They have since

His comments followed the CI Coop's annual general meeting on Wednesday at which a 2% dividend rate for members was confirmed.Mr Cox said

in 2024 after a £1.8m loss in 2023 but that "if we want to be serious about reducing costs then the islands have to work together".He attributed the return to profitability to CI Coop's new member pricing initiative and investment into seven pharmacies.Mr Cox

members had been concerned about the pharmacies at a time when dividends had been reduced but their performance had been "exceptional".Mr Cox said the new in-store savings scheme for members had been "a real success" and had delivered more than £1m savings to them since it was introduced in October.

He said members had to wait a year for dividends and they had told CI Coop they wanted "something a bit more immediate" so the member pricing scheme had been launched.

"Of course we'd love to get back to a 4% dividend rate but I think that balance between delivery of a share of profit and giving immediate benefits is really important," he added.He had long criticised the school as illegal and said it opened the state to having to fund other kinds of religious schools.

"The Supreme Court's decision represents a resounding victory for religious liberty and for the foundational principles that have guided our nation since its founding," he said."This ruling ensures that Oklahoma taxpayers will not be forced to fund radical Islamic schools, while protecting the religious rights of families to choose any school they wish for their children."

The school, however, had argued that denying it charter funding as a Christian institution amounted to discrimination on basis of religion. In a statement, officials said they were disappointed in the ruling."We stand committed to parental choice in education, providing equal opportunity to all who seek options when deciding what is best for their children," the statement read.