26th March 2021 / Posted By Andrew
With the Oxford Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) Pilot set to start in August 2021, ODS – Oxford City Council’s wholly-owned company – has made a significant step in the electrification of its fleet, with the arrival of Oxford’s first electric refuse collection vehicle. The vehicle is the latest in its 339-strong fleet to be converted ... Read More
25th March 2021 / Posted By Andrew
This document explores how European healthcare providers are already realising a host of complementary benefits from growing healthy and sustainable food within their facilities. It outlines a number of case studies including the Lambeth GP Food Coop (page 9) showcasing successful initiatives from across Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe’s network and discusses the opportunities ... Read More
16th November 2020 / Posted By Andrew
Survivors Against Domestic Abuse has received accreditation from a global campaign which encourages men and boys to take action to change the culture that leads to abuse and violence. The Stevenage Borough Council-run service has been recognised by White Ribbon for its work to end all-male violence against women, not only in the town, but ... Read More
8th July 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
In a press release issued this week, the OCC have outlined the financial difficulties faced by local authorities across the country, as local services are put under increasing pressure by the Coronavirus crisis, and claimed the move to join the CCIN will enable the ‘better sharing’ of progressive policy ideas between local authorities nationwide. The OCC ... Read More
12th June 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
After 10 years of austerity, councils across England fear the worst is yet to come. Covid-19 has torn holes in their budgets and some warn that further cuts would make it impossible for them to finance their expenditure, potentially resulting in section 114 orders, which impose spending restrictions. It’s a grim picture – but authorities ... Read More
27th April 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Councils across England have been offered additional funding as they respond to the coronavirus pandemic, with CWaC allocated £9.4m emergency funding. But Cllr Louise Gittins explained that collective costs were actually around three times higher. Council leaders from across the country have expressed deep concerns that this money is simply not enough. Read More
18th April 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Steve Reed MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, responding to the announcement of £1 billion in funding for local authorities in England, commented: “Care staff, refuse collectors and social workers are on the front line keeping communities safe during this crisis, but bins could go unemptied and older people could lose ... Read More
3rd April 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Brighton & Hove City Council’s adult social care team has created a new interim assessment and support planning framework in response to the planning and logistical challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis. The new framework has been developed in partnership with Peopletoo. It supports quick and effective professional decision making during the crisis, in line with ... Read More
9th March 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
6th March 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Cooperatives can be the tool to reduce the socio-economic injustices faced by women! Gender equality and women’s empowerment are challenges both within cooperatives, and in countries where cooperatives operate. Multiple barriers impose limitations on women, hindering their access to opportunities, often translating into legal restrictions that institutionalise women’s marginalisation. Eliminating those barriers that thwart gender ... Read More
29th January 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Co-operative College is delivering an induction programme for new members of the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network. The College will provide an introductory-level online training programme, an in-depth training programme exploring what it means to be a Co-operative Council in practice, and commission training programmes tailored specifically to a council. Read More
9th January 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
We are delighted to announce our partnership with Social Value Portal, who will be working with the Peopletoo to explore how local government might incorporate social value into all aspects of Council work including internal operations, planning and insourcing considerations. The first stage of this work was a workshop at the LGA Offices in October which was ... Read More
9th January 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
A big thank you to every council who attended our workshops on embedding social value in all council activities. Peopletoo and the Social Value Portal, with support from the Cooperative Councils Innovation Network held a series of workshops aimed at assessing social value opportunities, wider than simply procurement approaches and discussing how they might be implemented into Council ... Read More
9th January 2020 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Peopletoo and the Social Value Portal, with support from the Cooperative Councils Innovation Network are holding a workshop on 9 October starting at 2PM in the LGA Offices, Smith Square entitled ‘Embedding Social Value in All Council Activities’. Read More
9th October 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Co-operative development bodies can work with councils to double the size of co-op economy, said Mark Simmonds at the 2019 Co-operative Councils Innovation Network (CCIN) conference. Mr Simmonds, from Co-op Culture and Principle 6, ran a workshop on how co-operative development bodies (CDBs) could help councils achieve the aim of doubling the size of the co-operative ... Read More
9th October 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Co-op Councils Innovation Network met at Rochdale Town Hall yesterday for its annual conference, where it discussed ways to build co-operative places. Keynote speakers and workshop facilitators stressed the need to embed co-op values in the network’s activities, with Lord Kennedy, Labour/Co-op peer and shadow spokesperson on communities and local government, saying it offered “ideas and ... Read More
29th September 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
