We still need your votes following the announcement that we have been shortlisted for the prestigious Co-op Council of the Year Award. 

We have been recognised as being a Co-operative Council for our work in supporting those who were experiencing food poverty during the pandemic.  

With the voting closing on Tuesday 1 June 2021 there is still time to cast your vote and show your support for the collective and our joined up work with the community of Torbay. To vote for us go to www.uk.coop/vote.

Leader of Torbay Council, Councillor Steve Darling, said: “We are committed to being a Co-operative Council and are constantly looking at how we can work with our community to improve our area and their lives. A way we did this last year, and what has led to us being shortlisted for this award, was by providing support of the Torbay Food Alliance to recognise their incredible efforts of providing food to those that needed it. 

“We now want to build on this, and we are doing it by developing a strategic food partnership, but we don’t want to stop there. A co-operative Council is one that is committed to finding better ways of working for, and with, local people for the benefit of their local community. Examples of where we are looking at doing this includes our work with our community to expand the Torbay Community Helpline and bring it into our work with improving access to Adult Social Care and our plans for Early Help hubs within Children’s Services.

“After the last year we have all had we would be proud to take home this award. The winners will be decided by a public vote, and this is where we need your help. If we’ve inspired you, impressed you, helped you or made a positive difference in any way we would be very grateful if you could vote for us.”   

The Co-op of the Year Awards 2021 are organised by Co-operatives UK – the network for Britain’s thousands of co-operative businesses – and sponsored by The Co-operative Bank. The Co-op Council award is sponsored by CCIN (The Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network).   

We have been shortlisted in the Council of the Year category and is up against:  

• Kirklees Council  
• Rochdale Council  
• Cheshire West and Chester Council  
• Telford and Wrekin Council  

To vote for us go to www.uk.coop/vote. Voting closes at midnight on 1 June and the winners will be announced on 5 July 2021.