April 2020 Members' Update
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Dear Member
Welcome to the April edition of Update
These are unprecedented times. In a matter of weeks, we have become a country of self-isolators and self-distancers, wary of everyone we come into contact with. We all owe a debt of gratitude to our colleagues working on the front line, as they risk their health to help others. However, there is co-operation amidst this crisis, the world has united against COVID-19.
Emergency planning and briefings have become a part of daily life as we seek to deliver services to all of
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Councillor Sharon Taylor, Chair of the CCIN & Leader of Stevenage Borough Council
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our communities but particularly the most vulnerable. Now, more than ever, our communities are looking to local councils, and to one another, to provide the support and guidance they need in order to protect the elderly, vulnerable, carers and those on the edges of society. Officers and members are working to translate the daily updates on government policy so that financial support and humanitarian aid reaches those that need it, as quickly as possible. Most of us are already starting to think about the Recovery phase from the pandemic. My fervent hope is that the great spirit that has been generated will lead to co-operative solutions being a real part of the way forward for businesses, local authorities, organisations and communities.
We have launched our COVID-19 Support Network on the CCIN online Forum as a space for Member Councils to share ideas and co-operate with one another. If you work for a Member Council, and would like access to the Forum, please contact comms@councils.coop.
Life, as we knew it, will never be the same again. We will unite, collaborate and use our Values & Principles to fight this pandemic.
Stay safe and look after each other.
Best wishes
Sharon
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CCIN DPS is now live
Our multi-supplier DPS is now live, and will run until 30th March 2025. It allows all CCIN Members and Associate Members (and the CCIN itself) to select from a specialist, prescribed pool of organisations to help in developing policy, implementing prototypes and building capacity, both in communities and inside the organisation. The DPS has been split into 2 lots;
- Lot 1 – Policy Development & Testing
- Lot 2 – Capacity Building
See who's on the DPS and download the User Guide.
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CCIN Founding Fathers join the Shadow Cabinet
We're delighted to hear the news of Steve Reed's and Jim McMahon's appointment to the Shadow Cabinet:
Steve Reed OBE MP - Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary
Jim McMahon OBE MP - Shadow Transport Secretary
Our Network was established in 2012. It was the brainchild of Steve Reed (now our Honorary President) who, together with Jim McMahon and Sharon Taylor (now our Chair) turned the idea into reality. Originally supported by the Cooperative Party, it became a Special Interest Group of the LGA in 2014, which has a number of advantages:
- we’re a credible part of the local government family
- we’re non-political
- both officers and members can actively participate in our activities.
Find out more about us: https://www.councils.coop/about-us/
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Events cancelled in wake of COVID-19
The Coop of the Year Awards 2020, have been cancelled. They were to have been held in Rochdale on 19 June.
The LGA Conference and exhibition, which was due to be held in Harrogate from 20 June – 2 July, has also been cancelled.
Our Annual Strategy Session and North East Co-operative Showcase, hosted by Sunderland City Council, which were to be held on 8 and 9 June have been postponed. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but wish to assure you that the health and safety of all our members, colleagues and their families is our highest priority.
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More than a shop podcast series
The Co-operative College, Co-operatives UK, The Co-op, The Co-operative Heritage Trust and Co-op News have collaborated to produce a brand new podcast series, titled More Than a Shop.
The series welcomes guests with something new and radical to say about the big issues of our day and is set to cover a whole host of topics over the coming weeks including food, climate change and mental health.
The first two episodes are now live, focusing on music and education. College Principal and CEO Dr Cilla Ross stars in the latter, alongside renowned Poet, David Scott AKA Argh KiD. They discuss the challenges facing the UK’s education system and put forward a number of solutions, including a future Co-operative University!
See more details and listen to the episodes.
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The following articles are a round-up of news from our Members as they respond to COVID-19
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Stevenage Helps
Stevenage Borough Council has launched a new appeal called 'Stevenage Helps'. The appeal was created to capture volunteering and donation contributions from local residents who want to help others facing hardship due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The council is working in partnership with a range of local charities to help people to donate goods or volunteer time. The council has also worked with Stevenage Community Trust to launch an online giving platform to support vulnerable people and groups impacted by COVID-19.
Find out more.
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Cardiff Council takes over OYO hotel to support rough sleepers
Cardiff Council is taking over accommodation in the city to help the most vulnerable in our society.
The OYO Hotel in Clare Street, Riverside - previously known as the Wynford Hotel - has been taken over by the Council to ensure that self-contained accommodation is available for rough sleepers living in Cardiff.
This 41-bed hotel, which has en-suite bathroom facilities in every room, makes self-isolation possible. Support staff will be on site, 24-hours a day to ensure the accommodation is safe, and appropriate advice and help is available.
The Council's outreach team have been working with rough sleepers to advise them about the virus and to encourage them to come into accommodation. The needs of all homeless people are being assessed to ensure that they can be moved into the most appropriate accommodation for their needs.
Find out more.
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Burntwood 'Be A Friend'
Councillor Sue Woodward, from Burntwood Town Council, and Vice Chair of the CCIN Values & Principles Board, explained the background to the Burntwood 'Be A Friend initiative'.
"With the Covid-19 crisis gathering pace, three local heroes asked me to advise about how we could set up a support scheme covering our whole town to help anyone in need and safely capture the enthusiasm of volunteers. A charity which grew from the closure of our children’s Centre, Spark (Burntwood), and two local churches have come together in record time to ensure that anyone in the town, whatever their need, can call our helpline and our volunteers, all properly validated via DBS checks and safeguarding training, are doing their bit, from collecting prescriptions and shopping to offering a friendly voice at the end of a phone."
