Through a deep examination of what has become known as the 'Preston Model', this book explores an innovative approach to local economic development that utilises economic democratisation to realise both social and economic objectives.

Julian Manley is a researcher in the Centre for Citizenship and Community at the University of Central Lancashire, and ex-chair and founding member of the Preston Cooperative Development Network.

Philip B. Whyman is professor of economics and co-director of the Lancashire Centre for Business and Management Research (LCBME) at the University of Central Lancashire.

Introduction. The Preston Model: Let's keep it complex Julian Manley and Philip B. Whyman Section One - The Preston Model 1. The Preston Model: From top-down to rhizomatic-up. How the Preston Model challenges the system Julian Manley 2. The Preston Model and Co-operative Development: A Glimpse of Transformation through an Alternative Model of Social and Economic Organisation Ioannis Prinos 3. Co-operative Education: from Mondragón and Bilbao to Preston Susan Wright and Julian Manley 4. Community and Cooperatives: a Preston Perspective Julie Ridley 5. Reimagining Local Governance in the UK: understanding public discourse on the Preston Model Michael Farrelly 6. Together we will stand: trade unions, cooperatives and the Preston Model Alex Bird, Pat Conaty, Anita Mangan, Mick McKeown, Cilla Ross and Simon Taylor 7. Stevenage: A Distinct Community Wealth Building Journey Michael Brookes, Christopher Nicholas, Tracy Walsh, Anita Sharma and Sarah Wolfe 8. The Economics of the Preston Model Philip B Whyman Section Two - Beyond Municipalism, Beyond Preston: The New Socio-Economic Democracy 9. Economic Democracy and Local Economic Development Philip B Whyman 10. The Role of Social enterprises in Local Democratic Governance: Co-operation or competition? Mike Aiken 11. The Pandemic Changes Everything: Hybrid Stakeholder Shared Ownership Models in the USA Starting with the Union-Coop Movement Michael Alden Peck 12. Basque Industrial Cooperative Companies: A comparative analysis in terms of economic profitability and social welfare Unai Elorza and Alaine Garmendia 13. Adult education, economic democracy, and local economic development Jonathan Michie Conclusion: The Future Past Philp B. Whyman and Julian Manley