Most of the party’s money is from grants made by the retail co-operative societies, and from the fee charged for managing the political affairs of Co-operatives UK, formerly known as the Co-operative Union. Local parties are not based on constituencies, but around a major local retail society, which gives most of the money a local Party Council has. The Party council organises local branches to organise local activity and liaise with Constituency Labour Parties. Some Parties exist without Society support, known as voluntary parties.