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From digital inclusion in Preston, community energy in Plymouth, Youth Democracy in Kirklees, Medway's impact funding with a Social Enterprise focus and a quick response to the fire in Glasgow , our members are proving that cooperative approaches don’t just align with our values — they deliver.
The Co-operative Party’s Yes In Our Backyard report makes a strong case for community-led housing at a national level — a cause we can firmly get behind!
We’re also helping members work smarter: our upcoming CCIN Consultancy DPS session will show commissioners how to access specialist expertise quickly and with confidence. And later this month, our joint webinar with Westminster City Council and the Health Foundation will explore a health-in-all-policies approach — because wellbeing is shaped well beyond the health system.
As elections approach, I want to thank everyone who has submitted case studies and policy project applications — our contributions are what make this
network matter.
To all members and colleagues who are standing for election next month, I wish you the very best of luck. Whatever the outcome, the work you do every day — in your communities, in your councils, & through this network
— is what cooperative values look like in practice.
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Best wishes
Jim
Councillor Jim Robbins
Chair of the CCIN & Leader of Swindon Borough Council | | | |
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Preston Digital Cooperative | | | |
Preston City Council has launched the Preston Digital Cooperative, a new partnership designed to tackle digital exclusion by widening access to connectivity, improving digital skills and building a more inclusive local digital economy. The initiative brings together public bodies, voluntary and community organisations, and network providers to coordinate investment and deliver digital infrastructure in a way that keeps value within the community. Its first phase is backed by £200,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, targeted at neighbourhoods experiencing the highest levels of digital exclusion.
A major early milestone is the completion of a new fibre ring, finished in October 2025, which is now enabling community centres across the city to be connected to high‑speed Wi‑Fi. Network Connect, the appointed provider, says the improved connectivity will support learning, employment and access to essential services for residents who currently face barriers to getting online.
"The work of the Preston Digital Cooperative and the use of Shared Prosperity Funding to invest in internet connectivity is helping to tackle the digital divide and improve digital inclusion, ensuring that our residents have equal access. It also demonstrates our Community Wealth Building principles of anchor collaboration and democratic ownership."
Cllr Valerie Wise - Cabinet Member, Community Wealth Building - Preston City Council
Local organisations are preparing to use the upgraded infrastructure to strengthen digital skills programmes. At the Sahara centre, for example, faster and more reliable internet access will enhance training for women seeking to build confidence and move closer to employment. Alongside connectivity improvements, the cooperative is exploring partnerships to distribute refurbished digital devices to low‑income residents, creating a sustainable supply of equipment while reducing waste.
As a member of the Cooperative Councils' Innovation Network, Preston is demonstrating how co‑operative structures can be used to address the digital divide while supporting community wealth building. The model combines shared governance, anchor‑institution collaboration and targeted investment to deliver long‑term social value. The council plans to secure further funding to expand the cooperative’s work and deepen its impact across the city. Read more: Preston Digital Cooperative | preston.coop
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Cooperatives & Global Energy...... | |
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Rising energy prices are being felt by communities across the world as conflict in Iran threatens global energy supplies. Continued instability in international markets has increased pressure on households, prompting renewed debate about how energy systems can be made fairer, more resilient and less exposed to sudden shocks. Against this backdrop, members of the co‑operative movement are exploring alternatives to traditional energy markets. With a long history of promoting fairness in supply chains and addressing the climate crisis, co‑operators are increasingly focused on how locally owned energy systems could offer greater stability while supporting the transition to renewable power.
Community energy schemes are emerging as a key part of this discussion. Advocates argue that these models can reduce reliance on volatile global markets, help keep costs down and ensure that the benefits of energy generation are shared locally.
Further analysis of these challenges and potential solutions is explored in Co‑operatives and the global energy crisis, published by Co‑operative News. [thenews.coop]
One frequently cited example is Plymouth Energy Community, which was originally supported by Plymouth City Council. The initiative worked with residents to help them secure better energy deals and improve energy efficiency in their homes.
It later went on to develop its own community energy scheme, ensuring that financial and social benefits are shared locally.
Full details of the Plymouth Energy Community case study on the Co‑operative Councils’ Innovation Network website. [councils.coop] | |
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Joe Joseph - CCIN Values & Principles Board's
newest Representative. | |
We’re delighted to welcome Joe Joseph to the CCIN Values & Principles Board, following his unopposed election as Associate Member Representative.
Joe is based in Glastonbury and serves as Chair of the South West Peninsula Co-operative Party Council. We look forward to the perspective and experience he brings to the Board. | | | |
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CCIN Policy Projects 2026 | |
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The Case for Community-led Housing | |
The Co-operative Party work closely with organisations across the movement – including having a representative who sits on our Values & Principles Board.
