The next meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party will be held on Saturday 2nd July, commencing at 11.00am This will be an online meeting via Zoom. 

A G E N D A 

1. Apologies for Absence 

2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting and any matters arising 

3. Reports: ·

• Membership
• Finance
• Constituency Labour Parties including results of local elections 2022
• South East Regional Party Council 

4.  CO-OPERATIVE PARTY AND LABOUR PARTY PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS: To receive a report on the selection process in Hastings and Rye CLP, and to discuss the procedures and processes for Co-op Party nominations and endorsements in PPC selections. 

5. CO-OPERATIVE PARTY ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2022:  Any arrangements and agreement on funding etc. 

6. CAMPAIGNS AND ACTIONS

(a) Co-operative Housing

(b) Political Education Event

(c) Other campaigns

7. Any Other Business 

Next Branch Meeting: 19th January

The next meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party will be held on Saturday 19th January, commencing at 11.00am at the RAF Association, Wish Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4NX. (Please note that the meeting room is up one flight of stairs) (map)  

A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting and any Matters arising

3. Reports:

• Membership
• Finance
• Constituency Labour Parties
• Party Council

4. LOCAL ELECTIONS

5. EVENTS: Film Showing, and Fairtrade Fortnight

6. Any other Business

We will be staying for lunch afterwards, and all members are warmly invited to join us.  

Branch AGM: 14th July 2018

THE 2018 AGM OF THE EAST SUSSEX BRANCH OF THE CO-OPERATIVE PARTY  will be held in Eastbourne on Saturday 14th July, at 11.00am 

The meeting will elect officers for 2018-9 (Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretary), delegates to the Sussex Co-op Party, and delegates to all of the Constituency Labour Parties in our Branch area (Lewes, Eastbourne, Wealden, Bexhill and Battle and Hastings.)

GUEST SPEAKER: ANDREW PAKES:
We are pleased to be welcoming our NEC member for the South East Region, Andrew Pakes to the meeting.  Andrew is a phenomenal campaigner who served as President of the National Union of Students in the 1990's,Chair of SERA- Labour's environmental campaign,  a Labour/Co-op councillor in Southwark, and was the  Labour and Co-operative Parliamentary candidate in Milton Keynes at the 2015 General Election.


THE MEETING WILL BE: at the RAF Association, Wish Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4NX (map) on Saturday 14th July starting at 11.00am (note slightly later start time than usual) 

The bar will be open after the meeting, and the club also serves excellent lunches (we all left the last meeting thoroughly well fed!) Please note there is a staircase to the meeting room. We look forward to seeing you there!

Good turnout for "Our Girl" Claire!

The East Sussex Branch proudly welcomed General Secretary Claire McCarthy back to her home town at our meeting on 11th February.

Claire spoke to a well-attended meeting about Co-op campaigns, and how we can support these going forward.  There were questions and discussions on a range of issues- including co-operative solutions as part of bringing rail back into public ownership; what the future is for co-operation in schools, and how our relationship should develop with the Co-operative Bank and other mutual businesses.

Claire spoke of the need not just to maintain our strength in Parliament and the devolved governments, but also to build the numbers of Co-operative local councillors in authorities up and down the country.

The Branch is proud to be supporting the prospective candidacies of several co-operators in the forthcoming East Sussex elections.  The branch also endorsed Andrew Pakes for the Co-operative Party NEC and Dave Brinson for the National Disciplinary Committee.

Most members were able to stay for an excellent lunch from Ellie at the RAFA.

Next Meeting: 11th February with Claire McCarthy

We are very pleased to welcome our General Secretary, Claire McCarthy, as guest speaker at the East Sussex branch meeting on 11th February in Eastbourne.

As well as being General Secretary of our Party, Claire is an Eastbourne girl, who once had a far more prestigious role as Secretary of Eastbourne Young Labour.... Claire will talk about the campaigns of our party, and how we can make sure our values are central to Labour's policy making.

