Journal of Co-operative Studies, 35(3), 147-159

Abstract

It is currently not possible to protect public or community assets in a corporate entity (apart from a charity), so that they are safe and can remain committed to a social purpose. There are strong reasons why this situation should be addressed, one reason being the need to provide an appropriate corporate vehicle for delivering public services and for new social enterprises. The situation can be addressed by limited change to legislation covering industrial and provident societies. In the Parliamentary debates on the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 2002, the Government expressed support for achieving this objective.