CCIN Members’ Update – July 2022

  • 4th Jul 2022

Welcome to the July edition of Update

Councillor Sharon Taylor OBE

Chair of the CCIN
Leader of Stevenage Borough Council

Welcome to the July edition of Update & Happy International #CoopsDay

Wow, what a month!  June was the chance to take the CCIN out on the road.  Seeing so many of our members over the last few weeks has been lovely. 

At the Co-op Party Local Government Conference on 11 June and Labour Local Govt Conference on 18 June, we ran Fringe Sessions on ‘Being a Coop Council’.  Thank you to Lord Roy Kennedy for introducing both sessions and to Cllrs Mili Patel (Brent), John Fahy (Greenwich), Louise Gittins (Cheshire, West & Chester), Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg (North Herts) and Peter Curling (Hillingdon Labour), who joined me.  Thanks also to Cllr Joyce Welsh (South Tyneside), Cheryl Barrott (Co-ops UK), Dr Justin Varney (Birmingham) and Nicola Huckerby, who led a session at Cooperative Congress on our ‘Co-operative Difference in Care’ report on 17 June.

Last week, for the first time since 2019, we’ve been at the Local Government Association Conference and Exhibition in Harrogate (28 – 20 June).  As a Special Interest Group of the LGA, this is our most extensive exhibition and an ideal opportunity to meet members and prospects from across the political spectrum.  Thank you to Fiona Gibson (Cardiff), who joined us for the week. Thanks also to Oxygen Finance, one of our Affiliate Members, for inviting CCIN Members to join their fabulous Networking event during the week.
 
Also, this month we have agreed on which Policy Lab bids we’ll be supporting this year – thank you to North Herts and Rochdale for your excellent and inclusive submissions.  We have also agreed a Study Visit to Mondragon.  Details on how to get involved in these three exciting projects can be found in this Newsletter. The funding pot was under-subscribed, and I’m delighted to let you know that we’re re-opening bids over the Summer to support even more projects this year.  Details to follow.
 
We’re also welcoming Rachael Walker from Trueman Change to our V&P Board.  We have two new vacancies on the Board, and self-nominations are open.
 
Finally, we have confirmed dates for our 2022 Annual Conference, when we will be heading to Telford on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th November.  Please hold those dates in your diaries while we confirm the venue and hotel arrangements.

Covid levels are beginning to rise again, so stay safe.

Sharon