Other business will be kept to a minimum, although we will have an opportunity to nominate to the NEC and National Disciplinary Committee elections.

THE MEETING WILL BE at the RAF Association, Wish Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4NX (map) on Saturday 11th February starting at 11.00am (note slightly later start time than usual) The bar will be open after the meeting, and the club also serves excellent lunches! Please note there is a staircase to the meeting room.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Next Branch Meeting: 19th November

There will be a meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party on Saturday 19th November 2016 at 10.30am at the Ivy Room, Eastbourne Central Library, Grove Road, Eastbourne.

A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Minutes of the last ordinary meeting held September 2016

3. Matters Arising

4. Brief Reports:
     a) Membership
     b) Treasurer
     c) Constituency Labour Parties
     d) Sussex Co-operative Party Council

5.  EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL: Getting the co-operative agenda into the County Council election campaigns in May 2017. There will be a chance to update on the selection of co-operative candidates, and the process of an agreed Labour manifesto for the county.

6. Any other business

The Ivy Room is on the second floor of the library: there is lift access.  Coffee and Tea is available from the coffee shop in the Under Ground Theatre (basement floor)

Towards a Co-operative Economy

In recent weeks voices from across the labour and co-operative movements (and three quarters of the public when polled!) have backed our vision for an economy in which wealth and power are shared. Help us spread the word:

Together, our ideas on employee ownership, profit sharing and greater support for the co-operative sector add up to a radical alternative - one in which everyone has a stake in our economy, and a share of its success.

Since being published in our 2015 'Agenda for Britain', these ideas have received a lot of attention, especially in the past fortnight. Here are some of the highlights:

• Our Chair Gareth Thomas' bill in Parliament, which would require large companies to share some of their profits with staff, and ensure they are represented on company boards Watch clip and read speech
• Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell's speech in Manchester, where he backed our plans for employee ownership when a firm is put up for sale Read his speech
• Last week's Prime Minister's Questions, at which Gareth Thomas asked the PM whether it's time to back profit sharing for firms such as Sports Direct Watch clip
• Coverage in the Daily Mirror and Morning Star of polling commissioned by the Party, which shows that three quarters of of the public support our plans.
• General Secretary Claire McCarthy's letter in the Independent, raising the example of Glas Cymru in Wales as an alternative to rip-off privatised water firms. Read the letter here

It's been a busy few weeks. Bit by bit, our ideas and our co-operative values are showing there's a better way. If you're with us, help spread the word.
 

Branch Meeting: Saturday 21st November

There will be a meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party on Saturday 21st November, 2015 10.30am

at the Central Methodist Church, Langney Road, Eastbourne.

A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Minutes of the last ordinary  meeting  held March 2015 (and draft minutes available  from the June AGM)

3. Matters Arising

4. Reports:

         a) Membership

         b) Treasurer

         c) Constituency Labour Parties

         d) Sussex Co-operative Party Council

5. Conference Reports and next steps;  Jane Marter will report from the Co-op Party Annual Conference, and Paul Richards from Labour Party conference.  

6. Co-op Campaigning- including the BBC Co-operative campaign

7. Any other business

Tea and Coffee will be available at the meeting.

Open Party Meeting in Hove: Come and Join Us !

South East Region Co-operative Party

Open Party Meeting

Saturday 31 October 2015 at the Cornerstone Community Centre, Church Road, Hove, BN3 2FL - 10-30 a.m. to 1-30 p.m.

Come and join us!

Discussions will include “Moving on from the General Election and the Labour Party leadership election”

Discussion leaders will include: Matt Rodda – Councillor and former PPC for Reading, Michelle Harfield – National Youth Committee representative for South East, Lynda McDermott – former Member, National Members’ Council, Co-op Group.

For further information contact Les Lawrie, Secretary, SERP, on by email here or  phone 07919 935481.

AGM 2015: Saturday 27th June

The Annual General Meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party will be held on on Saturday 27th June, commencing at 10.30am at the Central Methodist Church, Langney Road, Eastbourne.

