Elm Farm Court Costs Appeal
History of the farm and the Court Case to prevent its closure
Elm Farm was the only City Farm in Wandsworth. Built by local people in 1979 on half an acre of land in Gladstone Terrace, Battersea. The much loved farm had sheep, goats, pigs, ducks and chickens and Mary the cow. Disabled children could ride William the donkey.
Volunteers built the stables, sty and wildlife pond and children from the Estates of Savona and Patmore could all get a taste of country life on their doorstep.
Despite a long legal battle, Wandsworth Council evicted the farm to allow a private school to build a car park on the land. The legal cost associated with the court case have all been charged to one person who took on the case as Chair of the voluntary group. These amounted to £21,000 and over the past 13 years the debt has been paid with interest on an attachment to earnings of £150 per month. The debt is down to £10,000.
The enforcement of the full costs against one person, with all appeals
to the Council to relent ignored, has horrified voluntary sector members
and they have run events and made regular financial contributions on Standing
Orders to ease this burden.
We hope that you will be able to help.
If you would like to make a donation to the Appeal please make out a cheque to Wandsworth Fightback and send it to:
Bob Nightingale MBE
Tooting Law Centre
101a Tooting High Street
London SW17 0SU.
Brian Barnes MBE
View of Elm Farm in 1988
Marching to the Town Hall