AGM 2023

The Annual General Meeting of the East Sussex Co-operative Party will be held on Zoom on Saturday 14th January 2023, at 11.00am.  All members should have received the link via email. 

The agenda shall be: 

1. Apologies for Absence 

2. Minutes of the 2022 AGM. 

3. Reports:

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

Annual Conference 

4. Elections:

• Chair
• Vice Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Any other officers
• Delegates to SE Regional Party (2)

Delegates or nominated contacts (where an all-member meeting structure) to Constituency Labour Parties as required 

5. Plan of Work for 2023 

 We look forward to seeing you there!

Branch Meeting (Local elections) This Saturday

There will be a Zoom meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party on Saturday 10th April 2021 at 11.00am.

The main business of the meeting will be to hear from our Labour and Co-operative Candidate for the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner election, branch member Paul Richards;  and updates from other Labour and Co-operative Candidates for the local elections in May- and how branch members can support.

All paid up members of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party should have received a registration link via email.  If not, please email the secretary.

Next Branch Meeting: 11th May

The next meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party will be held on Saturday 11th May, 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)

(Note- change of meeting date to avoid clashes with local election campaigning)

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- evaluation of results, lessons for next time, and liaison with (hopefully) elected Labour and Co-operative Councillors

5. Campaigns and Events 

6. Any other Business

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

End violence against Shop Workers

Every day, more than 250 retail workers face violence, just for doing their jobs. Six of those incidents will involve a knife, and two a gun. A lot of these shops sit in the heart of the community, and these instances impact on the workers and sense of safety in the community.

"Working in the pet industry we have the right to refuse sales to people who we think will not care for the animals correctly, this has led to several examples of threats and abuse.

We also regularly deal with anti-social behaviour from youth who’ve threatened me with knives and thrown things at my head for asking them to leave and stop destroying the shop. I’ve seen colleagues spat at, and abused, and other customers.

For minimum wage, it’s really not acceptable to have to deal with it."

From alcohol and cigarettes to knives and acid, there are now more than 50 types of products that are restricted by law. It’s staff on the shop floor who we expect to enforce those laws, and who all too often pay the price in the form of violence, threats and verbal and physical abuse from customers.

The Co-op movement is working to raise the profile of this issue through our politicians and affiliated trade unions, and co-op businesses are already taking practical action to work with staff and communities.

Find out how you can support the Co-op Party campaign here

Next Branch Meeting: Saturday 6th October

The next meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party will be held on Saturday 6th October, 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. PREPARATION FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE including discussion on motions and agenda.

5. MONTH of ACTION on Modern Slavery and possibility of a speaker meeting later on.

6. Local elections preparation- reference to the Co-op Party's 12 ideas for Local Government Manifestos

7. Any other Business

We will be staying for lunch afterwards, and all members are warmly invited to join us.  The RAFA lunch is always excellent!

Tackling Modern Slavery

13th September to 18th October is the Co-operative Party's Month of Action against Modern Slavery

Over the last year the Co-operative Party has been working with partners in the co-operative movement and others to highlight the scourge of modern slavery and to provide practical measures to ensure this country leads the world in tackling this heinous crime. To date 24 councils have agreed to implement the points in the Co-operative Party's Charter against Modern Slavery.

But it's not enough. Recent figures released by the Global Slavery Index suggest that there could be as many as 130,000 people trapped in modern slavery in the UK. Our Labour and Co-operative MPs have campaigned in Parliament to strengthen legislation, and locally our members have run dozens of local initiatives to raise the profile of modern slavery with the public. But we know we need to do more.

13th September to 18th October is the Co-operative Party's Month of Action against Modern Slavery. Click here to find out how you can get involved in the national campaign, and watch this site for local actions.  You can also read the Co-operative Party's detailed briefing on how local government can get involved, by clicking here

AGM 2018- Lots to do!

The branch held its 2018 AGM at the RAF Association in Eastbourne on 14th July:

We were pleased to welcome Andrew Pakes, from the Co-operative Party NEC as our guest speaker.  Andrew was able to talk about a variety of campaigns the Party is mounting- not least in response to John McDonnell's commitment for an incoming Labour government to double the size of the co-operative economy by 2030.   Housing, transport and co-operative models for community services were amongst the topics discussed.

New Branch Officers:
The branch gave its thanks to outgoing Chair Gill Roles and outgoing vice-chair Jean Couture, and elected Jane Marter as our new Chair, and Geraldine Rolfe as our new vice-chair.  Dave Brinson will continue as Branch Secretary.

End Modern Slavery:

Members of the branch were also encouraged to promote the campaign against Modern Slavery, and to encourage their local Labour Party branches to sign up.

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!

End so-called "Modern Slavery"

The Co-operative Party is proud to be leading the way in campaigning against so-called Modern Slavery.

