New for 2026, CCH has launched a suite of documents to support housing co-operatives with effective governance, member involvement and active participation.

Good governance and active membership are fundamental to successful co-operative housing. Our new suite, which is free to CCH members, brings together practical guidance, tools and model documents to help co-operatives understand their responsibilities, strengthen their governance arrangements and encourage meaningful member involvement.

The 2026 suite includes:

• CCH Code of Governance
• CCH Good Governance Guide
• CCH Active Membership Guidance

CCH Code of Governance 2026

The CCH Code of Governance sets out the principles and standards of good governance for housing co-operatives. It provides a practical framework to help co-operatives govern effectively, remain accountable to their members and demonstrate that they are well run.

For Registered Provider housing co-operatives in England, adopting and complying with an appropriate Code of Governance is a regulatory requirement.

The Code is supported by a Governance Review Workbook, which enables co-operatives to assess themselves against the Code, identify areas for improvement and develop an action plan.

Good Governance Guide 2026

The Good Governance Guide provides practical guidance to help housing co-operatives put good governance into practice.

It supports co-operatives in understanding and applying the Code of Governance, with guidance covering key areas including:

• roles and responsibilities
• decision-making
• accountability
• risk and compliance
• Governing Body effectiveness

• conduct

• member involvement

The Guide is designed to complement the Code, helping co-operatives translate governance principles and standards into effective day-to-day practice.

Governance Model Documents

Our Governance Model Documents, which are free to CCH Members, provide practical templates that housing co-operatives can adapt and use to support effective governance.

They cover a selection of key governance policies and procedures, helping co-operatives turn the principles and standards in the Code of Governance into day-to-day practice.

The model documents include:

• Governing Body Roles and Responsibilities
• Code of Conduct
• Conflict of Interest Policy
• Data Protection Guidance

Active Membership Guidance 2026

Effective co-operative governance depends on more than good policies and procedures. Active member involvement is at the heart of the co-operative model.

The Active Membership Guidance provides advice and support for housing co-operatives looking to develop and strengthen member involvement. It encourages co-operatives to take a strategic approach to developing active membership and explores in detail what we mean by an active member.

The guidance considers why people do – and do not – become active members and provides a range of practical tools to help co-operatives develop, support and assess active membership.

Supplementary documents

• Active Membership Toolkit
• Active Membership Survey

Supporting strong, effective co-operatives

Together, these documents provide a comprehensive set of resources to help housing co-operatives strengthen governance and participation.

Whether you are reviewing your current governance arrangements, preparing for a governance review, developing policies and procedures, or looking at how to increase member involvement, the 2026 CCH Governance and Participation Suite provides practical guidance and tools to support you.

If you require assistance from CCH in implementing any of the above, we can help you.  This would be a chargeable service, contact us for more information [email protected].