‘As people get more wary and sceptical of mainline politics, they do understand that if you work together you get better outcomes’ The Co-operative Councils Innovation Network meets in Rochdale on 2 October to share its stories of people-led local policy making. This year’s event takes the theme ‘building co-operative places”, which will be discussed in the ... Read More
28th August 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Scotland’s islands have the highest proportion of co-operatives of any part of the UK thanks to a long tradition of self-reliance, a survey has found. The study by Co-operatives UK, the sector’s development body, said its survey of co-ops by local authority area found the Western Isles and Orkney topped the table with 8.16 and ... Read More
6th June 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Local authorities are experiencing a rise in the demand for services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and spend of High Needs funding is often exceeding funding allocation within the High Needs Block. Evidence suggests that needs are increasing both in volume and in complexity. There are particular pressures ... Read More
4th April 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Last year Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, announced the creation of a Co-operative Commission to develop policy for co-ops in the city region. This is a golden opportunity to make devolution work for co-ops in one of the UK’s most high-profile cities. To convert this opportunity, the Commission needs the help of co-ops across ... Read More
8th March 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Hull is embracing Fairtrade Fortnight with a series of celebrations to mark the campaign. Fairtrade Fortnight, which takes place from Monday 25 February to Sunday 10 March, sees thousands of people, companies and groups across the UK celebrate those who grow our food, some of whom live in the poorest countries in the world – ... Read More
8th March 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The public sector is increasingly required to deliver successful and sustainable transformation. However, current figures suggest around 80% of governments efforts to transform do not fully meet objectives. 1 This is for a number of reasons including “change fatigue”, or a lack of resources and capabilities needed to make major changes. Both of these have become ... Read More
6th March 2019 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Greenwich sits opposite Canary Wharf, one of the wealthiest parts of Britain. Like many parts of London, it doesn’t struggle to attract inward investment. However, for its council, the community wealth building model–more typically adopted by former industrial cities like Preston and Cleveland–has much to teach this London Borough too. The success of the community ... Read More
12th December 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Austerity has impacted massively on local government, decimating frontline services across the country, with councils facing more cuts to funding and worsening financial challenges. Against this bleak backdrop, local authorities are fighting back and increasingly recognising that mutual and co-operative ways of working can help rebuild communities disheartened and demoralised by years of cuts. Preston ... Read More
11th December 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Austerity has impacted massively on local government, decimating frontline services across the country, with councils facing more cuts to funding and worsening financial challenges. Against this bleak backdrop, local authorities are fighting back and increasingly recognising that mutual and co-operative ways of working can help rebuild communities disheartened and demoralised by years of cuts. Preston ... Read More
26th June 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Cardiff Council has been named as the first ever Co-operative Council of the Year, alongside The Foster Care Co-operative, Midcounties Co-operative and The Service who have all scooped prestigious Co-operative of the Year Awards. A record 33,000 votes were cast in the national awards, organised by Co-operatives UK and supported by the Co-operative Councils’ Innovation ... Read More
19th June 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that Adverse Childhood Experiences (traumatic experiences which occur before the age of 18; typically ranging from verbal, mental and physical abuse, to being exposed to alcoholism, drug use and domestic violence at home) are a strong predictor of poor health and social outcomes in adults. Read More
13th June 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
With the help of others, such as Neil McInroy at the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), Brown took the Cleveland Model and radically expanded it. The ‘Preston Model’ now encompasses a string of public sector anchors across Preston and Lancashire, to which has been added public pension fund investment, affordable housing, and—hopefully, in the ... Read More
17th April 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network is a non-party-political active hub for cooperative policy development, innovation and advocacy. It comprises 21 councils, 5 Associate Members and 12 Affiliate Members from across the UK who are committed to finding better ways of working with, and for, local people for the benefit of their communities. Read More
12th April 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch was in Leeds this week to visit an urban bike park which is being supported by the UK’s first ‘sport for social impact’ investment fund. The £3million Sporting Capital Fund was created by Sporting Assets, the leading sport for social impact advisor, in partnership with the Access Foundation. It is funded ... Read More
2nd March 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
First speaker announced for Co-operative College conference. Running from the 1-2 May, our education and research conference, titled ‘Skills for Co-operators in the 21st Century – Learning to do, learning to be‘ will explore what learning looks like in contemporary times. Read More
28th February 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Housing Commission on Community-Led Housing, a Co-operative Councils Innovation Network (CCIN)initiative, has published Community-led Housing: a Key Role for Local Authorities to support councils bringing on community-led housing. The report summarises the benefits and potential of community-led housing, including cohousing and collective custom build, as a route to additionality, illustrating to councils the realities of the model, backed up ... Read More
27th February 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Today in Europe, fear is all around us. People are afraid that their jobs will disappear – taken over by robots, undercut by migrants or outsourced to parts of the world where labour is cheaper. They worry that the welfare state will have disappeared by the time they retire and that they will no longer ... Read More
