Tripartite Meeting and Latest Shenanigans
Spring is on the way - Join us for Work Days 10-12 Saturday 8 March and 12 April
On 7 February 2025, we attended a meeting with the Council where we were told that the decision to award a lease to Dose of Nature stood but we were invited to attend a tripartite meeting with Dose of Nature and the Council to establish if there was a way for the Pensford Field Environmental Trust to work alongside Dose of Nature. Following our Trustee meeting on 19 February, we decided to participate in these discussions and we are waiting for a date to be fixed.
We were also told that the Council would be relying on its powers under something which they referred to as the Long Act 1967 to provide facilities to organisations “whose objects or activities are wholly or mainly of a recreational, social or educational character.” Dose of Nature’s objective is "The relief of sickness and the preservation of health of people throughout England through, primarily but not exclusively, the provision of programs of engagement with nature to treat mental health issues."
The Council says it will take legal advice but we believe that a plain reading of the provision is enough - treatment for mental health is not recreational. Why does this matter? Otherwise the Council is compelled by law under Section 123(2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 to advertise its intentions in a local paper and to consider any objections made. That sounds a bit like the consultation that should have been carried out in the first instance.
We are still waiting for a response to a Freedom of Information request that was first submitted on 3 November asking for any internal emails between various councillors and officials relating to the termination of our lease. We are expecting a response by 28 February but have been told the Council is considering a public interest reason for refusing the disclosure. This has now gone on for nearly four months when responses should be provided in 20 days and the series of excuses to delay or deny disclosure simply fuels suspicions that there may be something to hide.
On Valentine’s Day, we received a notice from the Council requiring us to demolish the studio by 29th September when our lease expires. We asked them to reconsider their position as this will mean disruption for all our users including schools, nurseries and Dose of Nature over the Spring/Summer as we would need several months to clear the Studio and commission the demolition. On 21 February, we were told by the Council that we would not need to demolish the studio but we await the formal letter to see if any conditions are attached.
If you have not already caught up with Martin Baker’s Part 2 of his film on the Battle for Pensford Field, please do. He is an independent documentary maker who is incredibly skilful at making the facts speak for themselves. As a result of a letter written in December 2024 from Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park to the Leader, Gareth Roberts, we have hit the headlines in Richmond Nub News and on page 11 of the Twickenham Tribune. The latter ran a very interesting article about how environmental causes are being side-lined in favour of social causes. In all our dealings with the Council and in the papers we have seen, there has been virtually no consideration of conservation or wildlife.
