Researchers measured the extent to which people who took part in governing mutual businesses responded to individualistic or collectivistic incentives. They developed a typology of active/inactive members, to provide lessons for policy and practice so that managers could devise realistic membership strategies.
Source: R. Birchall and R. Simmons, The Participation of Members in the Governance of Mutual Businesses, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
The government announced its intention to introduce a Bill to create a new form of limited company, the 'community interest company'. The measure would be included in a Companies (Audit, Investigation and Community Enterprise) Bill.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, 26 November 2003, columns 4-7 (Queen's Speech), TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Queen's Speech | SEC press release
Date: 2003-Nov
A report examined ways of promoting social enterprise in rural areas.
Source: Supporting Rural Social Enterprise, Countryside Agency (0870 120 6466)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Countryside Agency press release
Date: 2003-Nov
The government published a report evaluating progress made since the launch of its social enterprise strategy. It also set out future priorities, including work on legislation, reform of organisational structures, and a drive to involve social enterprises in public service delivery. (The government s strategy document, published in July 2002, set out a three-year programme for action to promote and sustain social enterprise.)
Source: A Progress Report on 'Social Enterprise: A Strategy for Success', Department of Trade and Industry (0870 150 2500)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Strategy document (pdf)
Date: 2003-Oct
Government said that its proposals for 'community interest companies' received widespread support, according to a consultation exercise. (The community interest company would be a new company form designed specifically for enterprises that use their profits and assets for the benefit of the local community and/or the wider public.)
Source: Enterprise for Communities: Proposals for a community interest company - Report on the public consultation and the government's intentions, Department of Trade and Industry (0870 150 2500) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 22 October 2003, columns 40-41WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Consultation document (pdf) | Hansard | DTI press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A new guide urged local authorities, community and voluntary groups, government agencies and private businesses to explore how social enterprises could help them reap 'huge benefits' for both their economic and social goals.
Source: There s More to Business than You Think: Guide to social enterprise, Social Enterprise Coalition (020 7968 4921)
Links: SEC press release
Date: 2003-Sep
An Act aimed at reducing the time mutual and community benefit societies spent dealing with regulation, and allowing them to increase the scope of their activities, had its third reading (in the House of Lords) and received Royal assent. The Act also provided protection against demutualisation.
Source: Co-operatives and Community Benefit Societies Act 2003, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Lords Hansard, Debate 3.7.03, column 1002, TSO | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 15.7.03, columns 22-23WS, TSO
Links: Text of Act | Lords Hansard | Commons Hansard | ABCUL press release
Date: 2003-Jul
The Welsh Assembly Government began consultation on proposals aimed at helping the social enterprise sector in Wales.
Source: Social Enterprise Action Plan: Consultation document, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | WAG press release
Date: 2003-Jul
A Bank of England report report considered the supply of, and demand for, external finance for social enterprises. It said that social enterprises were more likely than other small or medium-sized enterprises to have had applications for finance rejected. A large minority of social enterprises perceived access to external finance as a major barrier to expansion, including some of those that had successfully accessed finance in the past.
Source: The Financing of Social Enterprises: Special report, Bank of England (020 7601 4878)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jun
A research report examined the state of social enterprise in the English regional development agencies and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and made recommendations for key benchmarks to measure future development.
Source: Peter Lloyd, Social Enterprise in the English RDAs and in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Social Enterprise Coalition (020 7968 4921)
Links: Links removed by SEL
Date: 2003-Jun
The government began consultation on detailed proposals for new 'community interest companies' - designed for social enterprises who want to use their profits and assets for the public good.
Source: Enterprise for Communities: Proposals for a community interest company, Department of Trade and Industry (0870 150 2500), HM Treasury and Home Office
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-Mar
A new book set out a programme for the 'asset-based development' of communities. This would involve building individual and collective ownership of key assets - savings and investments, land and property and learning, as well as health, social and cultural capital, organisational capital and the natural capital of air, water and land.
Source: Matthew Pike, Can Do Citizens: Rebuilding marginalised communities, Social Enterprise Services (020 7689 6366)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Feb
A Bill aimed at reducing the time mutual and community benefit societies spend dealing with regulation, and allowing them to increase the scope of their activities, had its third reading.
Source: Co-operatives and Community Benefit Societies Bill, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 4.4.03, columns 1167-1209, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Hansard | HOC research paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
A Bill aimed at reducing the time mutual and community benefit societies spend dealing with regulation, and allowing them to increase the scope of their activities, had its second reading. The House of Commons Library produced a background research paper on the Bill.
Source: Co-operatives and Community Benefit Societies Bill, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 31.1.03, columns 1113-1146, TSO | Christopher Blair, Co-operatives and Community Benefit Societies Bill, Research Paper 03/08, House of Commons Library (web publication only)
Links: Text of Bill | Hansard | HOC research paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jan