Principles met

  • We will promote community-based approaches to economic development that focus on supporting the creation of jobs, social enterprises and other businesses and providing an environment for co-operative and mutual enterprises to thrive.
  • In exploring new ways of meeting the priority needs of our communities we will encourage models, such as co-operatives and mutuals, which give greater influence and voice to staff and users. in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.
  • As a membership organisation, we will make this statement of our principles operational by: • Co-operation among members: Our members work together to help each other implement our values, sharing experiences and learning. • Openness of membership: Full, Associate and Affiliate Membership is open to any qualifying Council, organisation or individual who shares our values and is committed to putting them into action. • Co-production of the Network’s work: Members help shape the Network’s work programme and the content of events and written products. • Action-focused: The network is a vehicle for helping councils translate co-operative values and principles into policy and practice. •Membership-based: The network is majority funded by modest membership subscriptions from its member Councils, Associates and Affiliates. •Non-party-political: Members share the belief that working co-operatively within and across communities holds the key to tackling today’s challenges.

In 2019 Lancashire County Council (LCC) agreed to dispose of three traveller sites in the county including one at Leighton Street in the centre Preston, managed on its behalf by Preston City Council. The Irish Traveller community at the site had been living there for over 30 years since it was established in the late 1980s. The families were well integrated into the local area and their children attended local schools.  LCC’s decision created a great deal of uncertainty for the community.

With support from a local group and from Preston’s Cooperative Development Network (PCDN), community representatives proposed to Preston City Council that if the Council agreed to adopt the site, a newly established Leighton Street Cooperative would take on the day-to-day management and operation of the site and all residents would be invited to join the cooperative. At Full Council on 24 February 2022 it was unanimously agreed that Preston City Council would adopt the site and on 18th May the local authorities signed a lease to this effect.

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