co-operative Party

As two candidates were nominated, they are automatically elected to the Committee.

Recognition Awards

Our Recognition Awards are a small way that we can say thank you to those members who have played a big part in helping developing the Co-operative Party.  Co-operators receiving these Awards will be highlighted in the AGM on 16 October.

Accessibility 

We are working with the RNID to make provisions for members who have difficulty hearing to take part by live captioning our events.

We are also considering ways to support members who do not have access to computers to participate.  Please contact us if you or any of the members of your branch/Party Council need support with this.

Safeguarding

All members and supporters taking part in Co-operative Party Conference and our other events, are asked to read this important information about our rules of conduct and safeguarding procedure here: https://party.coop/wp-content/blogs.dir/5/files/2021/09/Guidance-on-Conduct-1.pdf

If you have any questions or need any clarification, do contact me.

Issy Oozeerally 
Events Co-ordinator

P.S. Although Covid-19 restrictions have eased, we are asking Officers to remain holding all meetings online until at least Autumn, after Conference. This will give us time to watch the lifting of restrictions and see what guidance will cover in person meetings when they are permitted. It also means that you can plan your events without having to make any last minute changes should restrictions be extended.