2022-12-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 January 2022 To 31 December 2022

Charity name: The Belsize Society

Charity registration number: 1180842

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To promote high standards of architecture, conservation, planning, design and use of buildings in Belsize and to promote the protection and improvement of historic or public interest; To promote high standards in urban planning, infrastructure and transport, the maintenance and improvement of streets and public places, and the protection of the environment in Belsize; To foster interest amongst the public in Belsize and moregenerallyin the historyof the area.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	The Society's activities allow Society members to contribute views on ways that local public services might be improved, and allow the Society to co-ordinate views on local planning applications and as appropriate make representations to the local authority. They allow the Society to participate in projects designed to improve local environmental conditions. The Society provides information about local issues and activities through quarterly newsletters, two noticeboards and a website. As the accounts show, a large proportion of our annual expenditure goes towards printing/maintenance in these areas.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The Trustees have had regard to this guidance.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
	Para 1.38	The Society is not a grant-giving charity but, as an activityancillaryto its charitablepurposes,it

Policy on grant making		has been the charity’s practice from time to time to make donations that are in accordance with the Society’s general aims. Full details of the Society’s Donations Policy can be found on its website www.belsize.org.uk
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	N/A
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	The Society has no employees, therefore almost all activities are undertaken on a voluntary basis. Specifically, the Society publishes a quarterly newsletter which volunteers from the membership help to distribute. The Society’s educational events (for example guided historical walks)are led byvolunteers.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	After two years of disruption, the Society’s activities returned to pre-pandemic normality in 2022. In May, before the local council elections, the Society held a local election husting at which candidates from the main parties were asked about a range of topics, including housing in the area, encouraging local shops and large developments. The summer party benefitted from a sunny day and it was wonderful to be able to come together after a few years when the event was not possible. We were able to conduct a historic walk, led by our former chair, that covered the artists, spies and refugees that lived in Belsize, with wonderful insight about the community in Belsize in the first half of the 20th century. In December the Society hosted carol singing, joined by Primrose Hill Community Choir, which raised a considerable sum for the Marie Curie Hospice. The planning team have continued to look at applications for planning permission made to the Council in the Belsize area, reviewing around 100 and commenting on 15. The Society has also participated with other resident bodies in commenting on plans at the O2 Centre, and supportingCamden’s work lookingat

strengthening enforcement. We have continued to monitor local tree applications, looking at 194 applications and commenting on 31. The Society was successful in an application for Community Infrastructure Levy funding for planting trees in the area to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Society has commented on two consultations, first on the Camden Local Plan and secondly on the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan. The Committee have also engaged with local councillors, both through meetings and as individual Society initiatives have progressed. There was an informal meeting with councillors from local wards in November to discuss matters of interest and concern. The quarterly newsletters continued to be produced, with the 2022 edition of Tradesmen You Can Trust accompanying the May newsletter. The website is keeping a fresh look, but we had to pause discussions with a developer about an upgrade for the website’s structure. Throughout the year, our noticeboards have publicised non-commercial local events, services and notices of interest. The year has also seen some repairs to the boards. During the year, 33 new member households joined the Society. The total paying membership was 542, with a further 12 complimentary members. The Society welcomed a new committee member with a particular interest in building and climate change matters. The Society’s financial position has remained healthy. Like last year, we have continued to make donations to bodies supporting the community in the stressed current conditions.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	N/A
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	N/A
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	N/A
Other		N/A

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	Income for the period: £6,656 (inc £1,275 CIL contribution to noticeboards’ refurbishment) Expenditure for the period: £7,540 (inc approx. £2,000 total expenditure on noticeboards) Total cash assets (including reserves): £15,320 The Societyhas no non-cash assets.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The Society holds cash reserves for use in the event of its future involvement in initiatives involving financial outlay which could not be covered by the Society's annual income through membershipfees(about £5,000)
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£15,560
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	N/A
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	N/A
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	N/A

Additional information (optional)

