Mission
Statement:
We believe that affordable and high quality housing is the
key to the social and economic well being of the nation.
We believe that mutual
self-help remains an effective means by which members of society
can work together, particularly at a time when the role of the
state is diminishing.
We believe that mutual
Building Societies are vital in providing both housing at a
reasonable price and diversity and competition in the market
place for financial services.
Our Objective:
We wish to see turn back the tide against mutuality and to campaign
for a change in the law to protect the public, investors and
borrowers from those who are seeking an end to the concept of
mutuality.
Our natural supporters
are:
1) Building Societies
2) Housing providers
such as housing associations who borrow money from building
societies.
3) Long term investors
in building societies
4) The ordinary man
and woman in the street with families, whose children will need
housing in the future.
5) People who are
low paid and are concerned at how they will pay for their accommodation
6) Those who believe
that economic control of the provision of housing should remain
within this country, without the danger of that control moving
abroad.
7)Those who believe
that competition and diversity in the market place in financial
services is best for the consumer.
8)Concerned citizens
who believe that in the light of changes in the welfare state
the idea of self-help, epitomised by the foundation of Mutuals
in the last century, needs to be protected for the future.
9) Everyone who needs
a home!
Our Strategy (to
date):
To lobby for the following:
1) That Building
Societies be allowed to admit only those who believe in their
mutual status:
a) if necessary members
should be required to sign a declaration to that effect;
b) Building Societies
should obtain the right to offer special membership terms to
the members of groups naturally sympathetic to Mutuals
2) That voting rights
for Building Society members be linked to the length of membership
and (possibly?) the amount invested, with the rewards on conversion
allocated accordingly
3) That the right
to stand for election to the board be linked directly to the
total size of membership of the Building Society, with a prescribed
minimum percentage of members being needed to support a person
seeking election.
Our first actions:
We intend to:
mailshot all building societies, housing providers (including
local authorities) and all the media
& seek funding
from concerned parties
SOBS
proposed structure:
Establish a local network of contacts to liaise with interested
groups and local authorities.
Involve a few people confident with and known to the media who
can speak on behalf of the cause.
