Principles met

  • We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.
  • We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects and approaches in order to encourage broader application of co-operative principles within individual member Councils and across the Network.
  • In exploring new ways of meeting the priority needs of our communities we will encourage models, such as co-operatives and mutuals, which give greater influence and voice to staff and users. in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.
  • As a membership organisation, we will make this statement of our principles operational by: • Co-operation among members: Our members work together to help each other implement our values, sharing experiences and learning. • Openness of membership: Full, Associate and Affiliate Membership is open to any qualifying Council, organisation or individual who shares our values and is committed to putting them into action. • Co-production of the Network’s work: Members help shape the Network’s work programme and the content of events and written products. • Action-focused: The network is a vehicle for helping councils translate co-operative values and principles into policy and practice. •Membership-based: The network is majority funded by modest membership subscriptions from its member Councils, Associates and Affiliates. •Non-party-political: Members share the belief that working co-operatively within and across communities holds the key to tackling today’s challenges.

Lewisham Council’s nationally leading approach to supporting refugees and ensuring the successful resettlement of refugee families has transformed hundreds of lives. In 2021 we were honoured to be the first in the UK to be formally recognised as a Council of Sanctuary.

The Council helped found the Lewisham Migration Forum (LMF), which is a space for individuals, communities, businesses, charities, universities, the Council, health providers, and more, who provide services and support to migrants in Lewisham to come together and discuss issues, share resources and collaborate on campaigns and initiatives to make the migrant and refugee sector in the borough stronger and more effective. The Forum is open to anyone working with migrant and refugee communities and to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers themselves. Experts by experience also take part in the forum, sometimes by direct involvement or through a spokesperson.

For more information contact: