Monday January 26th 2026
The roundtable event in New Lanark last Thursday (22 January)
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Maximising economic growth by growing Scotland’s co-operative and mutuals sector was the focus of a roundtable event hosted by the UK Government last week, with Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill being one of the event’s chairs.
A co-operative is a business owned and run by its members. The UK Government announced their commitment to ‘doubling the size of the sector’, after recent success seen amongst the country’s co-operatives.
Scotland was home to some of the earliest co-ops in the world, including the Fenwick Weavers’ Society in 1761, when 16 weavers joined forces to secure fair prices and mutual support.
Experiences of such businesses were heard during the roundtable event at New Lanark Mills – the historic cotton mill village where Robert Owen developed his pioneering ideas on worker welfare and community enterprise in the early 19th century.
Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill and Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation Blair McDougall chaired the roundtable to gather insight on running co-operatives and non-financial mutuals.
The event followed the Department for Business and Trade’s call for evidence on business support for co-operative and non-financial mutuals, launched as part of last year’s UK Autumn Budget.
Scotland Office Minister and Midlothian MP, Kirsty McNeill, explained:
“Co-operatives and mutuals strengthen Scotland’s economy by creating stable jobs, keeping money in local areas, and supporting businesses.
“There is so much potential for co-operative growth in Scotland and the UK Government is committed to doubling the size of the sector.”
Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation Blair McDougall said:
“Co-operatives and mutuals play a vital role in strengthening local economies and giving people a real stake in the places they live and work in.
“Today’s discussion was a great opportunity to learn about the sector’s experience and explore how we can help these models grow and thrive.”
The meeting brought together representatives from business representative organisations, co-operative development agencies, and a diverse range of co-operatives, non-financial mutuals and employee-owned businesses from across Scotland.
Chief Financial Officer of Scotmid Co-operative Craig Strachan said:
“As Scotland’s largest independent co-operative with deep roots in local communities, Scotmid is always looking towards the future of the sector. Sharing real-world experience from across the co-operative movement is an essential component in understanding what helps them succeed and endure.
“By bringing together perspectives from across the industry, discussions like today’s are crucial to progress forward-thinking actions to support the sector in sustainable growth.”
A range of perspectives from across the sector contributed to the discussion, which will inform the government’s next steps in developing policy to ensure organisations are supported to start, grow and sustain – and existing businesses are supported to transition into a co-operative or mutual model.
The roundtable was attended by representatives from Media Co-op, Community Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, Energy4All, Supporters Direct Scotland, Scotmid, West Whitlawburn Housing Co-operative, West Granton Housing Co-operative, Building Societies Association, Employee Ownership Association, Esteem Training, Co-ops UK, Jerba Campervans Ltd, Social Enterprise Scotland, and Plunkett Ltd.
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