Mutual organisations may have been misunderstood in the past, or suffered short-shrift in some quarters - but they could provide the answer on how to deliver public services more efficiently.
By offering the required blend of shared interest and responsibility community-led organisations are seen as one way of transferring power away from state institutions.
However, mutuals they have become a much misunderstood business format and today specialist law firm, TPP Law, launches a special report on how to set up a mutual organisation to deliver public services.
The firm says the report responds to a resurgence of interest in the use of mutuals to deliver public services ranging from education to health and social care, leisure and childcare services.
It examines the case for using a mutual and contains practical tips on creating the business plan, market analysis, choosing the right legal format, dealing with workforce issues and estates aspects.
Launching the report at the Local Government Information Unit's national conference on Rethinking Public Service Delivery in London, managing director Mark Johnson said: "Mutual models have the advantage of involving a wider range of stakeholders in their governance arrangements which can help to incentivise better performance, promote a sense of ownership and accountability and improve client satisfaction. We have received a large number of inquiries from our clients in local authority and health sectors about how to set up a mutual organisation and the issues involved. This guide responds to that demand."
The report can be obtained from TPP Law's website
From Flip Chart Fairy Tales
From Bubb's Blog
