• KENTISH Town City Farm’s financial crisis comes as no surprise, (Hands Off Our Farm campaign stands defiant as hundreds show their support at festival, May 12).

It’s not rocket science to realise that in the past 12 years Camden Council have treated the Gospel Oak community in a derisory fashion, especially with the lack of financial support for essential youth facilities and the farm itself.

The truth is Gospel Oak are aware of Camden’s misspend of community investment programme money and the misuse of London Assembly money for Queen’s Crescent Market.

How is it that promises to pass on financial gain from new-build private development housing back to the community hasn’t transpired into real effect? Instead the council are losing money through housing projects that have been delayed for more than three years.

Revenue that should have been going into Camden’s coffers has dwindled away due to increased costs of security on the empty Bacton low-rise demolition site as well as property site locations that have been left boarded up after promises from Camden’s regeneration department that money would be available from the sale of land to private developers on the Grafton Road Three Sisters site.

Consultant fees on projects have reached astronomical figures and yet the community is still unaware as to what plans are afoot in their area.

The fact that the council can’t be bothered to support the farm financially after two years is an indication of its cynical corporate direction of travel. In other words, sell off the family silver and hope no one notices.

The farm is a vital facility which has been a conduit for community cohesion and its other subsequent positive benefits including health, training and education for more than 40 years.

The city farm has been in the forefront of protecting the environment by teaching the wider community to recycle and was one of the first of Camden’s projects to install solar panels and a green living roof.

As supporters of the farm we have seen the mess the council have left the area in and we are putting them on notice, especially as a campaign has already begun to organise itself.

Environmental issues are now at the forefront of Labour’s political agenda, as indicated by Jeremy Corbyn’s declaration of an environmental and climate change emergency.

Shouldn’t Camden Council Labour be supporting the farm which has taught so many people how protecting and supporting the environment in a sustainable way is an inspiring example to future generations?

So come on Camden, dig into your community investment coffers and help keep the farm going for another 40 years.

JIM WIDDOWSON
Ex-Trustee, Kentish Town City Farm