The Subgroups

Our six subgroups are the foundation of the Co-op’s activities and management. All members are required to belong to a subgroup and attend meetings, or undertake alternative roles and tasks.

Each subgroup meets monthly to discuss and decide matters relating to their work, undertake a range of tasks themselves, and liaise with the (paid) Co-ordinator as needed.

They send representatives to the Management Committee (MC), and refer more significant matters to the MC for further consideration.

The six subgroups are:

• Development
• Finance
• Housing Management (HM)
• Maintenance
• Membership
• Policy and Public Relations (P&PR)

The Management Committee (MC)

The MC is made up of a Chair, a Minute Taker and two representatives from each of the six subgroups. It meets monthly to exchange information, discuss and decide matters raised by the subgroups. It is the body with formal responsibility for the Co-op to our regulators.

Personnel Committee

The Personnel Committee supports and manages our paid employee. They are drawn from a range of subgroups and officers, and are elected annually. They also provide an overview of the distribution of work between subgroups and across the co-op.

General Meetings (GMs)

The Co-op holds three General Meetings a year when all members can discuss  membership, policy, and major expenditure. The meetings have an elected General Meeting Chair, and agendas are drawn from items submitted by the Subgroups and Management Committee. A formal Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held  each year, when officers and representatives are elected and our annual report and audit are presented and agreed.

Co-op Officers

Officers are elected at the AGM to fulfil specific formal roles in the Co-op:

• Management Committee Chair
• Deputy Chair
• General Meeting Chair
• Treasurer
• Secretary

There are other specialist roles undertaken by members, including the Welfare Officer, Data Protection, Safeguarding, and Minutetakers (MC and GM).