City asked to back co-ops

City council chiefs have been asked to provide a report looking at how the city can back the work of co-operatives.

Labour’s Ewan Aitken has asked officials to encourage schools to offer the SQA- accredited Co-operative Education Trusts Scotland course, and to support schools to achieve Fairtrade accreditation.

He also wants officials to investigate how the council can support the development of co-operatives as a driver for business start-ups. The measures are intended to coincide with the UN International Year of Co-operatives in 2012.