Media

Cheshire West and Chester Council commits to Councils for Fair Tax declaration

1st November 2021 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN

At a recent Council meeting, councillors agreed to approve the Fair Tax Foundation’s Councils for Fair Tax Declaration. The declaration commits cities, towns and districts to pursuing exemplary tax conduct in their affairs, require greater transparency from suppliers and join calls for more meaningful powers to tackle tax avoidance amongst suppliers when buying goods and ... Read More

Telford & Wrekin Council scoop top prize in the Coop Council of the Year Award 2021

6th July 2021 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN

Telford and Wrekin Council is celebrating winning a national award, after a public vote saw them go head-to-head with co-operative councils from across the UK. The award was announced on the eve of the Local Government Association (LGA) Virtual Annual Conference, the largest event for local authorities from across the UK. Telford and Wrekin Council works for, ... Read More

CCIN appoints Peopletoo to prepare the ‘Co-operative difference in care’ report

30th June 2021 / Posted By Nicola, CCIN

  In 2020 and 2021 the Network has funded 15 Health and Social Care projects in Adult, Children’s, and Young People’s services.  The purpose of these projects is to identify how co-operative innovation could help health and social care services, shaping and influencing their delivery and enabling them to be more sustainable.  In June 2021 ... Read More

Councils begin Understanding the Digital Divide project

27th May 2021 / Posted By Andrew

They are taking part in the Understanding the Digital Divide project, led by Cheshire West and Chester City Council and supported by the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network (CCIN) under its Policy Labs programme. It involves producing a toolkit, including a guide to existing data, for councils to create a clear baseline of who needs help ... Read More

UK Councils Join Forces on Digital Divide Data

21st May 2021 / Posted By Andrew

Fifteen local authorities in England have teamed up with an educational charity and management consultancy to better understand and address the digital divide. The issue of digital inclusion has come to the fore for cities around the world during the pandemic as everything from working and studying to socialising moved online. The ‘CCIN Policy Lab: ... Read More

Preston is a lesson for Labour: show communities you can deliver change

18th May 2021 / Posted By Andrew

Our council has boosted the economy and won over Labour voters. It’s a model that could work across the UK – Matthew Brown, Labour Leader of Preston City Council Preston City Council was the only Labour-led authority in Lancashire to retain all its seats in the recent local elections. Despite the losses the party experienced across ... Read More

Energy Superhub Oxford part-funds Oxford’s first electric bin lorry

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

Growing food, growing healthy communities: Opportunities for the European healthcare sector

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

Oxford City Council announces it will join the CCIN

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

Co-operative councils brace for Covid-19 recession

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

Chester MP and Cheshire West and Chester Council leader in plea to Government for additional emergency funding

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

Steve Reed responds to the announcement on local authority funding

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

Planning your way effectively through COVID-19

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

2020 International Women’s Day Statement

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

Co-op College to provide training for CCIN members

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

Peopletoo announces partnership with Social Value Portal

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

Embedding Social Value – Kick Off Workshop

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

Embedding Social Value in All Council Activities

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

Councils and co-ops: are CDBs the missing link?

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

Co-op councils meet to discuss ways to embed their values into communities

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

How do we build co-operative places? CCIN prepares for national conference

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

Survey emphasises importance of co-operatives in areas of traditional self-reliance

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

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) – Managing the Rising Demand

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

The Co-operative Commission needs you!

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

Why Hull is one of Fairtrade Fortnight’s biggest supporters

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

Five steps to achieve sustainable culture and behaviour change

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

Community wealth building is coming to London

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

Mutualising public services: How do we engage with workers and the public?

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

Mutualising public services: How do we engage with workers and the public?

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

Cardiff Council named first ever Coop Council of the Year

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

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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

The ‘Preston Model’ and the modern politics of municipal socialism

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

Solace Innovation & Commissioning Network

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

Sports Minister encourages community organisations to access Sporting Capital Fund

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

Skills for Co-operators in the 21st Century – Co-operative College

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

CCIN report helps councils turn community-led housing principles into practice

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

“We have no Rockefellers or Carnegies, but we do have co-operatives.”

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

After the Carillion collapse, can worker-owned contractors offer a better alternative?

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

CCIN report supports councils with Community-Led Housing – Custom Build Strategy

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

Care Closer to Home Strategy – Peopletoo

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

The future for parks and green space services – PeopleToo

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

People Power – report from the Commission on the Future of Localism

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

Building Bristol’s Smart Operations – Perform Green

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

Perform Green Memberships – Connecting Communities

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

The projects behind Bristol’s rise in UK Smart Cities Index

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

Oldham Council urges residents to pick up piece of rubbish every day

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

Made Open to evaluate Croydon Council’s social value practices

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

Cllr Warren Morgan: Delivering the results (Fabian Society)

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

Councils urged to be bold and use devolution to empower citizens

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

How a cash crisis gave birth to a new co-operative model for local government (Co-operative News)

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

Edinburgh launches community-owned solar project (the Herald)

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

BBC Radio 4 – Feeding Britain

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

Paul Wheeler: Runners and riders (The MJ)

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

Labour must trust local leaders (the Guardian)

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

Jon Cruddas’s speech on power and belonging

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

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