OXFORDSHIRE could become a leading centre for co-operation and mutual enterprises according to new plans.

The proposals are part of a major report by the Oxford Mutuality Taskforce involving a £3m scheme to develop a "Social Enterprise Hub" to help businesses that trade for a social purpose.

The taskforce was set up by Co-operative Futures, a new co-operative policy and support agency, with the support of the Oxfordshire Economic Partnership and the Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester Co-op.

Its purpose is to put forward recommendations about how mutual solutions can be realised in Oxfordshire.

The report outlines the huge potential that mutuality offers for improving the economic performance of both Oxfordshire and the whole of the South East.

The director of Co-operative Futures, Peter Couchman, said: "By learning from mutual examples around the world, as well as in this country, we can see how mutual approaches to businesses and organisations can bring economic success and address social issues.

"It is no longer the case that there is only the private sector and the public sector - there is also the 'mutual way'."

The report has already caught the attention of the South East England Development Agency (Seeda) which is working alongside Co-operative Futures to develop the Hub.

The report shows that in contrast to many other parts of the world, the South East of England lacks a strong mutual sector.

In America mutual organisations account for:

* 30 per cent of farm production

* 16 per cent of the housing market

* 50 per cent of life insurance and 25 per cent of property insurance.

Story date: Monday 21 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.