It’s been a while since I qualified as a Barrister. But the Peterborough Mandir issue concerns me. This is what I would write were I still in practice.
1. Summary of Decision
On or around 2025, Peterborough City Council resolved to sell the Mandir - formally known as the Bharat Hindu Samaj Mandir — on the open market in order to address financial challenges facing the Council.
The Mandir serves the local Hindu community, estimated at approximately 13,000 people, providing not only a place of worship but a range of community services and social activities.
Following representations by councillors and local stakeholders, the Decision was reviewed and reaffirmed by Cabinet in early February 2026.
2. Basis for Concern
We set out below the principal legal bases on which our client may seek judicial review if the Decision is maintained without appropriate reconsideration:
2.1 Failure to Give Adequate Weight to Material Considerations
The Mandir is more than a property asset: it is the sole Hindu place of worship in the region and a community hub. Decisions by local authorities involving disposal of community facilities must properly take into account all relevant considerations, including:
- The social value of the facility to the local and wider community;
- The impact of the disposal on protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010;
- The potential effect on community cohesion and cultural life.
It is unclear from the public record whether and to what extent these considerations were given meaningful weight in the decision-making process.
2.2 Procedural Unfairness and Legitimate Expectation
The Mandir trustees understood from long-running discussions with Council officers that a negotiated transfer of the property was under consideration, with figures discussed over a period of time. Our client was subsequently informed that the property would instead be marketed openly and that its previous position was effectively abandoned. This abrupt change raises concern about procedural fairness and legitimate expectation - particularly given the Mandir’s reliance on community fundraising and protracted engagement with the Council.
2.3 Equality and Human Rights Obligations
Given the Mandir’s role in serving a religious minority community, the Council’s statutory equality duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998 are engaged. It is unclear whether any documented equality impact assessment was undertaken, and if so, what conclusions were reached.
3. Information Requested
To determine whether proceedings are necessary, please provide the following documents within 14 days of this letter:
- All Council reports, officer papers, and Cabinet minutes relating to the Mandir sale decision.
- Any documented community impact assessments, equality impacts, or similar analyses considered in relation to the Decision.
- All correspondence or notes of meetings between Council officers and Mandir trustees relating to property negotiations.
- Any legal advice obtained by the Council regarding the Mandir disposal.
- A record of any alternative options considered for securing the Mandir’s long-term future.
4. Proposed Outcome
Our client is prepared to engage constructively with the Council to identify a solution that addresses both fiscal pressures and the Mandir’s community role. We invite you to reconsider the Decision in light of the matters raised, or to enter into meaningful dialogue on how the Decision might be amended or qualified to address our client’s legitimate concerns.
