The Co-operative College has announced an extraordinary general meeting in mid-May, putting forward a resolution that, if passed, would see the 107-year-old institution close for good.
The remaining funds would be transferred to a different charity, which would use the funds to make grants supporting co-operative education.
In February, the College announced it would cease operational activity this summer, but continue as an unstaffed, grant-giving, membership organisation. But this option has now been shelved.
“The decision to bring this resolution to our members was not taken lightly and follows new financial and governance considerations identified as we developed our previously proposed non-staffed model,” said Chris Jardine, Co-op College chair.
These financial and governance considerations included the ongoing costs of maintaining membership and governance arrangements in an unstaffed model, which would absorb a significant proportion of the College’s remaining funds. In addition, partnerships the College hoped would “generate modest ongoing income” to support this work did not materialise.
The background note to the EGM reads: “As a result, grant-giving would be the sole remaining charitable activity. In this context, the board has carefully considered what value the continued existence of the College as a legal entity would add.
“Taking all of this into account, and mindful of our duty to steward resources for public benefit, the board has concluded that an orderly wind-up and dissolution represents the most responsible course of action.”
Jardine said the board was “truly grateful for the engagement, support, and encouragement we have received at each stage of the process so far, from members, partners, and the wider movement,” but added they believed the proposal for voluntary wind-up and dissolution was “the best option available to maximise our funds for charitable impact and for achieving our charitable objectives, while ensuring full compliance with our regulatory requirements.”
As a charity, any remaining assets must be transferred to another charitable organisation with an aligned purpose. If the resolution is passed, the College board intends to transfer remaining funds to the Co-op Foundation – the charity arm of the Co-op Group – which would be used to set up, administer and make grants that support education and co-operation.
The Co-op Foundation was chosen as “it has a long-standing relationship with the College and shares our ambition for a renewed focus on co-operative learning and education,” said the background note.
The Co-op College EGM takes place online on Wednesday, 13 May. In line with its constitution, the resolution will be passed if 75% of members vote in favour of the special resolution, following which the College will wind up and close in the autumn. As of April 2026, the College had 102 individual members and 13 organisational members.
If the resolution to dissolve is not passed, the charity will remain open, and the College will proceed with the transition to an unstaffed, grant-giving model, as previously proposed.
