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!

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: 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)

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 !