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Caring for Plymouth
The 'Caring for Plymouth Support Hub' is the operation to shield Plymouth’s most vulnerable residents from the Coronavirus.
All medically vulnerable people are being advised to stay in their home for the next 12 weeks to protect themselves from the spread of the Coronavirus. This group of people includes some already seriously ill people as well as those living with a disability or ongoing medical conditions.
Caring for Plymouth, is an alliance between the Council, Livewell Southwest and a large number of Voluntary and Community Sector organisations, will ensure that those people that are medically vulnerable are provided with emotional support, shopping, medicine collection, support with paying bills and accessing money. Staff providing the service will have had background checks to provide added piece of mind.
Find out more
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Power to Change offers Network support
Now more than ever, Power to Change’s mission to support community business in England has renewed importance. They are working closely with community businesses, delivery partners, the wider sector and Government to understand where their support is most needed at this time.
For information about support, from Power to Change and the wider sector, as well as a breakdown of the latest Government guidance, webinars with practical advice for community businesses, inspiring stories and FAQs, please visit: powertochange.org.uk
Power to Change is an Affiliate Member of the Network
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Together for Cardiff
Cardiff residents have stepped up to the plate and responded overwhelmingly to support people in need across the city.
Since the launch of a new volunteering scheme, 'Together for Cardiff', 1000 people have volunteered to give their time and services to help others during the Coronavirus crisis and 58 are already working.
Together for Cardiff was established to harness the tide of community spirit that has come to the fore during the outbreak and to match people who want to help, with those in need of assistance, in safe and properly-managed way.
The Hubs Adviceline, which normally takes around 25 calls a day, has taken more than 200 calls a day, and there have been 29,163 hits on the Volunteer Cardiff site since the scheme was launched. The Council is supporting Cardiff Foodbank, with emergency parcels being distributed from four hubs - St Mellons Hub, Ely and Caerau Hub, The Powerhouse in Llanedeyrn and Central Library Hub.
Over the coming weeks, volunteers will assist the delivery of the Council's work to ensure those in most need, who are struggling to get provisions, have food and other essentials. Help shopping for food is also available for those who cannot leave home themselves.
Find out more
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Plymouth Good Neighbours Scheme
Plymouth City Council is working with community groups and charities across the city to provide a central place for people to volunteer to help during the Coronavirus pandemic. The Council is collecting names and skill sets and will then help groups by distributing volunteers with the right skills to right places at the right time, directly and through the many great voluntary sector organisations in the city, and key partners such as the Plymouth Octopus Project and Our Plymouth.
They also fully expect to redeploy people from all over the council to help answer phones, to guide people through this incredibly difficult time and to help deliver services to people’s doors.
Find out more
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Co-operative Group launches 'Co-operate'
The Co-operative Group has launched an online community platform, that connects people to the local and national organisations who need support, and can support, during the crisis.
As situations chance, Co-operate has been been designed to evolve to support communities through these times.
Find out more.
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East of England retail society teams up with local councils
Vulnerable people living in Lichfield and Burntwood will be able to access food and essentials during the coronavirus lockdown thanks to a new trial project.
Run by Central England Co-op Society and Lichfield District Council, the scheme will see a community hub created at the retailer’s Boley Park store.
The local authority will identify vulnerable members of the community, gather orders and pass them onto the store who will then create a package and take payment over the phone, before the items are delivered by the council.
The link-up is the first of its kind in the country and could see the system rolled out at other Central England Co-op stores nationally if it proves successful.
Find out more.
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Supporting your supply chains
Many of you are already working with Oxygen Finance to accelerate payments to businesses and some have already sought guidance as to how best respond to the current situation and specifically how best to support your supply chains. Their advice is:
- Identify the most at-risk suppliers in your supply base – typically small and local who are therefore dependent upon the councils – pay these suppliers early for free!
- Identify any other segments of the supply base that will be critical in the coming weeks (e.g. residential and domiciliary care) – again put this cohort of suppliers onto improved payment terms during these extraordinary times.
- Remind suppliers outside of these two categories of the most effective ways to get paid.
To find out more contact: simon.whittle@oxygen-finance.com
Oxygen Finance is an Affiliate Member of the Network.
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Governance and Solvency: A Coronavirus Guide for Public Service Mutuals and Co-operatives
Affiliate Members Bates Well have produced a short guide for trustees and directors of public service mutuals and co-operatives concerned about solvency and wondering how to approach it in the immediate crisis caused by the coronavirus shutdown.
Find out more
Bates Wells are Affiliate Members of the Network
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Advice and support for co-operatives at the time of coronavirus
The Hive business support programme for co-operatives will now fund business support for co-operatives facing challenges as a result of coronavirus. The programme will pay for a Hive provider to help with, for example, navigating government support schemes, re-forecasting cashflows, developing new funding streams eg moving business online, HR issues, etc. To access the support, contact a provider on the list here or contact CCIN DPS supplier, andrew@climatepositive.eu.
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Co-operatives UK - HR COVID-19 online surgery - 31 March 2020
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22 June - 5 July - Co-operatives Fortnight
4 July - International Co-operative Day
19 - 23 September - Labour Party Conference - Liverpool
7 - 8 October - CCIN AGM & National Conference - Telford
17 - 18 October - Co-operative Party Annual Conference - Leeds
21 November - Co-operative Party Local Government Conference - Oxford |
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