Clive Woodman

Cambridge 

All my life I have used co-operatives for a wide range of goods and services and I’m keen to be active in ensuring they work at their very best. I’m particularly anxious that our Co-operative offers us, as members, good value and maintains ethical trading standards. I believe how we trade and who we trade with really matters. I’m standing for re-election because I’ve seen the difference that can be made serving on the area committee. I want to play an active part in seeing this continues. 

During my term of office I have visited many of our shops in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. On these visits I have noted the good quality often achieved but have also persistently raised concerns where appropriate standards are not met. What I have seen persuades me that our staff can be successful when they are properly trained, managed and rewarded. I have also argued forcibly for development and initiated, for example, the establishment of post office facilities in a village store.

I feel the committee can improve further on how it influences the performance of our business and if re-elected would work to do this. I believe developing better links with the local communities in which we trade could help us to significantly improve the co-operative offer we make to them.