A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence
2. Minutes of the last AGM, held on May 17th 2014.

3. Reports:

• Chair,
• Vice Chair,
• Secretary/Treasurer (including annual accounts)
• Constituency Labour Parties
• Party Council

4. Elections:

• Chair
• Vice Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Any other officers
• Delegates to Party Council (2)
• Delegates to Constituency Labour Parties (Hastings and Rye, Bexhill and Battle, Eastbourne, Wealden, Lewes and Brighton City [Kemptown CLP]

5. Plan of Work for 2014-15, to include confirmation of meeting dates for the year.

6. Any other Business

Tea and Coffee will be available at the meeting.

Keep it Co-op ! What's at Stake....

The very act of co-operation is political. 
For over 150 years, working people have been setting up co-operatives to defend themselves against the excesses of the market and working together to improve their lives. While some of the challenges we face today are different, the movement’s cause remains the same. Whether it’s a question of taking on the vested interests of the energy companies, the train operators, or even the payday lenders, co-operative and mutuals are providing a means through which people can help change corporate behaviour for the better. Since it was founded in 1917, the Co-operative Party has been a voice for a fundamental change in the way our country works.

The Co-operative Group is Britain’s largest co-operative
...making up about 85% of the co-operative retail sector - and one of the largest co-operatives in the world. Anyone can join the Co-operative and, as a co-operative, it is owned by its members rather than shareholders. The Group has around eight million members who have a right to vote to elect members of the National Membership Council and the Board and who earn a share of the profits of the business – known as the dividend or ‘divi’. The Co-operative Group aims to be the most socially responsible business in the UK, offering members and customers not only value, but values.

The Co-operative Party was founded in 1917 to represent and defend the co-op movement, though our roots go back all the way to 1844 and the Rochdale Pioneers, the founders of the modern day Co-operative Movement. The Party has had an electoral agreement with the Labour Party since 1927, which enables us to stand joint candidates in elections. While there is an ideological connection, this relationship is also a strategic decision made by the co-operative movement to maximise our ability to influence policy and legislation that is rooted in co-operative values.

Each year the Co-operative Group, along with other co-operative, pays a subscription (its membership fee) to support the Party’s work. In the run up to the May’s Annual General Meeting, the Group will ask its members whether to authorise the subscription and continue the nearly 100 year partnership with the Co-operative Party.

We believe the partnership with the Co-operative Party is vital if the Group wants to be at the heart of a co-operative resurgence. We provide strategic political leadership and support, driving forward policy solutions, opening up new areas for the movement to expand into.

The Co-operative Party is the guardian of the co-operative movement’s powerful values and inspiring vision, and a vital tool in achieving its profoundly political objectives.  Our aim is to deepen and enhance the link so the Group and its Members benefit, as well as society and our communities. We can create a stronger, more sustainable future together.

TAKE ACTION TODAY
Click here to find out how you can support the Keep it Co-op Campaign

Branch Meeting: Saturday 21st March

There will be a meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party on Saturday 21st March, 2015, 10.30am at the Central Methodist Church, Langney Road, Eastbourne.

Our guest speaker will be Lis Telcs, National Executive Member, about the Keep it Co-op campaign.

Each year the Co-operative Group, along with other co-operative, pays a subscription (its membership fee) to support the Party’s work. In the run up to the May’s Annual General Meeting, the Group will ask its members whether to authorise the subscription and continue the nearly 100 year partnership with the Co-operative Party.

We believe the partnership with the Co-operative Party is vital if the Group wants to be at the heart of a co-operative resurgence. We provide strategic political leadership and support, driving forward policy solutions, opening up new areas for the movement to expand into.

The Co-operative Party is the guardian of the co-operative movement’s powerful values and inspiring vision, and a vital tool in achieving its profoundly political objectives.

