The mutual state: how local communities can run public services

This paper describes the UK government's vision for rethinking public services based not on the idea of serving citizens but on co-operating with them. The reason for this is that citizens are seen to play a key role in the design and delivery of public services. The idea is called the 'Mutual state' based on a process of 'mutualisation'. Five elements are explored as central to the 'mutualisation' of public services: " A participation audit, which would look at the lessons from community involvement and draw up guidelines for the future; " Decentralisation, involving local authorities being recast as smaller, strategic units, overseeing the co-ordination and accountability of local services; " A recognised status for mutuals, which would mean creating a clearer and stronger legal framework for 'social enterprises'; " Conversion of public services to the new mutual status; " Re-imagining to state, which means the state would act as guarantor, funding and regulating the mutual service providers.