Ownership is crucial to public services – Minister

December 24 2009

Co-operative Group Chief Executive Peter Marks has agreed to serve on an independent advisory commission on mutuality and ownership announced in the House of Commons by Cabinet minister Tessa Jowell.

The proposed Commission on Ownership will be chaired by well-known economist and journalist Will Hutton and will be assisted by funding from Co-operative Financial Services.

Ms Jowell — Minister for the Cabinet Office, London, the Olympics and Paymaster General — said that ownership is crucial to public service reform and the redistribution of power.

She revealed that the commission would work to enhance understanding of the influence ownership has on the governance of our country and would seek to address issues like the importance of ownership and how it affects accountability and staff participation in the public sector, as well as customer service, staff engagement and entrepreneurial spirit in the corporate sector.

Said Ms Jowell: “I would like to put three propositions on the commission’s agenda. First, can we extend the principles behind the right-to-request to services beyond health and enhance it by giving local communities a greater voice in changes to affect their local service?

“Second, should we develop what I would term ‘a community right to ownership’ to enable groups of staff and service users to request a system of governance that gives them greater influence over local services?

“And thirdly, how can we create a level playing field for mutuals and co-ops, allowing them to thrive in an environment in which all providers are encouraged to listen to and support their staff and users?”

The minister’s speech has been warmly welcomed by Co-operative Party General Secretary Michael Stephenson. He said: “Tessa Jowell’s announcement is the perfect response to the challenges of giving people a real say and delivering the best possible services for them and their communities. This announcement and the many co-operative initiatives introduced by the Government since 1997 show that Labour and the Co-operative Party are the only true guardians of mutuality.”