15th February 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
‘The work is so much project-based that there would be a natural team for many service contracts that could form the basis of an employee-owned worker co-operative’ As the fallout from the collapse of outsourcing construction giant Carillion continues, calls have come from the co-operative movement for a mutual alternative. Ed Mayo, secretary general of Co-operatives ... Read More
15th February 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Gavin Beckett, Chief Innovation & Research Officer at Perform Green, kicks off 2018 by challenging the local government technology market and what they deliver for the taxpayer. Read More
15th February 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Housing Commission on Community-Led Housing, a Co-operative Councils Innovation Network (CCIN)initiative, has published Community-led Housing: a Key Role for Local Authorities to support councils bringing on community-led housing. The report summarises the benefits and potential of community-led housing, including cohousing and collective custom build, as a route to additionality, illustrating to councils the realities of the model, backed up ... Read More
5th February 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Across the UK increasing demographic pressures are leading to higher demand for both acute and community care services. The situation in Newport is no different. The population of those aged over 85 is expected to increase of 74% between 2014 to 2030, to an estimated 6,000 people . This increase is resulting in a need ... Read More
1st February 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Each year it is estimated that over half the UK population – around 32 million people make more than 2.5 billion visits to urban green-space alone and this does not include green-space in our countryside. The public truly value these public parks, gardens and other open spaces in our towns and cities. A CABE study ... Read More
25th January 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Housing Commission on Community-Led Housing is launching its report, ‘Community-Led Housing: a Key Role for Local Authorities’. Read More
23rd January 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Locality established the Commission on the Future of Localism in 2017, in partnership with Power to Change, and Chaired by Lord Kerslake to consider how to reinvigorate localism and unlock the power of community. The ambition behind the Localism Act is in danger of waning, and the fundamental shift in power from Westminster to communities has not yet ... Read More
12th January 2018 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Interview: Barney Smith, head of Bristol City Council’s smart city operations centre, talks about how it is harnessing new sources of data, supporting coordination between agencies and learning from its early experiences. Read More
14th December 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Perform Green is pleased to announce that we have become members of two new organisations in 2017 as part of our continued commitment to challenge old ways of working and be innovative in our approach to solving complex societal issues through relationship building and collaboration. Read More
28th November 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Huawei UK announced that Bristol has become the UK’s leading “Smart City” in the second UK Smart Cities Index report, overtaking London to the number one spot. The report commissioned by Huawei UK and conducted by Navigant Consulting, is based on evaluations of 20 cities and their strategies, key projects and general readiness in using ... Read More
2nd November 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
OLDHAM COUNCIL is calling on every resident to pick up at least one piece of rubbish every day – and you’ll be in with a chance of winning a special prize if you do. The council is supporting #1PieceofRubbish, a social media-based initiative which is encouraging every person to pick up one piece of rubbish ... Read More
15th September 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network held its annual meeting in Oldham and looked at alternative solutions to local problems. Is there a role for local residents to play in designing services they will be using? Across the UK, local councils are adopting co-operative approaches to deliver services in their areas. Read More
15th September 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
As the birthplace of the co-operative movement it was a logical decision for me to accept the role of vice chairman of the national Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network. Read More
26th June 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Croydon Council have selected Made Open, alongside their strategic partners Perform Green, to evaluate their social value practices. Made Open, a social innovation practice with their own interests in creating community change, will explore what social impacts have been achieved by Croydon Council (and the effort that has gone into various initiatives) since the launch ... Read More
26th April 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Labour’s manifesto should be bold on local government. Councils are on the front line of delivery on social care, housing, the environment, economic growth, community cohesion and doorstep issues that matter most to voters. What local government does impacts on all of us, every day. Read More
15th March 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
From Co-operative Councils to Co-operative Places is the Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network’s (CCIN) latest report which sets out a strong statement of intent about the future direction of the co-operative council approach. It is increasingly time for councils to be catalysts of place, working in equal partnership with local people to shape and strengthen communities ... Read More
10th March 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network (CCIN) brings together 22 local authorities to devise responses to central government austerity – and the list is growing all the time, with Birmingham the latest council to express an interest. Whatever the demographic differences between member authorities, they share a common aim – to provide a national voice for ... Read More
6th February 2017 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Time to get serious, says Annabel Davidson Knight, from Collaborate as she feeds back on a workshop to explore the relationship between community-led action and public policy objectives — national and local. Read more. Read More
