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Should you form a co-operative

To considering to form a Co-operative, you should be able to answer ‘yes’ to all or most of the following questions.

  • will membership be voluntary
  • will membership be open to anyone able to maintain an active relationship with the Co-operative
  • will the Co-operative run on the basis of one member, one vote (If the Co-operative is a Co-operative group, each member organisation must be represented democratically)
  • will financial decisions be democratic
  • will surpluses be distributed only for developing the Co-operative? Will this benefit members in proportion to their transactions within the Co-operative, paying a dividend or supporting activities by members
  • will the Co-operative be an autonomous, community-focused organisation, controlled by its members
  • will there be at least five members who are eligible under the Co-operative’s proposed rules
  • if you are forming a Co-operative group, will it contain two or more member Co-operatives?

Where to next?

Last updated: 13 Dec 2022

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