Key Points
- Friends of the Rural Activities Garden Centre (FRAGC) have launched a crowdfunding campaign on CrowdJustice aiming to raise £9,750 for judicial review proceedings against Hillingdon Council over the closure of the Rural Activities Garden Centre (RAGC) near Hayes.
- RAGC, established in 1981 on West Drayton Road in Yiewsley, provided horticultural therapy for adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health conditions, and was a community retail outlet selling plants grown on-site until its retail closure on 31 July 2025.
- Hillingdon Council closed retail operations citing annual losses of £137,000 in 2024/25, 42% drop in sales, and need for £1,251,000 capital investment for health and safety compliance, describing it as unsustainable taxpayer subsidy.
- FRAGC claims council failed statutory obligations under Localism Act 2011 by not processing ACV nominations, ignoring a petition with over 6,000 signatures (one of Hillingdon’s largest), and withholding financial information for a community bid.
- Councillor Sital Punja, Deputy Leader of Hillingdon Labour, criticised Conservative-led council for ignoring ACV application, failing promises by Cllr Bianco, and facing court amid financial mismanagement.
- Council proposes relocating assessed social care users to enhanced horticultural facilities at Civic Centre campus in Uxbridge, supporting volunteers via partners like Heathrow Special Needs Farm and London Wildlife Trust, with further consultation planned.
- Initial engagement occurred on 30 May 2025 with over 50 attendees shocked at short notice; two petitions (5,932 on change.org, 1,013 on council site) heard on 11 June 2025; 531 resident letters received.
- Fundraiser raised £1,650 in four days (as of late December 2025) and earlier hit £2,185 target quickly in October; lawyers offer no-win no-fee basis citing strong case.
- Hillingdon Council states it will consider ACV listing in January 2026 per forward plan, denies withholding info, apologises for delays, and maintains procedures followed while committed to alternative opportunities.
- Campaigners like John Scrivens and Andrea Scrivens describe closure as “corporate vandalism,” highlight life-changing impact on vulnerable users, and seek mandatory order for ACV decision.
What led to the sudden RAGC closure announcement?
The RAGC originated in 1981 to offer educational opportunities and horticultural therapy for residents with learning difficulties, disabilities, and mental health conditions, alongside community retail. It was described on the council’s website as Hillingdon’s “hidden gem,” producing plants subsidising operations through volunteer efforts.
Councillor Eddie Lavery planned to “rubber stamp the closure decision at the Cabinet meeting at the Civic Centre on 26th June (from 7pm),” as per Petition 1’s preamble. Petition 2 on the council website, with 1,013 signatures, objected: “For over 40 years, vulnerable young adults with autism and/or learning disabilities from all over Hillingdon have attended the award-winning Rural Activities Garden Centre (R.A.G.C.)… supervised by the brilliant staff.”
At the petition hearing on 11 June 2025, lead petitioners addressed the Cabinet Member. The lead petitioner for Petition 2 raised “the lack of public consultation and the Council’s failure to meet statutory and legal obligations,” emphasising the RAGC’s enriching environment for local schools and groups. The change.org lead petitioner highlighted “the RAGC’s irreplaceable value as a social care resource” and “the Council’s lack of consultation with impacted families.”
The Cabinet Member thanked petitioners and noted views would inform the Cabinet, having also received 531 resident letters urging the centre remain open.
Why are campaigners launching a judicial review?
FRAGC intends to file for judicial review, alleging Hillingdon Council “failed to meet its statutory obligations under the Localism Act” by not deciding on ACV nominations. The CrowdJustice page states:
“SAVE OUR RURAL ACTIVITIES GARDEN CENTRE – WE ARE FUNDRAISING FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW ACTION AGAINST HILLINGDON COUNCIL. Hillingdon Council have failed to meet statutory obligations.”
Proceedings seek a “mandatory order requiring the council to decide on the Asset of Community Value nominations submitted by FRAGC.” As reported by Harrow Online on 24 December 2025, FRAGC hopes to raise £9,750 initially for a pre-action letter.
