The Council Meeting on 27 January 2026 listed a number of public questions about the handling of the Pensford Field scandal. The Minutes should make interesting reading!

Ms Sarah Atkins has given notice to ask the Leader of the Council:

“The Council recently disclosed in January 2026 on the order of the Information
Commissioner (in response to a Freedom of Information request made in late 2024)
a paper that went to the Service Chairs’ Meeting on 19 July 2024 about the change in
use of Pensford Field. It proposed as a first step, before terminating the then existing
lease, that the Leader and officers meet with the Pensford Field Trust to express the
Council’s support for Dose of Nature and to test if there is scope to reach a
compromise. This did not happen. Can the Leader explain why?”

Mr Baker has given notice to ask the Leader of the Council:

“What oversight arrangements or accountability mechanisms exist to ensure the
Monitoring Officer makes decisions that are compliant with the Council Constitution?”

Mr Robert Gingell has given notice to ask the Leader of the Council:

“On 1 October 2024, you gave assurances in this chamber that “when the Lease is
transferred to Dose of Nature for Pensford Field that the fields will be accessible to
those residents, local community schools, nurseries and organisations who use or
benefit from the field now.” ……”People will notice no real change…….their enjoyment
of the field will continue as they have done before.” Why has council you lead
broken that promise, by restricting access to local residents to weekdays during
office hours and enabling Dose of Nature to start charging nurseries for access to the
field and toilets?”

Mr Gary Evans has given notice to ask the Leader of the Council:

“What is the formal process set out when the Information & Transparency Manager at
LBRUT receives a request to conduct a Freedom of Information Act internal review?”

Mr Richard Ferriday has given notice to ask the Leader of the Council:

“The Information Commissioner has decided in three separate decisions that the
public interest is not served by withholding information about the termination of the
lease of Pensford Field and has ordered the Council to disclose documents. In two
of the three cases, the Council was also found to be late providing responses to the
initial requests for information. In the light of these adverse decisions, does the
Leader consider that the Council should have been more transparent and responsive
about its decision making on this issue?”