3rd November 2016 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
28th May 2015 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Council buildings across Edinburgh are to be fitted with community-owned solar panels. Edinburgh Council will work in partnership with the Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative (ECSC) to deliver the panels to 25 council buildings across the city. The initiative is believed to be the largest community-owned urban renewable energy project in the UK. Read More
26th February 2015 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Councils across the country are embracing the opportunities presented by cooperative models of service delivery. But these approaches also need local government to be given meaningful powers over economic policy and funding. Read More
26th February 2015 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Cllr Lib Peck, Chair of the Commission on Community Resilience, Jobs and Growth, outlines the radical proposals at the heat of the Commission’s report. Read More
26th February 2015 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Existing centralised systems are least effective when tackling issues faced by people furthest from the labour market. We need local, cooperative solutions. Read More
26th February 2015 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Devolving the Government’s back-to-work programme to a local level would help save £500m and create 90,000 extra jobs, a group of 22 ‘co-operative’ councils are claiming. Read More
26th February 2015 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
As momentum for devolution gathers pace, local government must consider what it would do with new powers. Are councils ready? Read More
30th January 2015 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Shadow ministers Liz Kendall and Steve Reed say too many public services assume a parent-child relationship with clients. Their recent pamphlet argues for greater boldness in empowering citizens to take greater control. Read More
17th December 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Following a pilot in Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire, a new ‘community shop’ providing surplus food to disadvantaged people has opened in Lambeth, as part of Lambeth Council’s Food Flagship Programme. Read More
15th December 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
A new “social supermarket” is aiming to cater to the poor by redistributing surplus food at budget prices — a model that has become popular in mainland Europe in recent years. Read More
17th September 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
As Scotland votes on whether to leave or stay in the UK, regardless of the outcome the issue of devolution of powers and responsibilities from Whitehall is now firmly established as a political priority for all parties. Read More
18th August 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Dan Peters, senior reporter at the MJ, reports on how cooperative councils are squaring up to the challenges facing public services. Read More
30th July 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Cllr Jim McMahon discuses whether devolution is gaining momentum as a key part of the national political agenda, and what this means for localism. Read More
17th July 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Cllr Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council and Vice Chair of the CCIN, argues that co-operative principles are providing the basis for a genuine transformation in local government. Read More
14th July 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Cllr Jim McMahon, Leader of Oldham Council, Chair of CCIN and Leader of the LGA Labour Group, makes the case for cooperation. Read More
11th July 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
In this letter to the Guardian, leaders of Cooperative Councils call for a strong agenda for devolution, urging Labour to respond to the local government innovation taskforce findings by trusting local leaders, sharing power and working with councils to deliver the future communities want. Read More
7th July 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
In this article for Progress, Cllr Jim McMahon, Leader of Oldham Council and Leader of the LGA Labour Group, argues for a new and ambitious programme of governance to facilitate genuine devolution of power. Read More
7th July 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
As the Local Government Innovation Taskforce publishes its final report, Jon Cruddas MP, Head of Labour’s Policy Review, and Hilary Benn MP, Shadow Secretary for Communities and Local Government, discuss the potential of people-powered localism. Read More
7th July 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
As the Local Government Innovaiton taskforce publishes its final report, Cllr Sharon Taylor, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council and co-chair of the Local Government Innovation taskforce, argues local devolution is an urgent strategic priority. Read More
21st May 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Steve Reed MP explores how co-operative councils are reshaping public services and empowering service users and citizens. Read More
30th April 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Jon Cruddas MP, who is heading Labour’s Policy Review, argues that in our globalised world renewing the country begins in local places. The speech, delivered at the ACEVO Gathering of Social Leaders, mentions innovative practice in Oldham Council. Read More
28th March 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
The Scottish Labour Party has put social delivery of public services at the heart of its plans for a stronger devolved government. The co-operative model of local government will play a key part in this. Read More
16th March 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Jon Cruddas MP defends the values that underpin the co-operative movement, linking them to the need for greater devolution of power in our political and economic institutions. Read More
3rd March 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Ben Lucas, Chair of Public Services at the RSA, argues that a strategy for public service reform is vital if we really want ‘people power’ to reshape our political institutions. Read More
12th February 2014 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN
Writing in Labour List, Wes Streeting reviews Jon Cruddas’s speech to the New Local Government Network, highlighting how devolving power isn’t just about institutions, but also people, using the example of co-operative councils. Read More
