- I am a solicitor specialising in cooperative and mutual law. As well as writing constitutions for member-based organ... moreI am a solicitor specialising in cooperative and mutual law. As well as writing constitutions for member-based organisations, I write and publish on the role of cooperative mutual and other social businesses in establishing an alternative economy based on the common good, not private benefit.edit
In looking at reform, it is important to understand the longer heritage of the public sector. This suggests a future drawing on mutual ideas and principles as a powerful alternative to private ownership. It involves a new approach to... more
In looking at reform, it is important to understand the longer heritage of the public sector. This suggests a future drawing on mutual ideas and principles as a powerful alternative to private ownership. It involves a new approach to organisational design which underpins a reformed service delivery model. This is examined through the example of Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, the UK’s first mutual social housing provider, owned and controlled by its tenant and employee members.
This chapter explores new organisational forms of co-operative and mutual enterprise that have developed in twenty-first century Britain in the context of public sector reform and the state’s retreat from service provision. It notes the... more
This chapter explores new organisational forms of co-operative and mutual enterprise that have developed in twenty-first century Britain in the context of public sector reform and the state’s retreat from service provision. It notes the roots of these ‘new mutuals’ in the concepts of co-operation and mutuality developed in the nineteenth century and analyses the ideas, operational practices and organisational structures they use. Citing examples in health care and housing provision, they explore the growth of multi-constituency organisational forms among new mutuals. Finally, the chapter analyses the opportunities and challenges facing such organisations in seeking to mainstream mutuality in public services.
Research Interests:
Ownership matters. Owners of businesses set the strategic direction, purpose and the terms of employment. Owners of land decide what should be done with it and who can access it. Owners of property decide how it is deployed and who can... more
Ownership matters. Owners of businesses set the strategic direction, purpose and the terms of employment. Owners of land decide what should be done with it and who can access it. Owners of property decide how it is deployed and who can enjoy its benefits.
But increasingly, ownership is being concentrated in fewer hands, shifting ever more from shared ownership towards private corporations and individuals.
Government policy across the EU takes little or no account of the shifting nature of ownership. It is time to make sure that ownership works in the maximum public interest, serving citizens, customers and employees alike.
But increasingly, ownership is being concentrated in fewer hands, shifting ever more from shared ownership towards private corporations and individuals.
Government policy across the EU takes little or no account of the shifting nature of ownership. It is time to make sure that ownership works in the maximum public interest, serving citizens, customers and employees alike.
Research Interests:
The Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade is the International Co-operative Alliance’s global strategy of and for co-operatives. To achieve the 2020 Vision of the Blueprint, the Alliance pursues Blueprint programmes in five priority areas:... more
The Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade is the International Co-operative Alliance’s global strategy of and for co-operatives. To achieve the 2020 Vision of the Blueprint, the Alliance pursues Blueprint programmes in five priority areas: Participation, Sustainability, Identity, Legal Frameworks and Capital.
The Blueprint aims to strengthen the co-operative model and grow the global movement. Co-operatives are a vehicle of growth and development – a business model that allows people and communities to meet their needs and aspirations. Co-operatives offer a unique answer to contemporary problems – a space where individual economic pursuits are valued, and where these economic pursuits are embedded within a holistic consideration of the world in which we live.
The Blueprint aims to strengthen the co-operative model and grow the global movement. Co-operatives are a vehicle of growth and development – a business model that allows people and communities to meet their needs and aspirations. Co-operatives offer a unique answer to contemporary problems – a space where individual economic pursuits are valued, and where these economic pursuits are embedded within a holistic consideration of the world in which we live.