TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Central England Co-operative Limited – Registered no.10143R

Membership

About these terms and Conditions

When we say “we”, “us”, “our”, “Central Co-op” or “Society”, we mean Central England Co-operative Limited.
When we say “you” and “your”, we mean the person whose name is on the front of the Membership card.

These terms and conditions should be read alongside our Rules, which can be found here.

Where there is a conflict or discrepancy between these terms and conditions and our Rules, our Rules take precedence.

These terms and conditions together with our Rules set out the rights you have as a Member of the Society and the additional benefits you are entitled to under these terms and conditions.

1. Membership

We welcome Membership applications from customers who share our co-operative values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity (covered by Rule 15). You must live in the UK and be aged 16 years or over. As a Member, you are required to hold and retain at least one £1 share fully paid in Central England Co-operative. Full Membership, with associated democratic rights, takes effect six months following the full payment of the minimum one £1 share to the Society.

The £1 share can be paid upfront upon becoming a Member of the Society or may be earned by spending in Central England Co-operative outlets and receiving dividend points onto your Membership card. The rate at which these points are converted into monetary value is subject to: (i) consideration by the Board (after taking into account the Society’s trading surplus) and (ii) the approval of participating, eligible Members at our annual and interim Members’ meetings. Payment of the £1 share will only be possible by payment upfront on becoming a Member from 27^th February 2023 except for where a Member is already using a temporary card issued before this date.

We reserve the right to refuse any application for Membership.

You can apply to become a Member through Central Co-op mobile ap, online at www.members.coop or by contacting our Membership Services Team using the details in Section 3.

By agreeing to become a member of the Society, you agree to be bound by our Rules.

2. Membership Card

2.1 A Central Co-op Membership card is issued subject to the Member agreeing to the full Membership Terms and Conditions.

2.2 You must register your temporary card for any qualifying purchases to be converted into Share of the Profits dividend points.

2.3 Once you have registered your temporary card, one permanent card will be sent to you in the post within 28 days and you will be able to access your Membership through the mobile app, or through the issue of a physical card by exception, which will immediately replace the temporary card.

2.4 The Membership card is not a loyalty card, credit card, payment card or cheque guarantee card. It is purely for Membership purposes only.

2.5 The card remains the property of the Society, who may withdraw the card at any time.

2.6 The card is valid in outlets operated by the Society and other co-operative businesses as part of the “Affinity Scheme”. Details of the scheme can be found in 4.6.

2.7 The card can only be used for the benefit of the Member named on the front of the card and when that person has signed the back of the card. You may not transfer any of your rights and duties as a member of the Society.

2.8 The card can only be used in respect of purchases made by and for the individual Member and for their immediate, dependent family.

2.9 The card cannot be used by anyone other than the Member as evidence of a right to exercise democratic rights save to the extent that this may be permissible under our Rules.

2.10 You can partner your Membership card with another person living at the same address as you. Points earned from purchases made on a partnered card will be accrued onto your card and you, as the main Membership card holder, will receive the benefits of these points including any Share of the Profits dividends.

2.10.1 A partner card holder is not a member of the Society and, as such, they will not be eligible for any of the benefits available to a Central England Co-operative Member, including a Share of the Profits dividend, participating in Member democratic voting or attending Members’ meetings.

2.11 If the card is lost, stolen or damaged, replacement cards are available from Central England Co-operative by contacting our Membership Team.

2.12 We may monitor or record phone calls for security purposes and to improve the quality of our services to our Members.

2.13 As a Member, it is your responsibility to inform the Society if your details change, such as your name or address. Should this be the case, please update your details on your Membership account online at www.members.coop, via the Central Co-op mobile app, or contact us via email, post or telephone, so we can update your details. This will ensure we are able to send you any Share of the Profits payments and other communications relating to your Membership. Please quote your Membership card number, or name and postcode to help us to find your Membership record. For a change or name, we may require you to provide relevant documents, such as a marriage certificate or change of name deed.

2.14 If your Membership card is lost, damaged or stolen, replacement cards can be requested by contacting us.

2.14.1 An administrative charge may apply for a replacement card. Production of a replacement card may take up to 14 days.

2.14.2 We may provide appropriate authorities any informative considered important about the loss or theft of a card.

2.15 In the event of a dispute, the Society’s decision on the matter shall be final and binding.

2.16 If you have any comments or questions, please contact our Membership Team.

3. Contact Details

You can contact our Membership Team for any membership matters or questions about these terms and conditions or our Rules.

Membership Team:

Tel: 0800 050 1601

Email: members@centralengland.coop

Post: Central England Co-operative, Membership Team,
Central House, Hermes Road, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6RH

4. Earning points

4.1 To earn Membership points, you must present your card when carrying out your transaction at a participating Society outlet.

4.2 The Membership points earned on qualifying transactions and purchases are determined by the Society and may change from time to time. The following rates currently apply:

Central England Co-operative Food	1 point for every £1 spent
Central England Co-operative Fuel Stations	1 point for every £10 spent
Central England Co-operative Funeralcare	1 point for every £1 spent
Central England Co-operative residential tenants	1 point for every £1 spent

4.3

Central England Co-operative Residential Tenants

4.3.1
If your residential property is owned by Central England Co-operative and you are a registered Member, you can earn points on the rent you pay. Points will be awarded at one point per each pound (£) of rent.

