The UK has been through its party conference season, at a time when co-ops are more prominent in the national conversation thanks to Labour’s pledge to double the size of the mutual economy and growing interest in alternative economic models.
Notably, Andy Burnham, the UK’s first Labour and Co-operative prime minister, delivered his inaugural conference speech as Labour leader, where he spoke of his ambitions for more devolution, public control of utilities and the launch of a National Care Service.
The Cooperative Councils’ Innovation Network (CCIN), a non-partisan umbrella group for local authorities putting co-operative solutions into police, issued a statement welcoming Burnham’s stated ambition to “rewire Britain” through place‑based leadership and community empowerment.
“As a cross‑party network,” the network said, “CCIN recognises that many of the principles underpinning the prime minister’s agenda reflect the co-operative values that our member councils have championed for more than a decade. The focus on devolving power, embedding social value, restoring trust in public services and designing services with communities – rather than simply for them – mirrors the approach co-operative councils champion every day.”
Cllr Paul Cassidy, chair of CCIN, said: “The prime minister’s speech recognised something that co-operative councils have understood for many years: the best solutions are often found closest to the communities they serve.
“Across the country, CCIN member councils are already demonstrating how co-operation, community power and local leadership can improve lives and strengthen public services. The prime minister has seen first-hand in Greater Manchester how local leadership and collaboration can transform places when communities are given the tools and powers to succeed. We welcome the commitment to devolving power and giving communities a greater say over the decisions that affect them.”
But he said this needs to be backed by the devolution of power. “If Britain is to be genuinely rewired around people and place, local government must be trusted, empowered and properly supported to lead that change.
“Real change will depend not only on national ambition but on empowered local leadership. If communities are to have greater control over the decisions that affect their lives, councils must be trusted with the powers, resources and freedoms necessary to deliver for local people.”
He added: “As a cross-party network CCIN stands ready to work constructively with government, our member councils, affiliates, supporters and partners across the political spectrum to help turn that ambition into practical actions. Our network has spent more than a decade demonstrating that when power is shared, communities are stronger and public services are better. We look forward to continuing to champion co-operative approaches that help communities shape a fairer, more resilient and more prosperous future.”
The PM’s speech came in the context of a higher profile for co-ops and mutuals at the Labour conference.
“It’s notable how co-operatives and mutuals now come up much more often in discussions on issues as diverse as good growth, place, social care, energy and food security, without it having to be Co-operatives UK or the Co-operative Party raising it,” said James Wright, policy and development lead at Co-operatives UK.
The Labour conference included a private round table held between business minister Lord Leong with Co-operatives UK and fellow mutuals sector bodies the Building Societies Association (BS), Employee Ownership Association (EOA), Association of Financial Mutuals (AFM) and All Together Money (ATM) held a private roundtable with business minister Lord Leong.
Co-operatives UK CEO Rose Marley also attended a breakout discussion with ministers on co-operative growth, and the apex joined a private roundtable on food security, with farming minister Stephen Morgan and representatives of dairy co-op Arla.
Marley “was also flying the flag for co-operatives on panels on community-led development and public control of essentials”, added Wright.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, there was a strong co-op presence at the Scottish National Party (SNP) conference, with Co-operatives UK, EOA, ATM and Social Enterprise Scotland organising an event with Hannah Mary Goodlad MSP, minister for public finance (and community wealth).
“There is a huge opportunity in Scotland’s world-leading community wealth building agenda,” said Wright – but in a blog post for Co-operatives UK, he warns that Scottish policy makers “need to be bolder”.
The Scottish co-op sector, by international standards, is “small and growing slowly”, he writes, with challenging conditions in the shape of high costs, narrow margins and considerable instability.
“Yet the data also shows that Scottish co-operatives punch above their weight in terms of economic and social impact,” he adds. “We have big opportunities to secure better policy for co-operatives in Scotland … The Community Wealth Building Act creates legal duties for government, agencies and local authorities to promote the growth of these businesses.
“Councils are already publishing action plans with commitments on co-operatives. Our priority now must be to help turn great policy into real world action.”
But there are still problems to overcome, says Wright – with co-op development funding cut by Scottish Enterprise.
“The sector in Scotland has two clear asks of ministers: restore this funding, while actively supporting our ambition for new sector-led development infrastructure. The Scottish National Investment Bank and some dormant assets should also be used to support co-operative capital raising.
“The mention of co-operative development in the Programme for Government is encouraging. More still, assurances from officials that co-operatives are fully in scope of the planned Social Economy Strategy. We can turn a fragmented support landscape into an effective, well-resourced ecosystem. But this will take at least a year. In the meantime, Scottish government should fund an interim co-operative development programme, commissioning support from specialists.”
Wright said Co-operatives UK continues to lobby the Scottish government and is working with MSPs to establish a new cross party group on co-operatives and mutuals in the new parliament.
Sector bodies were also present at the Conservative Party conference, with Co-operatives UK, BSA, EOA, AFM and ATM holding a roundtable with the shadow paymaster general, Harriett Baldwin.
“Conservatives are interested in understanding how they could ‘cut red tape’ for co-operatives and mutuals”, says Wright. “We came away convinced of the need to retain the current high levels of cross-party support for the co-operative and mutual growth agenda.”
