EastSheenMatters drew attention to the current situation on the takeover of Pensford Field following the publication of a report from the Pensford Field Environmental Trust (PETS) outlining its plans to wind up the charity. https://childlawobserver10.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=4356&action=edit

One important point raised was the refusal of Richmond Council to disclose papers relating to the decision to terminate the PETS lease and grant a lease to Dose of Nature, and in particular a private meeting between the Leader of the Council and a Trustee of a Dose of Nature, Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

The Trust had asked the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate the case, but when he was sent the pre-action protocol letter in prospective judicial review proceedings in June 2025, the case officer dropped the case on the basis that the Trust had a remedy to go to court. The fact that the Trust could not possibly have afforded to pursue a judicial review cut no ice with the Ombudsman.

The Trust applied to the Information Commissioner for an order for disclosure. A decision is awaited.

The Leader of the Council has given assurances that public access to the site will remain and that it will be a condition of the lease to a Dose of Nature. But as yet there is no indication whether such a lease has been entered into.

The Leader has accepted that the matter could have been better handled and that there should have been more consultation, at the same time stating that it would have made no difference. Now there is a way to conduct a consultation. State the outcome in advance.

A scandal is turning into a conspiracy. Unless the Information Commissioner flexes his muscles.

Dare our local MP ask a question in the House? Haha.

This is where EastSheenMatters came in. See

There is no accountability or openness.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley served with the Metropolitan Police from 2011 to 2018, following a number of prestigious police roles. He was appointed Commissioner in 2022.

He was involved with the decision to terminate the role of Richmond Parks Police. Apart from being told by him, that the Met had to make budget cuts, we have no idea how that decision was reached in the face of strong local opposition.

It was recently disclosed in the Times that Seidr Ltd, a private sector intelligence company, of which Rowley was Chairman and a director, received contracts from the Met during his four year absence. These contracts were for services provided to the UK-wide body Counter Terrorism Policing, which the Met leads. Seidr’s services were obtained without a public tender by using intermediary companies.

Before becoming Commissioner in September 2022, Sir Mark disclosed his shares in Seidr and resigned as director, with his shares now in a trust run by his son. The arrangement has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. The Metropolitan Police stated that Rowley managed his shares according to regulations and denied any wrongdoing. No new contracts have been awarded to Seidr since he returned to the force. 

This is strangely reminiscent of the ‘false letters’ scenario during the Stag Brewery Planning Appeal, which was explored in a previous posting on 26 November 2024: see

The common factor between the Stag Brewery, Pensford Field and Seidr Ltd: a refusal to disclose documents, which were potentially important, and which might have shed light on the activities of prominent members of our community.

An aside: Seidr is an ancient word for Norse Magic.