New report highlights the need for a new co-operative framework for the Big Society to succeed

Rolling back the state and expecting communities to leap into the driving seat will not succeed without a new co-operative framework of rights and responsibilities, says a new paper from the ippr (Institute for Public Policy Research), published today by Co-operatives UK.

The authors of the report – Carey Oppenheim, co-director of ippr; Ed Cox, director of ippr North; and Reg Platt, ippr researcher – are pleased that “bottom-up and community-led activities which bubble along under the radar are receiving new public recognition”.

However they caution that:

• If the Big Society is to emerge successfully, not only community but state services too need to develop a culture of co-operation;
• A framework of community development and business support is critical for community-led regeneration to be effective.

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK – the trade association for co-operative enterprises which commissioned the paper – says that “co-operative and community initiatives have been providing innovative services for years. This year we launched the first ever Co-operatives Fortnight in order to highlight the sheer number of co-operatives providing community-based alternatives across the UK.”

“We welcome the interest in co-operative and community initiatives coming through from the Big Society proposals. But as this report shows, it is not enough to cut services, as citizens don’t know where their rights stop and their responsibilities start.

“The Big Society will be successful only if communities have a free rather than a shotgun choice on whether to take over and run services; if the communities have the skills, business support and community backing to make them happen; and if the residents, local authorities and other stakeholders are able to co-operate and work together.”

The launch of the ippr report follows the UK’s first ever Co-operatives Fortnight, which took place from 19 June to 3 July, with tens of thousands of people across the UK celebrating the co-operative alternative.

The full report – Regeneration through co-operation: Creating a framework for communities to act together – is available to download at www.uk.coop/ippr.