Residents could be handed a council tax rebate in exchange for helping run services under Lambeth Council's proposals for a "co-operative council", due to be published today.

Council leader Steve Reed is expected to unveil the model - intended to provide better services while creating more community pride and cohesion.

It would give residents a bigger role in running and shaping services across the council, while applying "the cooperative model of fairness, accountability and responsibility across a broad range of services".

It is also intended to protect more services in the face of impending local government cuts because services could be provided at a lower cost.

It follows successful involvement by residents in the past four years in the delivery of council services, including West Norwood parent-founded secondary school ElmGreen, youth offender peer mentoring programme 2XL, and community freshview - the environmental programme that sees local people given tools and support to transform derelict or overgrown wasteland into community gardens or public spaces.

It could also see residents take over the running of youth centres and parks.

The council has promised to explore how an active citizen's dividend could be paid to reward people who get involved in running local services.

A town hall spokesman said this could possibly be in the form of a council tax discount.

The commission, that will be officially launched next month, would also consult residents on the proposals and identify new services where the co-operative model could be piloted.

Coun Steve Reed, said: "Lambeth has spent the past four years exploring how the community can get more involved in running local services.

"In widely different service areas like schools, housing and tackling crime we’ve learned it can deliver better services that cost less.

"Now we will take the model further and become the first council in the country to apply co-operative values right across the board."