EOC Member Candidates 2024-26

Statement from Cllr Paul Cassidy

As co-operators, our strength lies in unity. We achieve more together by upholding our values and principles. This belief guided me when I was elected in 2022 as the first Co-operative councillor in my council’s history. My first goal was to have the council join the Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network (CCIN) and become Scotland’s third Co-operative Council. Since then, I’ve actively promoted the council’s involvement in the network, from contributing to annual best practice case studies to running our own Policy Prototype with the networks support.

Since 2022, I’ve served as a dedicated member of the EOC during a period of significant growth and challenge. As the only Scottish representative and one of two from the UK’s devolved nations, I’ve worked to foster collaboration, drive meaningful change, and champion innovative solutions. I’ve prioritized transparent governance, effective decision-making, and ensuring our network responds to the evolving needs of members, associates, and affiliates from across the network.

If re-elected, I will also continue to ensure everyone’s voice is heard, I will focus on implementing our new Strategy & Action Plan, which aims to support growth in the devolved nations and across the UK. My experience and proven track record positions me well to continue advancing progress, amplifying member voices, and ensuring our network leads with innovation, integrity, and inclusivity. I remain committed to fostering collaboration, ensuring our network thrives amid new challenges and opportunities and I am totally committed to our role as a ‘non-party-political hub for Co-operative policy development and advocacy’.

My name is Sam Pallis and I am Labour and cooperative Cllr in Hackney, alongside being Deputy Cabinet member for the inclusive economy.

I am proud to represent a borough which has a long history of promoting and celebrating social businesses and co-op’s.

The reason why I want to join the CCIN executive is because I believe its really important to look how we can further collaboration on a regional and national level to support co-op’s. Particularly how local and regional government can align further on procurement, business support and thinking of innovative ways by which to generate much needed finance if we are to meet the governments aspiration to double the co-op sector.

Hackney Labour’s 2022 manifesto was our first labour and co-operative manifesto and put co-op development at the heart our economic development agenda.

In Hackney we are promoting social business and co-op’s in a range of ways. A responsible business charter with aims to further business commitment to a green and fairer economy. Our free business support programme which has worked with hundreds of businesses, oMering free energy audits and advice about scaling up their businesses. Finally our sustainable procurement policy which puts social value and social businesses at the heart of the economy.

As a longstanding co-op party member and cabinet lead for the inclusive economy I believe I have the experience and background to be able to contribute to the CCIN exec.