Category Archives: Uncategorized

https://www.ukscs.coop/articles/talk-and-q-a-with-ian-snaith

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The Law Commission is about to embark on a review of the legislation. As a preliminary to that work, they circulated a “list of issues” document to a number of people for preliminary comments. I responded as per 1st comment … Continue reading

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A recent query from Japan reminded me how little I know about the history of co-operative and community benefit society legislation. The query from Yoko Matsuura, a doctoral student at Meiji University in Japan was about the detail of the … Continue reading

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I’m hoping to revive this elderly blog. Here’s the first entry for this year. It’s a query from Patrick Morrello of thirdsectoraccountancy.coop which he has agreed to let me put up here. It’s something that will affect many co-op and community … Continue reading

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Following up my post of 31.01.2017, the 2017 March budget includes plans to relax audit limits for societies. Another triumph for Co-operatives UK lobbying for societies. See https://www.uk.coop/newsroom/lobbying-success-growing-co-ops Hopefully the pressure will keep up to get primary legislation to change the Accountant’s Report requirement … Continue reading

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In 2013, I wrote about Co-op Law reform proposals in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). They led to this 2014 legislation  which just dealt with some key problems like capital limits. The old industrial and provident societies  legislation from the 1890’s … Continue reading

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There may be a hint of movement on a big disadvantage societies suffer compared with companies but we now need Government to act. Debate was recently initiated by Christiana Dankwa on  the Community Shares Google Group about this old problem as … Continue reading

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On 1st April 2016 a new consultation was launched by the Cabinet Office covering England and Wales. It aims to make life easier for those English and Welsh charities currently using the company limited by guarantee (CLG) structure and for … Continue reading

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This month an Updating Supplement to the Handbook of Co-operative and Community Benefit Society Law was published. It is a separate soft back, or ePDF publication of 108 pages and is organised by reference to Chapter and paragraph numbers in … Continue reading

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Ed Mayo has put together a fascinating slide show on the concept of ownership and how it can be changed by co-operatives and commons. He suggests that the development of our society into one based on information will reduce scarcity. That, in turn, … Continue reading

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An inspiring weekend in Leicester brought co-operators old and (a few) young together to debate radical ideas for social change – both old and new ones. Here’s an account of how it seemed to me from the sessions I attended. Karin Christiansen … Continue reading

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This is my Response to the FCA’s June Consultation on their revision of their 2014 draft Guidelines on the registration of Co-ops and Community Benefit societies. As Cliff Mills and David Alcock have pointed out in the Co-op News, it is a big … Continue reading

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This joint blog post with Linda Barlow or Co-operatives UK’s Legal Team marks the first anniversary of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 coming into force. The Act was a legislative change lobbied for across the co‑operative sector … Continue reading

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I’ve just added a very late reply on this to my post of last December on committees, boards, officers etc under CCBSA 2014 and I thought it might be worth highlighting it with a post of its own. It’s a … Continue reading

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Last April Dave Hollings of Co-operative and Mutual Solutions Limited asked me two questions. He’s kindly given me permission to shares the Q & A’s on here. Both questions are about co-operative societies. Apparently they were raised by a co-operative … Continue reading

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 Last April Dave Hollings of Co-operative and Mutual Solutions Limited asked me two questions. He’s kindly given me permission to shares the Q & A’s on here. Both questions are about co-operative societies. Apparently they were raised by a co-operative … Continue reading

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After a six month unplanned “sabbatical” from this blog and work on this web site, I’m back to blogging and tweeting around legal issues affecting co-ops and community benefit societies. Ian Snaith 2015

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A reader has raised a question about whether “political” groups can set up co-ops. They were thinking of groups like animal welfare groups, hunt sabs, anti-fascist groups and the like. My quick answer was “yes” if they meet certain conditions. … Continue reading

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Words such as “officer”, “director”, “board” and “committee” are often used in an apparently contradictory way when co-ops and community benefit societies are discussed. The position on those labels in societies can be confusing, so here is my attempt to … Continue reading

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Edgar Parnell  writes on federalism in government and in co-ops: “Scotland’s referendum decision to remain within the United Kingdom has sparked a widespread debate about the division of powers between the different levels of government within the British Isles, which is … Continue reading

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The Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 has consolidated the legal framework for co-operatives and community benefit societies (formerly known as industrial and provident societies). The Act builds on some key legal changes and simplifies and updates the language … Continue reading

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The Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 has consolidated the legal framework for co-operatives and community benefit societies (formerly known as industrial and provident societies). The Act builds on some key legal changes and simplifies and updates the language … Continue reading

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I think this essay is worth reading and discussing so I’ve reproduced it here at Liam’s invitation. Enjoy: If we believe that changing the world involves changing the kinds of relationships we have with one another, what role do organising … Continue reading

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As many of you will know I have been working with the Co-operative Group as an independent advisor for the last three months as part of a team developing Governance Reform Proposals. On 30th August those proposals need a 66% … Continue reading

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The UK Co-operative Group has published its proposed governance reforms and called its Special General Meeting for 30th August 2014. You can see the press release about the proposals here. The full rules including all the amendments intended to achieve the … Continue reading

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