Our aim is to deepen and enhance the link so the Group and its Members benefit, as well as society and our communities. We can create a stronger, more sustainable future together.

Members of the Labour Party are also invited to hear Lis, and participate in the discussion about the Keep it Co-op Campaign.


A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence
2. Minutes of the last ordinary meeting held November 2014
3. BRIEFLY: Matters Arising

4. BRIEF Reports:
a) Membership
b) Treasurer
c) Constituency Labour Parties
d) Sussex Co-operative Party Council
e) Any other Reports

5. KEEP IT CO-OP: with Lis Telcs- Co-op Party National Executive Committee Member. Update on the threats and challenges facing the Party, and the campaign to promote the political link and a genuine Co-operative movement !

6. Elections Update
7. Any Other Business Tea and Coffee will be available at the meeting.

 

Eastbourne Labour selects Co-operator

Congratulations to East Sussex Co-operative Party member Jake Lambert, who has been selected as Labour's prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Eastbourne.

Jake is well known to local Co-op branch members, especially for his active campaigning against payday loan companies (which have relied on the conspicuous support of local Lib Dem MP Stephen Lloyd).

Jake is Chair of Eastbourne Labour Party.  He is a teacher at a local secondary school, and lives with his partner Louise (also a teacher) and their dog Oscar, in Eastbourne's Old Town.

Find out more about Jake's campaign here.

Branch Meeting: November 1st

There will be a meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party on Saturday 1st November, 2014 10.30am, at the Central Methodist Church, Langney Road, Eastbourne.

A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence
2. Minutes of the last ordinary  meeting  held August 2014
3. Matters Arising
4. Reports:
          a) Membership
          b) Treasurer
          c) Constituency Labour Parties
          d) Sussex Co-operative Party Council
          e)  Any other Reports

5. Co-operative Values in the General Election campaign- especially how we can support    campaigning in Hastings, Lewes and Eastbourne where we have branch members standing. 6. Any other business, including date of next  meeting

Tea and Coffee will be available at the meeting.

A Co-operative Manifesto for Labour

Last weekend, the Labour Party's National Policy Forum met, to debate the policy that will form the basis of our manifesto for a Labour victory at the 2015 General Election.

As has been the case for nearly 100 years, Co-operators will be at the heart of that Labour Government, and they were there in force at the Policy Forum, ensuring that co-operative policies are central to Labour's programme.

With wages squeezed, it's crucial that working parents have access to affordable, quality childcare - that's why at last week's Labour NPF, we won support for childcare co-ops as a key part of the solution.

With a commitment to mutual and co-operative forms of rail ownership, the Next Labour Government's plan for the railways will put passengers, staff and communities first ! 

And, building on Ed Miliband's pledge to freeze energy bills, we push for genuine co-operative solutions to take on the "big six" utility providers.
 

Co-operators enjoy day out at Labour BBQ

East Sussex Co-operative Party members enjoyed a great afternoon out at Eastbourne Labour Party-  of sunshine, good food, and an inspiring speech from one of Labour's best front-bench speakers, on Saturday 29th June.

Paul and Sarah Richards welcomed us to their garden (complete with rabbits, guinea pigs and ducks) for a splendid barbecue, with a super turnout from Labour members old and new, plus guests from Brighton and Hastings.

Stella Creasy, a Labour and Co-operative  MP (pictured with our host, Paul) was the guest speaker- she talked about her work in Parliament, including spearheading campaigns against payday lenders and legal loan-sharks, and inspired us about the need to campaign and fight to make a difference for ordinary people, even when constrained by being in opposition.   Stella also revealed that she had been invited, by Billy Bragg, to speak about her anti loan-shark campaigns at the Glastonbury Festival on the same day- but had turned him down as she'd accepted Eastbourne first. How's that for dedication ?

