Build your own Co-operative Manifesto – Co-operative Party

Build your own co‑operative manifesto

Use this tool to build your co-operative manifesto for the 2026 local elections.

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This tool lets you build your co-operative manifesto for the 2026 local elections.

The Labour Government at Westminster provides the opportunity to enable community-led change in partnership with local councils. The Co-operative Party’s ‘Build a Co-operative Manifesto’ 2026 provides innovative ideas on how councillors can drive forward co-operative initiatives in their local areas – creating local economies, local services and local communities which put co-operative values at their heart.

This tool can be used by councils and councillors at any stage of co-operative policy development. Whether you’re in opposition, beginning to implement co-operative policies or significantly advanced in your co-operative journey – this tool has policies for you. Simply use the tool below to create a mini-manifesto to take to your local council colleagues, ready for the local elections in May 2026.

Promoting co‑operative development

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The Labour Government has begun taking action to meet its commitment to double the size of the co-operative and mutual sector. Since entering Government, a new Mutual & Co-operative Business Council has been established, a Call for Evidence on co-op growth has been launched and a new Co-op Development Unit will be in place in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Combined and local authorities can play a key part in meeting this objective and are central partners in delivering new co-operative growth. Councils can make co-operative development central to their plans for their local economy, providing support and resources for new and existing co-operatives to develop.

Starter

Ensure co-operative development forms part of local authority economic development strategies.

Examples:

Intermediate

Use centrally allocated economic development funding to build co-operative development support capacity.

This capacity could be delivered by specialist partner organisations to provide co-operative and social economy booster programmes.

Examples:

Advanced

Establish or support a local co-operative development agency or co-operative development network.

Examples:

Growing community ownership

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Community empowerment is integral to the Government's ambitions for national renewal and devolution. The English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill marks a significant step forward in the powers of local councils and local communities to reshape their local areas and economies. The flagship Community Right to Buy will provide community groups with enhanced powers to save, restore and reshape local assets – including shops, pubs, music venues, sports clubs and more.

Local councils can support the empowerment of their local communities through a range of proactive actions – giving communities the support and tools they need to drive real change. The new Pride in Place funding will be an important part in enabling new community-led projects across the country. Councillors can play a pivotal role in ensuring community groups can identify, purchase and operate community businesses which serve the needs of local residents.

Starter / Opposition

Support the listing and registration of ACVs by community groups.

Examples:

Starter

Ensure community ownership development forms a part of economic development strategies.

Intermediate

Facilitate community purchase of Assets of Community Value through community share offers (CSOs)

Examples:

Advanced

Use Pride in Place funding for targeted community owned asset and community owned business development projects.

Create a Pride in Place community forum to ensure residents are involved in decision making.

Promoting co‑operative & mutual financial services

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Fair, accessible and accountable financial services are vital to increasing local communities’ and residents’ living standards. Member-owned financial mutuals – such as credit unions, building societies and mutual insurers – are built on the principles of accountability, democracy and member interest. By providing accessible services such as low interest loans and savings accounts, credit unions can enable employees, residents and households to save and invest in their future. Building societies and community banks can also serve a vital role, developing mutual financial services to all communities and businesses.

Starter/Opposition

Provide council staff with access to a payroll deduction at a local credit union

Examples:

Intermediate

Provide space for credit unions in council buildings and in future banking hubs

Examples:

Advanced

Support the development of new credit unions or community banks

Examples:

Transitioning to community energy

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The Labour Government’s energy transition plans provide the largest opportunity for community energy expansion in British history. Spearheaded by GB Energy, the Local Power Plan provides the chance for local authorities to work with community energy groups to develop new renewable energy generation capacity in all parts of the country. A future energy system built on community energy can put communities in charge of their energy production, supply and usage. Community energy retrofitting of homes can help to reduce energy bills through greater energy efficiency.

Starter

Review and register council land and property which could be made available to community energy installations and projects

Intermediate

Plan a retrofitting programme with local community energy co-operatives – including supporting new and existing retrofit co-ops to grow and deliver projects

Examples:

Intermediate

Introduce a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP)

LAEPs enable councils to design and develop a plan for local energy decarbonisation – identifying needs, stakeholders and sources of power. A ‘local community energy strategy’ could be part of the LAEP.

Examples:

Advanced

Establish a Community Energy Fund & allocate council land to community energy project developments

Examples:

Remaking the housing sector

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The Labour Government is committed to building more affordable housing for communities across the country. Changes to the planning system, leasehold and rental sectors provide the opportunity for local councils to help deliver better housing for residents and drive change. Co-operative housing and community-led housing can be an integral part of delivering long-term affordable housing which empowers residents. Local councillors have a pivotal role in supporting the establishment and development of new forms of community-led housing – delivering accountable, secure and high-quality housing tenure for residents for the long-term.

