Cooperatives seem to have become very fashionable recently with the Conservative Party’s announcement of their support for them to deliver local public services. As an unlikely consensus begins to emerge – that at least in principle cooperatives are a good thing, there is one area of policy where their benefits could be substantial if the appropriate resources and political structures are put in place. That area is the delivery of security at a community level along similar lines to the way that other essential financial services are provided by credit unions.
Before the case for what I call Community Security Unions (CSU) are examined it’s important to explore the political and economic context of the provision of security and policing over the next decade, which are likely to lead to substantial pressures and changes.
The police are going to face a tougher fiscal climate which is likely to lead them to recruiting less police constables and staff and the replacement of the former with more civilian staff. There will be pressure on the police to cut back on some of the services they provide. As a consequence many areas will not get the police presence they want.
Consequently greater inequities in the distribution of security are likely to worsen as declining police resources lead wealthier communities to enhance their own provision with additionally purchased security or to withdraw to gated communities.
At a time when the police are coming under increasing pressure to be more accountable to local communities, with numerous policy proposals from direct elections to neighbourhood policing being floated, any decline in resources may make it even harder for the police to respond to a community’s needs. One of the most common local demands is for action to deal with low level anti-social behaviour and quality of life issues. In an era of stretched budgets the police may find it difficult to dedicate scarce resources to these types of issues, when more serious demands require the attention of the more highly trained and expensive police officers and staff.
In this climate politicians will need to secure more innovative ways to address this challenge. In this context more broadly there has been growing interest in enhancing communities in the most deprived areas. One area within this where there is still much more meat to the bones required is community security.
My book ‘Doing Security’ argued for security unions to address this gap. Drawing upon the success of credit unions where communities come together to provide basic financial services, these could provide the inspiration for security unions.
Like credit unions they would be locally based mutual organisations run by their members for their local communities. The CSU would conduct regular security audits of their local area and then decide upon a strategy to address the risks identified. They would use their budgets to address their priorities and doing so could utilise a range of strategies, some of which are might include:
• Provision of advice and security products (at discount or free) to enhance household security.
• Funding of activities for young people to divert from anti-social behaviour.
• Public CCTV systems.
• Reassurance patrols by security officers.
• Reassurance patrols by residents.
• Resolution of low level deviance.
It is important to note that CSU would not replace the state; they would supplement it and work in partnership. There would be several advantages to CSUs.
Primarily they are run by their members for their members and this creates a much stronger stake in the prospects and activities of the organisation.
The ability of any member to participate in decision-making gives them an incentive to become involved and to ensure it is a success. Most importantly it means that decisions and policies are created within a framework of what members want, rather than what organisations think people want.
Their orientation is embedded in the community and thus serves that rather than distant profit seeking shareholders.
Co-operatives can also be just as entrepreneurial and innovative as companies in responding to market demands by creating new services and products. By the values and principles they pursue and the very nature of the organisation they are able to secure volunteers to their cause.
Co-operatives have also been able to enshrine ethical approaches in their business models, such as Fair Trade and care for the environment, at a much greater level than traditional companies.
There are currently no examples of CSU in the UK according to the principles set out above. However, the Community Security Trust (CST) does offer some inspiration. The CST is a charity set up by the Jewish community to provide security to this community in partnership with the police. It provides:
• Physical security.
• Security advice
• Assists Jewish victims of anti-Semitism
• Monitors anti-Semitism
• Represents Jewry to the police
While not a co-operative, it is a charity and shows how the third sector can fill the security vacuum in partnership with the police.
The question does arise, however, if it’s such a good idea, why are there no examples? The answer is money.
To kick start CSU in the type of communities where they are needed would require resources, which simply aren’t available at the moment. There needs to be core funding to initiate CSUs and provide ongoing core costs. Once established the entrepreneurial spirit would facilitate bids for funding from other sources, such as local companies, trusts, statutory bodies; as well as commercial sources of income to supplement the core funding.
This initial funding could be provided in a number of ways. One way would be to set a sales tax on the security industry and passport that money to a national authority which would provide grants to the most pressing areas in need of a CSU. Another option – which has been floated by James Purnell via Demos is a 1 per cent tax on the bailout for banks when returned should be used to set up an endowment fund which local communities can bid to for building them up, which could include for CSUs. Local communities could be given the power to lobby for a referendum to establish an additional precept on the local Council Tax which could be used locally to fund a CSU. Alternatively the Government could simply create a fund from existing revenues.
The next parliament looks set to be historic for one of the largest phases of retrenchment ever seen in the UK. This should be treated as an opportunity to create new innovative structures that can deliver local security under local democratic control in a much more cost effective means that most importantly satisfies local communities. CSUs could provide a relatively cost efficient means to address some of these challenges.