Sean Creighton

Sally Causer

Sally Causer, the Elm Farm One

 

Elm Farm

Sally Causer, the Elm Farm One

In July 2005 Ann and Sean organised fundraising centred round a strawberries and cream party which raised £933.28 towards a target of £1,000 for the Elm Farm One Fund. Continuing sales of bring and buy items took the total raised to £1,000 by the end of July. Contributors included Lord Alf Dubs, Battersea’s former Labour MP and his wife Ann, Tony Belton, Wandsworth Council’s Labour Leader, Anita Pollack, the former Labour Member of the European Parliament for South West London, and Paul Dimoldenberg, the Westminster Council Labour Leader, who had shortly before been exonerated for his role in ensuring that Lady Shirley Porter was fined for the ‘homes for votes scandal’. The money went to pay a further instalment off the Court costs awarded in 1994 against Sally Causer for trying to stop Wandsworth Council selling off the land and closing down Elm City Farm in North Battersea.

What was Elm Farm?

Elm Farm was built in the 1980s by local people from the neighbouring Patmore and Savona estates. It was situated on a piece of waste land bordered on 3 sides by the railway lines. It was a hugely popular resource providing a safe and educational environment for local residents.

• People could learn to work with animals, garden, maintain the wildlife area and take part in activities such as cooking, weaving and spinning.

• Funding was provided to staff and develop the project from a variety of sources including the GLC which owned the site, donations and charities.

Wandsworth Council Becomes Owner

After the demise of the GLC, the land passed to Wandsworth Council which immediately set about trying to get rid of the Farm so it could sell the land.

An offer was made to relocate the Farm to Falcon Park. This was rejected by the Farm Trustees because the whole ethos of the City Farm movement was to develop brown field sites not take up existing green space.

The Battle in the Courts

A long court battle ensued with the Trustees winning several rounds, and Wandsworth being forced to extend the tenancy.

In 1994 following a successful County Court judgement in the Farm’s favour the Council appealed to the High Court. This time it had found a potential developer for the site: Newton Prep a private school, which wanted to turn the farm into tennis courts and a car park.

Award of Costs Against The Farm Trustees

The Farm was unable to continue and costs were awarded against the Trustees. Because the organisation did not have limited liability as a company the remaining 3 Trustees were held personally liable for over £20,000.

One of the Trustees Sally Causer was then the manager of the Citizens’ Advice Bureaux in Wandsworth so was an easy target for the Council to obtain an attachment of earnings against her.

Fundraising

Through Wandsworth Fightback local people have supported the campaign over the years and provided donations, some by direct debit to help pay this off. The debt now stands at just under £10,000. Because this is a High Court debt, interest continues to accrue. Negotiations with Wandsworth Council to write off at least part of the debt have all failed.

How can you help?

If you would like to help please send financial donations write to : Bob Nightingale, c/o 1, Forthbridge Road, London, SW11, 5NU; cheques payable to ‘Wandsworth Fightback’. For details of direct debit payments please contact Sally on 020 7223 8916

Further pictures of the Farm can be seen on the Battersea Power Station Community Group website: www.batterseapowerstation.org.uk/elm

City Farms & Community Gardens

For details of City Farms and Community Gardens all over the country see the website of the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens: www.farmgarden.org.uk/

The nearest Farms and Community Gardens for people living in Wandsworth are:

• Thrive, next to tennis courts in Battersea Park. www.thrive.org.uk
• Vauxhall City Farm, Tyers St, SE11, two minutes from Vauxhall Station
• Harleyford Road Community Garden (opposite junction with Durham St), SE11, a short walk from Vauxhall Station
• Roots & Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, SE11 6DN, a short bus ride up Kennington Rd from Oval, or short walk from Kennington Tube. www.roots-and-shoots.org
• Deen City Farm, 39 Windsor Avenue, Merton, SW19 2RR: www.deencityfarm.co.uk

Photos on this site – photographer not known.

Page created February 2007