One of the key roles of Co-operativesUK, formerly the Co-operative Union, is to monitor the performance of its member retail consumer societies. This key area of work has been greatly refined of late with the publication of the Co-operative Review which is now the most comprehensive report on the size and scope of co‑operative enterprise in the UK. The UK Society for Co-operative Studies has had a long tradition of reviewing the movement’s statistical performance with Professor Noel Branton, Ted Stephenson and James Wood coming to mind with their regular and excellent analysis of our movement’s performance over 20 years ago. This task in 2008 has fallen on the broad shoulders of Alan Middleton. Alan knows a thing or two about society performance having 40 years experience on the Board of his local society - Lincolnshire Co-operative, one of the movement’s outstanding success stories. Alan’s analysis is frank, honest and some might say controversial in places but is essential reading for all directors. Hopefully, this article will spark others into joining this important debate.