Briefing:NEC Election 2023 – Consultation From: Karen Wilkie For attention of: All Party Officers, NEC Published: 21st September 2022 Last updated: 11th October 2022 Printed: 22nd November 2024 Other formats: Print In 2020, the current NEC committed to reviewing its structures to increase diversity and representation from elected representatives, and from members in Northern Ireland. We then undertook several periods of consultation with local parties, affiliates, networks and individual members in 2021 and 2022 to agree what changes could be made. In 2022, the NEC formally proposed the necessary amendments to the rules of Co-operative Party Ltd, and these were agreed by members at the AGM in June and approved by the Financial Conduct Authority. NEC Members from 2023 From the next NEC election (Spring 2023), the members of the NEC will be: Eleven elected by and from individual members by one member one vote: one from Scotland, one from Wales, one from Northern Ireland and eight from England; One under the age of twenty-seven at the date of nomination, elected by and from individual youth members by one member one vote; One elected by and from each of the BAME, (dis)Ability and LGBTQ+ networks by one member one vote; Two appointed by the Co-operative Group; Two elected by and from affiliated retail Societies other than the Co-operative Group; One elected by and from affiliated non-retail Societies and other affiliates; Two elected by and from the Westminster Parliamentary Group; Two elected by and from Labour and Co-operative elected representatives other than the Westminster Parliamentary Group. These will be elected for three years. Consultation with local Co-operative Parties on the allocation of regions in England The eight members elected by and from individual members in England will be elected from four electoral sections (two from each), with at least one woman elected from each section. At the AGM, the NEC confirmed that no more than one member from any of the nine regions would be elected to the sections and committed to consult with local parties on the allocation of the nine regions of England. After careful consideration of the viable options, the NEC is proposing the following: 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 This gives a more even local party, population and geographic distribution than the alternative, which would be to allocate the Yorkshire and Humber Region to the Midlands Section. Please note that these sections are solely for the election of the eight members to the NEC – for all other purposes the nine regions remain as they are. Proposed sections for the allocation of regions for the NEC election. The next steps Local Parties are invited to contact Karen Wilkie, Board Secretary, by email (board@party.coop) by 16 November 2022 with any comments on the proposed allocation. These will be considered when the NEC confirms the process for the election at its meeting in November. The procedures and timetable for the election will be circulated in December. The new NEC will take office in June. Action Points Speak to your NEC member for more information Send us your response by 16 NovemberEmail Karen Wilkie, Board Secretary For more information Karen Wilkie, Board Secretary Karen Wilkie Resources Co-operative Party NEC