An idea and an ambitious dream have, in a few short months, become very real. We have received confirmation from Cooperatives UK that we have been officially approved as an FCA-regulated community benefit society! This is a big step forwards in our mission to help accelerate Barnet’s journey towards decarbonisation. We have achieved this milestone because of the support of Repowering London, an award-winning ‘facilitator’ of community energy, who have been working with communities across London for many years to deliver renewable energy and energy efficiency projects owned by, and for the benefit of, local people.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of the registration process has been to learn about the seven cooperative principles, which really explain the ethos of community energy. Had you asked me this time last year I admit that, although I thought I knew what a cooperative was, I could not have named these principles, nor did I really appreciate their value. A community benefit society is a type of cooperative. It is thus bound to operate in line with these principles, which date back to the Rochdale Pioneers of 1844, a group of workers who sold reasonably-priced and good-quality food through a cooperative model, sharing profits with the cooperative members. The seven principles are as follows:
- 1. Voluntary and Open Membership
- 2. Democratic Member Control
- 3. Member Economic Participation
- 4. Autonomy and Independence
- 5. Education, Training and Information
- 6. Cooperation among Cooperatives
- 7. Concern for the Community
These principles are underpinned by values that have been the drumbeat of my life, education, culture and upbringing, and most likely also of yours. They are based on self-help, taking responsibility for oneself, equality, democracy, the importance of honesty, solidarity, caring for others and being socially responsible. These values are part of our history, you will find them in our children’s stories, they have been passed from parent and teacher to child for generations. Yet, in these troubled times of late-stage capitalism, we are witnessing their challenge. A cooperative is a group of people coming together to address a common need. It is a model based in kindness, hope and practical action. It offers a way in which we can organise and work together to protect our values.
Every good story needs a problem, a threat to overcome. Perhaps every human being needs a mountain to motivate them, a purpose to fight for. We are living in a decisive decade, in a time of unprecedented mountains to climb. This Christmas we all need to wish for the courage to take the risks that we must take to live the change we want to see. As this new CBS takes its first steps, it is my wish that it can bring people together in Barnet and make its contribution to saving carbon in the place where we live.
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