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

AGM Success

Gill Roles- top, our new chair, and

outgoing chair Jean Couture.

The East Sussex Co-operative Party branch held it's AGM today in Eastbourne.  Long standing chair, Jean Couture stood down after many years service, and Gill Roles, a former Parliamentary and European Candidate  for Eastbourne/East Sussex  was elected in her place. A vote of thanks for her service was passed, and Jean will continue as vice chair.

The branch is very healthy in terms of both membership and finances, and a number of campaigns and events were discussed for the year including:

• Party street stalls and stalls at Labour and Fairtrade events to promote our agenda
• A barbecue in Heathfield over the summer break
• A repeat of our Fairtrade Coffee Morning
• Exploring options for Co-operative speakers to come to joint Co-op/Labour Party meetings
• Making sure we field Labour and Co-op Candidates in next year's County Council election

The meeting ended with a moment of silence to remember Jo Cox, and an agreement to add our voice to those tributes to her service to our movement.

Policy 2016- have your say !

Following feedback from Party members and review, the policy sub-committee of the NEC agreed to produce three ‘policy summary’ documents based around the following themes:

Secure and Confident Communities

Building a Shared Economy

Creating a More Equal Society

Click on any of the images to find out more, and how you can have your input !

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.