Their latest report, ‘Yes In Our Backyard’ renews calls for the inclusion of community-led housing solutions as a core part of the government's housing strategy – giving people a voice in local developments and empowering cooperative ownership models of land and housing stock alike.
Read the full report: Yes In Our Backyard – Co-operative Party
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UK Government launches Plan to "Protect what matters". |
The government is launching a rallying call for action, setting steps towards a more connected, cohesive and resilient United Kingdom.
Published by MHCLG, Protecting What Matters: Towards a More Confident, Cohesive and Resilient United Kingdom is the government’s action plan on social cohesion.
It is directly relevant to councils — both as delivery partners and as democratic anchors within their communities. The plan’s three pillars — confident, cohesive and resilient communities — each carry practical asks of councils: convening Neighbourhood Boards, supporting community sponsorship of asylum seekers, and embedding the government’s 2024 extremism definition across public bodies. Including up to £5 billion over a decade is earmarked for areas through the Pride in Place programme.
For CCIN members, this is familiar ground. The language of local agency, shared ownership and community resilience maps directly onto co-operative values. The opportunity is to show that co-operative approaches are not just aligned with this agenda — they are the most effective.
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Young Voices
Real Democracy - Kirklees | |
Young people from five Kirklees high schools came together at Huddersfield Town Hall to mark Welcome to Your Vote Week 2026 in March 2026— to show what youth-led democratic engagement looks like in practice.
Organised by Kirklees Youth Council as part of the Democracy Friendly Schools programme, the day brought together students, Youth Councillors and members of the Council’s Executive Board for honest conversation about how young people can shape their local area. On the day, young people explored how to: • Strengthen relationships between schools and local decision-makers • Help peers understand voting, registration and why it matters • Build lasting connections between Youth Councillors and Cabinet members | |
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Medway's Blueprint for Community Investment | |
Councils may be grappling with how to sustain community investment post-UKSPF. Medway’s answer — the Medway Together Fund. More than £400,000 is now available across three streams, with applications open from 8 April 2026.
• Feasibility Fund — up to £5,000 to help promising ideas reach the point of delivery,
• Medway Impact Fund — up to £10,000 (£15,000 in exceptional cases), explicitly targeting social enterprise, cultural experience, health and wellbeing, and physical infrastructure,
• Summer Events Fund — up to £10,000 for large-scale community events (500+ attendance)
The Council has built in face-to-face application support — drop-in advice sessions running throughout April and May — recognising that access to funding shouldn’t depend on bid-writing experience. The fund is open to charities, voluntary organisations, social enterprises, businesses, education institutions and public sector bodies. | |
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| When Crisis Hits - A Cooperative Council Acts! | |
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When fire destroyed Glasgow’s Union Corner building in March 2026, Glasgow City Council responded swiftly — working with the Scottish Government to launch a £10 million Fire Recovery Fund within weeks.
Three tiers of support were designed to reach every affected business: • £25,000 for businesses who lost premises in Forsyth House • £15,000 for businesses within the current cordon • £2,000 for businesses in the initial emergency safety cordon .
Council Leader Susan Aitken was clear: “... Supporting them has been a key priority for the city - and opening this Fire Recovery Fund, with the backing of the Scottish Government, is a really significant step...”
For more information - click this link | |
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WEBINAR - Health in all Policies Approach
Wednesday 23rd April 2026 - 12pm
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This webinar will introduce you to an established approach to tackling health inequalities and encourage you to think about how your services can adopt in a cooperative way.
A ‘health in all policies’ (HiAP) approach provides a framework for local government to consider the health implications of every decision. A key principle of the approach is the recognition that good health depends on more than health care alone, emphasising the need to innovate and consider how health outcomes can be improved through other priority areas – from housing and employment, to education and transport.
Sharlene McGee, Policy Manager at The Health Foundation, will be sharing insights of the HiAP and sharing some of the opportunities and challenges of embedding health into policy and practice.The Health Foundation is a UK-registered charity dedicated to building a healthier population and improving healthcare quality. Among many things, they conduct and commission research and analysis and shape policy and practice by influencing national and local government – acting as a catalyst for change and building skills, knowledge and capability.
Part of the CCIN Policy Project led by Westminster Council - Taking a Cooperative Approach to Tackling Health Inequalities.
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Copyright © Co-operative Councils' Innovation Network 2018, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: CCIN c/o Oldham Council Spindles Shopping Centre George Street Oldham OL1 1LF
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