In July 2019 Bath Co-operative Alliance hosted a talk by Ted Howard, Co-Founder and President of the Democracy Collaborative in the USA. The subject of Ted’s talk was community wealth building, a powerful tool for more inclusive and democratic local economies which is being implemented in places as diverse as the US city of Cleveland, Barcelona, Bologna and Preston (named as the UKs most rapidly improving urban area in 2018).
The following links provide more information on community wealth building, mainly how the experience of Cleveland, Ohio has influenced the development of the Preston Model in the UK.
Community Wealth Building 2019: Theory, Practice and Next Steps
Publication from CLES that provides an overview of the theory of community wealth building, highlights of the past year, tried and tested practice, as well as the ways in which people, organisations and areas across the UK are forging new ground.
The Preston model: UK takes lessons in recovery from rust-belt Cleveland
As councils struggle with cuts, one Lancashire city adapted a pioneering grassroots approach from America to tackling inequality and keeping profits local.
In 2011 Preston hit rock bottom. Then it took back control
In a new series looking at how to make the economy work for everyone, Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty finds out how Preston turned its fortunes around by spending locally.
What is Community Wealth Building?
A 6 minute video from the Democracy Collaborative in the USA
Building the Democratic Economy from Preston, UK to Cleveland, Ohio
A 25 minute video from the Laura Flanders show, co-produced with the Democracy Collaborative, about a transatlantic experiment in co-operative community wealth building.
Preston City Council’s Community Wealth Building web pages
Including the four basic principles of community wealth building and information on public procurement and spending.
The Preston Model of Community Wealth Building in the UK
A case study of the Preston Model from the Centre for Public Impact as part of its Future of Government series.
The Preston Model
A detailed article on the evolution of the Preston Model from the Next Step Project, an initiative of the Democracy Collaborative.
Community Wealth Building Centre of Excellence
CLES, the local economy think tank that supported Preston Council, has established the Community Wealth Building Centre of Excellence to enable more people to transform and take back control of their local economies.
Putting banking back in the hands of the people: The role of regional cooperative banks in community wealth building
Jules Peck, a founder of the Avon Mutual Bank describes the role of mutual banks in redressing regional inequalities, building financial inclusion, increasing lending to the ‘real’ economy (rather than the financial economy) and building economic resilience, with an emphasis on the South West.
6 Steps to Community Wealth Building
A practical guide produced by the Co-operative Party to help councillors, local authorities, public-sector institutions and those working in regional economic development to implement community wealth building.