East Sussex Co-operative Party continue to support Stella and her colleagues' campaigns against payday lenders and the legal loan sharks (while Eastbourne's Lib Dem MP, Stephen Lloyd, defends their "business model")

Eastbourne Labour BBQ with Co-op MP Stella Creasy

Co-operative MP Stella Creasy- a leading campaigner against payday loans companies, will be the special guest at Eastbourne Labour Party's Summer Barbecue, on 29th June, hosted by East Sussex Co-op Party member Paul Richards.

All East Sussex co-operators are warmly invited. Tickets are £5 (£2.50 unwaged) to cover food; bring your own drink. Donations of prizes for the raffle are also invited.

Click here to visit the Eastbourne Labour website for details on how to book.

Next Branch Meeting- Saturday December 7th

There will be a meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party on Saturday 7th December 2013, 10.30am,  at the Central Methodist Church, Langney Road, Eastbourne.

A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Minutes of the meeting held 10th August 2013

3. Matters Arising

4. Reports:

a) Membership
b) Finance
c) Constituency Labour Parties (including Lewes Bridge by-election)
d) Sussex Co-operative Party Council
e) Any other Reports

5. Campaign Planning, including:
Party Support Mailing; Cost of living/ Loan Shark/ Living Wage campaigns; People's Film Club, Eastbourne

6. Any other business, including date of next meeting

Tea and Coffee will be available at the meeting.

The meeting is open to members of the Co-operative Party only.  For information about joining, and to join online, visit the national website here.

Annual General Meeting 2013

The East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party held its AGM today in Eastbourne.   

 

The meeting elected  Jean Couture as Chair, and Dave Brinson as Secretary, with Hastings Labour councillor Nigel Sinden as Vice-Chair.  Thanks were given to Dilys Gray-Jones, who stepped down as secretary after seven years service, that started when she was the driver to re-form East Sussex as an active Co-operative branch.  Jean and Dave will represent the Branch on the Sussex Co-operative Party Council.

 

The branch continues to affiliate to all local Constituency Labour Parties in East Sussex, and nominated John Carden to serve as delegate to Brighton Kemptown CLP, Jean Couture, Dave Brinson and Jake Lambert for Eastbourne CLP, and Dilys Gray-Jones, Paul Barlow and Nigel Sinden for Hastings CLP- where, of course, we are proud to have our member Sarah Owen as Labour and Co-operative Party Parliamentary Candidate. Branch member Emily Westley is also on the shortlist of Labour candidates for the European elections next year.

 

The meeting discussed our campaigning priorities for the forthcoming year- and our attention was drawn to the Co-operative Party's current national campaigns to promote co-operative values in Britain- including:

The Feeling’s Mutual- a campaign to build a fairer economy, support financial mutuals and, in particular, to return Northern Rock to its former building society status.
HomeShares – the campaign for Co-operative Housing Tenure- to recognise co-operative housing in English law for the first time.
The People’s Rail - to give passengers, staff and the taxpayer a stronger voice in the running of Network Rail and our rail network, by ensuring that the governing members of Network Rail are directly accountable to stakeholders and by enabling worker and community co-ops to bid for rail franchises.
Sewn Up – supporting the Kopano Women’s Co-operative in South Africa - raising funds for the women of the Kopano Sewing Co-operative in South Africa to help them renew their equipment and expand their business making clothes and school uniform for their local community.

and, of course:

End Legal Loan Sharking-  to regulate payday lenders, and the exorbitant rates of interest and penalties associated with them. Eastbourne Labour Party and the East Sussex Co-operative Party have made this one of our key campaigns- especially as local Lib Dem MP Stephen Lloyd has defended these companies in Parliament !

If you would like to be part of our campaigns, JOIN the Co-operative Party by clicking here.

Annual General Meeting

The East Sussex branch of the Co-operative Party will be holding its AGM on Saturday 18th May, 10.30am at the Central Methodist Church in Eastbourne.

This will elect new officers for the branch, delegates to local Labour Parties and decide on future campaigns and activities for the Party in East Sussex.

The AGM is a members-only meeting: why not join us by clicking here ?