The government’s new champion for the co-op and mutuals sector, Andrew Pakes, has called on the sector to work together and be more ambitious in telling its story at his first public event in the role.
Pakes, a Labour/Co-op MP, was speaking at the Building Societies Association (BSA) annual boards seminar for chair and non-executive directors. He said co-ops and mutuals are well placed to help the government deliver inclusive growth, strengthen communities and tackle major challenges including housing and social care.
Calling on the sector to work together and be more ambitious in telling its story, he said his new role should be an enabler across government: listening to businesses about the opportunities and barriers they face, raising the profile of co-operatives and mutuals as drivers of inclusive growth, and opening doors for practical proposals.
His early priorities include improving access to capital, including making better use of existing capital and accessing Government-backed finance.
He also wants to address legal and regulatory barriers that reflect organisations’ heritage rather than their modern purpose.
Related: Andrew Pakes appointed UK co-ops champion by the government
And co-ops and mutuals should be embedded in policymaking across government, he said, arguing that locally rooted organisations can help solve national challenges through community insight, long-term investment and services designed around people.
Highlighting devolution as a major opportunity, Pakes called for a bottom-up approach that gives people greater influence over services in their communities and makes better use of the knowledge held by local members and colleagues.
“The co-operative and mutual sector is a key partner in helping to build a country where growth reaches every community and postcode, driving long-term prosperity here in the UK,” he said.
“We have a real opportunity to raise the sector’s profile as a driver of good growth. I am really looking forward to working with the sector and acting as a bridge between government and the movement as we pursue our ambition to double the size of the mutual and co-operative economy.”
Sarah Harrison, CEO of the BSA, said: “We are excited to work with Andrew and colleagues across government in a powerful partnership to turn the ambition to double the sector into practical action. Together we can remove barriers and open new routes to growth and make customer ownership a much bigger part of the UK economy.
“Customer-owned businesses are ready to grow. The new champion can ensure our voice is heard across Government and help create the conditions needed to unlock even more value for customers and communities.”
