GOOP! Co-operative

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GO-OP News update 27th July 2017

Written on 27^thJuly 2017 by Kate Whittle

We are very happy to report that finally – on 17th July – we submitted our Track Access Application to the office of Rail and Road.We will post regular updates on progress as and when we hear from the Regulator.

The GO-OP AGM was held on 6th July in Taunton Somerset. Despite a somewhat low attendance - perhaps Taunton is just too far south &/or west for most of our members? - we were able to approve the election of two new Directors: Jo Burroughs, representing Midcounties Co-operative and Gareth Webster, representing The Co-operative Group. We were also able to approve Board motions to apply the exemption from the obligation to appoint a qualified auditor; to allow the social audit panel to be chaired by a member of the co-operative and to accrue interest on members share capital for the year at the rate of 3.5%. We were delighted to welcome Martyn McCarthy, a potential new Board member, representing Central England Co-operative.

Members present enjoyed a presentation from Brian Titley of Co-operative Assistance Network in which he spoke about the work of Co-operatives South West (C-SW). C-SW exists to promote the common interests of co-operative and mutual organisations of all kinds and to promote the development of co-operative and mutual forms of business throughout the South West Region of the UK. There are over 600 co-operatives and mutuals in the south west, with a combined turnover of some £3.35 billion.

C-SW aims:

• to be representative of the co-operative & mutual sector in the South West
• to provide networking and inter-trading opportunities for co-operatives in the South West
• to encourage co-operative development in the South West
• to build partnership structures and arrangements with organisations with similar objectives and
• to create a strong and positive image of the organisation itself and the benefits of membership

Activities carried out during 2016/17 included:

• 'cleaning' the database of co-ops and mutuals in the south west
• relaunching the website and on-line directory,
• holding a successful co-ops event in Exeter on International Women's Day and
• increasing paying membership year on year – there are currently 41 members of Co-operatives South West, of which Go-op is one

If you’d like to know more about the work of C-SW, or indeed join, you can contact them via:

• www.cooperatives-sw.coop
• info@cooperatives-sw.coop
• @coopssouthwest
• facebook.com/coopsw