John Scrivens, parent of an RAGC volunteer, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) as covered in Harrow Online on 27 October 2025:
“We’ve got such huge support across the borough… Normally, councillors are only too pleased when a local community group puts forward an organisation for asset of community value status, and they, you know, usually collaborate fully. I mean, we don’t understand why they would not process our nominations.”
Andrea Scrivens added to LDRS:
“Even if we get the asset of community value status for the place, it doesn’t mean they can’t sell the place to someone else, but they have to offer it to Friends of RAGC first.”
Campaigners claim the council withheld financial information needed for a bid, though the council told LDRS in November it provided details.
FRAGC described the closure as “corporate vandalism” and noted failure to respond positively to a petition with over 6,000 signatures, “one of the biggest in the history of Hillingdon.”
What is an Asset of Community Value and its significance?
An Asset of Community Value (ACV) under the UK’s Localism Act 2011 designates land or buildings important to the community, listed by councils to protect from sale. If listed and sold, a six-month moratorium allows community groups to bid, though owners like Hillingdon Council need not accept.
Hillingdon Council’s website explains: “Local voluntary and community groups can nominate a building or area of land as an Asset of Community Value… Hillingdon Council manages the lists.” FRAGC’s solicitors sent a pre-action letter requesting the council “behave in a lawful manner” by deciding nominations, as per Local Government Lawyer on 18 December 2025.
How has Hillingdon Council responded to criticisms?
Hillingdon Council maintains procedure was followed. In response to Harrow Online, it said:
“The council will consider formally listing the Rural Activities Garden Centre as an Asset of Community Value in January and this has been published publicly on the council’s forward plan.”
Earlier to LDRS in October, the council stated:
“We apologise for the delay in processing the nomination… This is a complex process, and the council will make a decision as soon as possible. A pre-action letter for Judicial Review has not been submitted to the council, however any correspondence would be carefully considered.”
The 26 June Cabinet report by Karrie Whelan and Sandra Taylor, Corporate Director of Adult Social Care & Health, committed to Care Act 2014 duties, with no legal impediments noted.
Councillor Sital Punja, Deputy Leader of Hillingdon Labour, expressed disappointment as quoted in Harrow Online:
“I am truly saddened that Conservative-led Hillingdon Council have chosen to ignore the application to list the Rural Activities Garden Centre as an Asset of Community Value. Cllr Bianco said in September’s council meeting that the Friends of RAGC would have an answer in two weeks. Cllr Bianco has failed to keep that promise. Now a cash-strapped council, begging the Labour Government to bail out their financial mismanagement, will end up in court because they cannot meet statutory deadlines for processing an application for Asset of Community Value.”
What alternatives does the council propose for RAGC users?
The Cabinet report proposes consulting on relocating assessed social care users to “enhanced garden facility at the Civic Centre campus in Uxbridge,” integrating with Adult Learning and Library Services. This meets assessed needs under Care Act 2014 at lower cost, saving £49,000 annually in General Fund subsidy.
For volunteers, no statutory duty exists, but support includes transitions to partners like Heathrow Special Needs Farm and London Wildlife Trust for horticulture, biodiversity, and employment. Initial engagement occurred 30 May 2025; staff consultations began; further independent advocacy planned.
Hillingdon Council told BBC:
“We are dedicated to ensuring that volunteers with social care receive enriched and developmental opportunities. Regrettably, the retail operations of the RAGC are not financially sustainable.”
What is the fundraising progress and next steps?
The CrowdJustice campaign launched recently, raising £1,650 in four days by late December 2025, with three weeks left. In October, it hit £2,185 swiftly, per Harrow Online’s John Reynolds. Lawyers offer no-win no-fee if full amount raised, citing a “strong case.”
FRAGC’s website notes the campaign supports judicial review over “unlawful failure to decide on nominations.” Donations via the crowdfunding page fund pre-action and review costs.
Residents question delays, as per Ruislip Residents Association on Facebook:
“Fears for the future of the RAGC grow as Hillingdon Council ignores a final deadline to grant Asset of Community Value status.”