4.3.2 Payments that qualify as rent is the monthly rent amount detailed in the tenancy agreement. No other charges will qualify.

4.3.3 Points will not be awarded if the rent account is more than ten working days in arrears.

4.3.4 Points will be awarded from 1 January 2021. Any rent payments made prior to this date will not be included in the scheme.

4.4 If you are unable to produce your Central England Co-operative Membership card at the time of purchase, you can still register your purchase and claim points by contacting our Membership Team. You will require a proof of purchase.

4.5
Exclusions

The following transactions do not qualify for points

4.5.1 Central England Co-operative Food Stores

· Cigarettes & Tobacco

· Baby Milk

· Milk Tokens

· Stamps

· National Lottery Purchases

· Gift Vouchers

· Phone cards / top ups

· In-store concessions

· Any services provided by a third-party organisation or company

4.5.2 Central England Co-operative Funeral Services

- Disbursements or third-party professional services on at-need funeral arrangements.

- Points are not awarded to the Membership card of the deceased, as the membership team will place the Membership account on hold pending receipt of a death certificate. However, a next of kin or executor may request the transfer of a Membership account upon production of a death certificate to the Membership team. Additional identification may also be required.

- Points are awarded at the point of purchase on all funeral plans; therefore points will not be awarded on a funeral plan at the point of redemption.

4.5.2.1 Points are awarded to the Membership account of the person who pays for the at-need funeral arrangements, not to the person who confirms the wishes and funeral services in conjunction with one of our funeral arrangers or funeral directors. The only exemption to this is when the person confirming the wishes and funeral services is the spouse of the person who pays for the at-need funeral arrangements or a relative who lives at the same address as the person who pays for the at-need arrangements.

4.6 Transactions with other co-operatives

You can use your Membership card to earn points at some other co-operative societies that are part of an ‘Affinity Scheme’ arrangement. Any such transactions made with other co-operatives attract Membership points at the relevant prevailing rates of those societies at the time of purchase. In such instances, Central England Members should ask at the point of purchase when transacting with another co-operative society to determine whether the reciprocal Membership points arrangement is applicable.

Participating societies may choose to withdraw from this reciprocal Membership points arrangement at any time.

When you earn points with an Affinity Scheme partner, they will let us know the share of the profits you have earned with the relevant society (if any) after approval by their Members. We will transfer that share of the profits to you the next time we distribute our share of profits. Where an Affinity Partner or Partners decide not to make a share of the profits payment, you will not receive a payment from us for points earned with that Affinity Partner or Partners.

4.7 Earning Points through Member activities

There may be times when you can also earn points for taking part in certain Member activities and events run by the Central England Co-operative. This is at the discretion of the Society and we will communicate relevant details at the time of publication of the activity.

4.8 Refund or return of goods

If you purchase goods from us and return them for a refund, we may remove/amend any points you have earned from your card. This will not apply where this is because of a valid complaint.

5. Distributions from Trading Surplus (Dividends)

5.1 As determined by the Society’s Board of Directors, the points you have earned during the qualifying period will be converted to a dividend value at a rate proposed by the Board to Members, for approval, at either the Society’s Annual Members’ Meeting or Interim Members’ Meeting.

5.2 Receiving your payment

We will only pay your share of the profits if the value of the points you have earned is greater than the minimum limit for payment, which the Society will determine from time to time. If the value of the points you have earned is fewer than the minimum limit for payment, we will carry forward this amount and add it to the points you earn in the next Share of the Profits trading period.

Your share of the profits will be paid to you via dividend (in whole pounds) that will be loaded onto your Membership card during the next available share of the profits pay-out period.

You can spend your e-dividend on purchases within our Central England Co-operative food, funeral and florist businesses as a full or part payment for a product or service, by presenting your Membership card during the transaction.

You can also convert your Share of the Profits payment to cash or a charitable donation by contacting our Membership Team.

5.3
Charitable donations

If you have instructed us, we will pay 100% of your share of the profits to our corporate charity.

6 Cancelling your Membership

You can cancel your Membership at any time by contacting the Membership Team. Your continued Membership of the Society is also subject to the provisions set out in our Rules.

7 Shares

All Members must hold at least one £1 share in the Society.

As a Member you can also invest in Withdrawable Share Capital with the Society (to a maximum of £100,000) by opening a Share Account. This includes and is subject to the requirement of holding the minimum £1 share in the Society for six months.

For more information on Share Accounts and Withdrawable Share Capital please refer to the terms and conditions which can be found here. To apply for a Share Account, contact the Membership Team.

8 Data Privacy

The information that you provide will be used to process your application to become a Member of the Society and to send you information you are legally entitled to, or there is a legitimate interest in you receiving such as:

· notice of Members’ meetings

· voting papers for elections

· share of profits payments

· Membership updates

· general Membership administration

We will also use your contact details to send you marketing if you have given us permission. We take great care to protect your personal information and only use it in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

9 Changes to these terms and conditions

In accordance with our Rules these Terms and Conditions may be amended and then publicised on our website having an immediate effect, replacing previous Terms and Conditions. Your continued use of your Membership card will be deemed acceptance of any changes.

These terms and conditions were last updated in February 2023.