This Council notes that:
· The Co-operative Council’s Innovation Network (CCIN) is a Local Government Association (LGA) Special Interest Group and is open to all UK Councils. It is a non-party political organisation.
· The CCIN’s stated aim is to drive innovation and reform within the framework of Cooperative values and principles, building an equal partnership with local people.
· By the 9 January 2024, there were already 47 Full Council Members, 24 Associate Members (including 13 Town, Parish & Community Councils), and 53 Affiliate Members. Co-operative Council Members (excluding GMCA) represent 12.35m citizens and control a budget of £21.4bn.
· Under the new Labour administration, and its Fairer Westminster Strategy, the Council has already made great progress in embedding the ‘Co-operative difference’ into the way the Council works with its residents. For example, through Westminster’s Charter Against Dirty Money, revised Responsible Procurement Strategy, Fairer Economy Plan, Local Area Panels and reform of resident consultation – to name just a few examples of change.
This Council believes that:
· The unprecedented challenges facing the public sector and local communities mean that traditional models of top-down governance and economic growth are no longer fit for purpose.
· We urgently need to create a new approach, and that the founding traditions of the co-operative movement – collective action and co-operation, empowerment and enterprise – offer a foundation for fresh and innovative solutions which can be built on to tackle the challenges of today.
· The Co-operative Values developed by the International Co-operative Alliance should be at the heart of this new approach. The core values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.
The Council resolves to:
· Play an active role as a new member of the CCIN and be part of a growing and influential network committed to developing a new relationship with citizens.
· Further embed the ‘Co-operative difference’ into the way this Council works with its residents, and adhere to the principles of the CCIN as part of our Fairer Westminster Strategy:
o Social Partnership - We will strengthen the co-operative partnership between the Council, citizens, communities and enterprises, based on a shared sense of responsibility for wellbeing and mutual benefit.
o Co-production - We will develop systems that enable citizens to be equal partners in designing and commissioning Council services and in determining the use of public resources.
o Democratic Engagement - We will support the active engagement of the full range of residents in decision making and priority setting.
o Enterprise and Social Economy - We will promote community-based approaches to economic development that focus on supporting the creation of jobs, social enterprises and other businesses and providing an environment for co-operative and mutual enterprises to thrive.
o Maximising social value - We will support the development of a framework and criteria for social value, giving substance to the concept, to ensure better local social and economic outcomes.
o New models of meeting priority needs - 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.
o Community leadership and a new role for councillors - We will explore ways for the Council to act as a platform for helping the community to contribute to local outcomes, and to re-think the role of councillors as community connectors, brokers and leaders.
o Innovation - We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.
o Learning - We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects to encourage broader application of cooperative principles across the Network.
Minutes:
Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network
13.1 The Majority Party submitted the notice of motion as set out on the agenda. The notice of motion was moved by Councillor Ellie Ormsby and seconded by Councillor Jason Williams.
13.2 The Lord Mayor put the motion to the vote and following a show of hands declared the motion CARRIED.
RESOLVED:
That
This Council notes that:
· The Co-operative Council’s Innovation Network (CCIN) is a Local Government Association (LGA) Special Interest Group and is open to all UK Councils. It is a non-party political organisation.
· The CCIN’s stated aim is to drive innovation and reform within the framework of Cooperative values and principles, building an equal partnership with local people.
· By the 9 January 2024, there were already 47 Full Council Members, 24 Associate Members (including 13 Town, Parish & Community Councils), and 53 Affiliate Members. Co-operative Council Members (excluding GMCA) represent 12.35m citizens and control a budget of £21.4bn.
· Under the new Labour administration, and its Fairer Westminster Strategy, the Council has already made great progress in embedding the ‘Co-operative difference’ into the way the Council works with its residents. For example, through Westminster’s Charter Against Dirty Money, revised Responsible Procurement Strategy, Fairer Economy Plan, Local Area Panels and reform of resident consultation – to name just a few examples of change.
This Council believes that:
· The unprecedented challenges facing the public sector and local communities mean that traditional models of topdown governance and economic growth are no longer fit for purpose.
· We urgently need to create a new approach, and that the founding traditions of the co-operative movement – collective action and co-operation, empowerment and enterprise – offer a foundation for fresh and innovative solutions which can be built on to tackle the challenges of today.
· The Co-operative Values developed by the International Co-operative Alliance should be at the heart of this new approach. The core values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.
The Council resolves to:
· Play an active role as a new member of the CCIN and be part of a growing and influential network committed to developing a new relationship with citizens.
· Further embed the ‘Co-operative difference’ into the way this Council works with its residents, and adhere to the principles of the CCIN as part of our Fairer Westminster Strategy:
o Social Partnership - We will strengthen the cooperative partnership between the Council, citizens, communities and enterprises, based on a shared sense of responsibility for wellbeing and mutual benefit.
o Co-production - We will develop systems that enable citizens to be equal partners in designing and commissioning Council services and in determining the use of public resources.
o Democratic Engagement - We will support the active engagement of the full range of residents in decision making and priority setting.
o Enterprise and Social Economy - We will promote community-based approaches to economic development that focus on supporting the creation of jobs, social enterprises and other businesses and providing an environment for co-operative and mutual enterprises to thrive.
o Maximising social value - We will support the development of a framework and criteria for social value, giving substance to the concept, to ensure better local social and economic outcomes.
o New models of meeting priority needs - 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.
o Community leadership and a new role for councillors - We will explore ways for the Council to act as a platform for helping the community to contribute to local outcomes, and to re-think the role of councillors as community connectors, brokers and leaders.
o Innovation - We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.
o Learning - We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects to encourage broader application of cooperative principles across the Network.