Our Future Plans - Q&A with Debbie & Phil

Debbie Robinson:
Hello there everyone. I hope you're keeping well.
I'm Debbie Robinson, the Chief Executive at Central Co-op.

Phil Ponsonby:
Hello, everyone. I'm Phil Ponsonby, the Chief Executive at The Midcounties Co-operative.

Debbie:
So this is the second in our series of podcasts, and we're here at the Support Centre in Lichfield. So welcome back to our podcast series.

Phil and I are going to be sharing all the detail and questions that we've been receiving from you as and when they come through. We're also hoping to be in lots of different venues where we can learn about each other's businesses and help you understand the number of opportunities that are going to be available to you as we work through the merger proposals.

Phil:
That's right, and big thanks to everyone that’s submitted questions so far. It’s really helpful — it’s shaping our understanding and the conversation.

Today, we’ll be addressing some of those specific questions you’ve put forward, and also covering some other topics as well.

So, Debbie — ready for the first question?

Debbie:
Certainly am, Phil! Right, let's go.

Some members, including colleagues, have money invested with Midcounties Co-op and Central Co-op. Will that money be secure and go across to the new society as is?

Phil:
What a great question. So at the point of transfer, all funds will be transferred exactly as they are on a pound-for-pound basis — nothing will change.

Debbie:
That’s right — that’s my understanding as well. The nature of co-op mergers is that members’ money remains as is at the point the merger is completed.

Phil:
Absolutely right. Thank you.

 

Debbie:
So, Phil — second question, and this one’s for you.

Our colleagues here at Central are paid every four weeks. Will they continue to be paid every four weeks, and do we have the same payday?

Phil:
Great question — and obviously an important one. The good news is that both of our societies already pay colleagues every four weeks, and it’s on the same day, which makes things much easier.

We also both use Wagestream, which allows flexibility around pay — many colleagues use that service. So colleagues can be reassured that pay dates won’t change and that Wagestream will continue.

Debbie:
Brilliant — that’s really clear. Everything will continue as it is. You’ll be paid on the same day every four weeks and still have the benefits of Wagestream.

Phil:
Exactly — it’s not only good for colleagues but also great from an integration perspective. It’s something we can transition quite smoothly.

Debbie:
Keeps it simple, which is good news.

 

Phil:
So, my turn for a question.

How will the merger impact partnerships such as Central Co-op’s Malawi Partnership or Midcounties’ joint venture with Octopus, which is called Younity?

Debbie:
These projects are really important to both societies. One of the benefits of coming together is that we can amplify the impact.

We’re hoping and expecting to stock and supply Malawi products in all Midcounties stores, and equally, we love your Younity project — we can bring expertise from both societies together to significantly increase the benefits of these important initiatives.

Phil:
Exactly. The Younity partnership with Octopus is very important — it’s over five years old now and supplies over a third of all community energy in the UK through 375 Power Purchase Agreements.

The merger will give that a real opportunity to go even further into the future. These partnerships are so important to our members and customers, and by coming together, we can accelerate our progress.

Debbie:
Absolutely — on a global scale, this will help us get there quicker as a combined society.

 

Phil:
Another question that’s come up quite a lot — and we heard it last night at our members’ half-yearly meeting — is about the timeline of events.
When will the votes happen, and what is the expected date of completion?

Debbie:
The merger process works like this: your Society (Midcounties) needs to hold a special members meeting to approve the transfer, while ours (Central) needs to hold one to approve a rule change.

Your first meeting is planned for Monday, 17th November, and our rule change meeting is on Wednesday, 19th November, at Derbyshire County Cricket Ground at 7pm.

We hope for a great turnout — last night in Derby, we had over a thousand members and colleagues join across five live venues. We shared society updates, took Q&As, and heard some great local feedback about the merger and community priorities.

Phil:
Yes, it was a great meeting — I joined online and thought you did a brilliant job.

For us, we’ll have our second formal meeting on 2nd December, where we’ll seek a majority vote from members to approve the merger.

Ahead of that, in early November, we’re holding information and Q&A sessions across multiple locations, giving members the opportunity to ask more questions, just as yours did.

Debbie:
So to summarise:

• 17th November – First Midcounties members’ meeting (seeking two-thirds majority)
• 19th November – Central Co-op members’ rule change meeting
• 2nd December – Second Midcounties members’ meeting for final approval

And with all that support and democracy in action, we hope to conclude the transfer at the beginning of 2026.

Phil:
Exactly. Once members approve, there’s the legal process and regulatory checks — including with the Competition and Markets Authority — which take time. But yes, early 2026 is our expected completion date.

 

Debbie:
Thanks, Phil — that was really helpful.

And thank you to everyone who’s been sending in questions. Please continue to do so — it’s really helping us shape the future. Use your voice, keep the questions coming, and I hope you found this session helpful.

Phil:
I completely agree. It’s really important that colleagues keep sending in questions about the proposed merger.

We’ll keep answering them through these weekly podcasts. In the meantime, thank you for all the great work you do in supporting our members, customers, and communities.

Both:
Thank you.