Starter

Enable community-led housing provision within social housing by enabling tenants to manage their own estates.

Examples:

Intermediate

Establish a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) policy & land disposal policy in favour of Community Land Trusts (CLTs) and housing co-ops.

A CAT policy would enable land and assets to be managed by CLTs for new co-operative housing.

Examples:

Advanced

Support the establishment of new CLTs.

This could include incorporating the entity, providing planning support and appropriate resources for the start-up of the new entity. Council staff could be trained to support new CLTs.

Examples:

Towards ethical tax and procurement

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Tax avoidance has deprived public services of billions in tax revenue – leaving schools, hospitals, and infrastructure underfunded and often in disrepair. Governments across the world are beginning to take greater action against tax avoidance and local councils can support this through their own work. Councils can take leadership on ethical procurement, working against modern slavery in operations, supply chain and the local community.

Starter / Opposition

Sign up to be a Fair Tax Council

This will help establish fair tax compliance in procurement and supply chain.

Examples:

Starter

Pass the Modern Slavery Charter

This will commit your council to eradicating modern slavery from procurement and the Council’s supply chain.

Examples:

Intermediate

Implement a Community Wealth Building strategy

This strengthens social value criteria to support local co-operatives and social economic organisations.

Examples:

Achieving Food Justice

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The previous Government failed to ensure everyone had access to affordable, nutritious food. The Labour Government has stated it wants to end the food insecurity which blights our society. Local councils have an important role to play in delivering this change and ensuring food justice is achieved in all our communities and local authorities.

Intermediate

Support the development of food hubs and community fridges

Examples:

Advanced

Establish food co-ops and support the development of community owned shops

Examples:

Developing community & co‑operative transport

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Many communities are underserved by existing transport systems – leaving them isolated and often unable to access jobs, services and town centres. Community-led transport services can meet the needs of local residents – particularly the most vulnerable, elderly and isolated. Community transport can include community buses, dial-a-ride, voluntary car schemes, school and hospital transport. Local councillors can work to expand and safeguard these services – ensuring every resident has access to vital transport connections.

Starter

Provide information and signposting to development resources for prospective volunteer groups interested in developing community transport services

Examples:
  • Stevenage Council & Stevenage Community Transport Service

Intermediate

Provide a Community Transport Loan Fund

These can support community groups to purchase vehicles and resources for new community-owned transport provision

Advanced

Fund local dial-a-ride community transport services

Examples:

Building co‑operative social care

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The present social care system is broken – failing to deliver for care recipients, their families and care workers. The co-operative model can provide a solution which puts all these groups in control of their care. Co-op social care provision is developing in different regions of the UK and local councils can play an important role in expanding their services.

Starter/Opposition

Identify existing social care providers which may want to convert to a co-operative ownership model

Starter / Opposition

Encourage the growth of micro-businesses in health and adult social care which embed co-operative principles.

Examples:

Immediate

Support existing social care providers to convert to co-operative ownership – working with co-op development agencies to facilitate transition

Examples:

Advanced

Support the establishment of a new co-operative social care provider – including financial, business and legal support.

Examples:

Safer & Stronger High Streets

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Labour & Co-operative councillors can take action to revive their high streets – creating safer spaces for residents, communities and businesses. This will mean implementing community led approaches to high street redevelopment and strong action to reduce retail crime – which harms workers, consumers, communities and businesses. The introduction of the Pride in Place programme provides the opportunity for councillors to support community-led high street regeneration – rebuilding a sense of pride in local town centres and giving communities control over their future. This can help put an end to boarded up shops, closed pubs and town decay.

Starter/Opposition

Visit local retailers to discuss retail crime prevention

Examples:

Starter

Ensure retail crime is discussed by council representatives at Community Safety Partnerships and Police & Crime Panels

This raises awareness within police authorities and with Police & Crime Commissioners.

Examples:

Intermediate

Establish a Community Safety Fund & provide support for anti-crime measures for local retailers.

Local councillors can work with Police & Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to pool funding to establish a Community Safety Fund – which would allow local communities to take part in decision making on anti-crime interventions.

Advanced

Set up an Economic Recovery Fund targeting high street regeneration.

Examples:

Advanced

Establish Community Improvement Districts (CIDs)

CIDs enable community-led economic development.

Examples:

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