The Charter opposite is designed for local councils to commit to action on this issue.  Already Labour councils in Islington, Waltham Forest, Stevenage, Lambeth and Oxford  have signed. 

Modern Slavery is one of the great evils of our time, and it's happening under our noses. In nail bars, car washes, farms, factories and restaurants, it is estimated that tens of thousands of people in the UK could be victims. 

Find out more about the issue, and how you can get involved in our campaign by clicking here. 

Labour and Co-operative MPs have been leading the campaign in Parliament.  View the video below to hear some of their contributions. 

Fairtrade Fortnight!

A big thank you to all who came along to our Fairtrade Coffee Morning with Bexhill Fairtrade on Saturday 10th March.

Stop Funding Hate!

Following the Branch meeting in November, we have sent a letter to Richard Pennycock, the Chief Executive of the Co-operative Group asking them to support the Stop Funding Hate campaign:

The Letter to Richard Pennycock:

"We are writing to you in the hope that you will use your good offices to encourage the Co-operative Society to progress the campaign against hatred and discrimination in certain sections of the press.

Members of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-op Party were concerned that the Co-op should be seen to be putting its weight behind the campaign 'Stop Funding Hate' which LEGO has supported by terminating its agreement with the Daily Mail .

At its meeting in November the following motion was proposed to the meeting which the East Sussex Branch of the Co-op Party passed unanimously as follows:-

'The East Sussex Branch calls upon the Co-op Party Executive and the CEO of the Co-op Retail Group to support the stance taken by LEGO to stop advertising in newspapers which support hatred, discrimination and demonization in accordance with the principals of the Co-Operative Party.'

Branch members are aware that this issue is being considered by the Co-op Group and wished to add their support for action."

We will let you know how we get on!

Next Branch Meeting: 3rd September

There will be a meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party on Saturday 3rd September 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 November 2015 (AGM Minutes for Information)

3. Matters Arising

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

5. CO-OP PARYT ANNUAL CONFERENCE:  To discuss the busniess of Conference with our delegate Gill Roles. Copies of the three policy documents will be available.

6. Any other business

Branch AGM: Saturday 25th June

The Annual General Meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party will be held on on Saturday 25th June, commencing at 10.30am at the Grove Room, Eastbourne Central Library (2nd floor), Grove Road, Eastbourne.

A G E N D A

1. Apologies for Absence
2. Minutes of the last AGM, held on June 26th 2015.

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 2015-16, to include confirmation of meeting dates for the year and summer event.

6. Any other Business

Fairtrade Coffee Morning: 27th February

The Co-operative Party East Sussex Branch and the Fairtrade Movement


invite you to a Coffee Morning on Saturday 27 February 2016 10.30-12.30 at St Luke's Church Parish Centre, Rattle Road ,Westham, Pevensey East Sussex BN24 5SL (By crossroads... map here)

Come and find out more about the Fairtrade movement and the Co-op Party on the eve of Fairtrade Fortnight. One of the Co-op Party's main commitments is to the Fairtrade movement but also campaigns on other people centred local issues. Find out how the two movements campaign and how you could get involved.

Entrance Free: Tea or Coffee and homemade cake £1

Come and try and buy a variety of Fairtrade products: Clothing, coffee, rice, bananas, chocolate and more !

Branch Meeting: 20th February 2016

There will be a meeting of the East Sussex Branch of the Co-operative Party on Saturday 20th February 2016 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 ordinary meeting held November 2015

3. Matters Arising

4. Brief Reports (if the meeting is in agreement, these to be taken AFTER item 5):
     a) Membership
     b) Treasurer
     c) Constituency Labour Parties
     d) Sussex Co-operative Party Council

5. FAIR TRADE EVENT: SATURDAY 27th FEBRUARY
To agree on plans for the day, and any actions required in preparation for the event.

6. Any other business

Tea and Coffee will be available at the meeting.

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.

Urgent- Use your vote for the Co-op Group AGM

After 98 years of changing Britain for the better, the Co-operative's voice in politics could be silenced.  You have the power to keep it.

Showing a grotesque ignorance of the history, values and strength of the Co-operative Movement,  Allan Leighton the new Chief Executive of the Co-Operative Group (Britain's largest co-operative, and a major supporter of the Co-operative Party) has said that "It's the apples not the activists that will transform the Co-op"

If you have received a Co-op AGM pack via post or email, the deadline to vote online is noon on Wednesday 13th May.

The Co-operative Party is at risk. Time is running out save it. Vote 'YES' to motions 9 and 10 to keep the link.

For more information visit http://keepit.coop/how_to_vote or watch the film below.

There's also a great article from Paul Routledge in the Mirror, where he exposes what he calls a "Trojan Horse" style plot to strip the progressive politics from the Co-op.