Additional information (optional)	Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements		where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	The Society derives its annual income from membership fees (currently £10 a year) and occasional unsolicited donations. All fees are paid by members resident locally, except for one member resident in the Republic of Ireland and one resident in Norway. There is no requirement to live locally to be a member of the Society – anyone with an interest in the area is welcome. Also, there is no requirement to be a member to attend the majority of our events, such as historic walks. During 2022, 33 new member households joined the Society. At the end of the period the total paying membership was 542, with a further 12 complimentary members. Membership fees support the costs of producing material reporting on the Society's activities (such as quarterly newsletters) and advertising events (e.g. posters), as well as the maintenance of noticeboards and a website. Since becoming a charity in November 2018 the Society has not engaged in any fundraising exercise. During 2022 the Society received no income from contracts or grant programmes from central government or a local authority. The Society did not operate or spend money outside England and Wales. The Society does not engage in trading activities and so has no trading subsidiaries. The Society has no employees and all Trustee and Committeeposts are honoraryso no

		salaries, benefits or honoraria are paid.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	N/A
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The Society relies on its volunteers, several of whom have been in position for many years and/or are advancing in years. The Society is actively seeking new volunteers, to avoid the need to curtail activities in the future.
Other		N/A

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed,royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Five trustees were in place during 2022. The constitution sets out that a third of the trustees should resign ahead of each AGM, but they can be re-elected. At the 2022 AGM two trustees stood for re-election and were duly re-elected. To date trustees have been selected from past or present Committee members. Nominations to join the Committee from those who wish to stand are solicited in thepre-AGMpapers.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	Trustees are made aware of the Charity Commission’s requirements on, and guidance for, trustees. One trustee (responsible for governance matters) is available to be consulted by others, and by members, who have questions or concerns about propriety. The constitution states that each new trustee must receive, on or before his or her first appointment: (a) a copy of the current version of this constitution; and (b) a copy of the CIO's latest Trustees' annual report and statement of accounts

The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The day-to-day business of the Society is taken forward by a committee which includes most Trustees plus some other members appointed at the AGM. The Trustees meet alone (i.e. separately from the committee) when necessary to consider trustee-specific matters.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	N/A
Other		N/A

Reference and Administrative details

Charityname	The Belsize Society
Other name the charityuses	N/A
Registered charitynumber	1180842
Charity’s principal address	Flat 1 20 Netherhall Gardens London NW3 5TH

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole **year **	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Prabhat Vaze	Chair
	Anne Stevens	MembershipSec
	Neil Harris (dec’d 15.03.23)	Treasurer
	Michael Jampel	Governance
	Barbara Abraham	Trees

Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name N/A

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
N/A

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
N/A

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

N/A

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

N/A

Other optional information

N/A

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Prabhat Vaze	Barbara Abraham
	Chair	Acting Treasurer
	10 October 2023
	10 October 2023

The Belsize Society ACCOUNtS FOR THE 12 MONTHS TO 31 DECEMBER 2022 INCOME & EXPENDrruRE ACCOU INCOME SUBSCRIPTIONS OVERSEAS EXCESS INTEREST GI￿ AID NOTICEBOARDS DONATIONS Ifrorn members) OTHER 2022 £5,160. £30. £111.35 £o.c £1.275.(Kl £80.(KI £o.(x) 2021 £5,21XJ.00 £5.00 £47.94 £354.29 £o.(KJ £95.00 £0. 2020 £5,330.00 £15.00 £69.79 £357.00 £0. £1,459.C4) £266.97 TOTAL INCOME £6.656.35 £5,702.23 £7,497.76 EXPENDITURE PROVISIONS FOR EVENTS STATIONERY PRINTING PHOTOCOPIES POSTAGE GIFrs HIRE OF ROOMS SUBSCRIPTIONS REFUNDED WEBSITE DONATIONS (see below.) ENTERTAINMENT INSURANCE NOTICEBOARDS Ilnc. Printing) OTHER (Carols Leader's Feel £o.rA) £131.97 £1,660.04 £o.c £227.24 £0.00 £643.00 £10.00 £95.40 £2,330.00 £0.00 £231.(K) £2.062.13 £150.(KI £190.08 £88.19 £1.356.09 £0. £488.94 £0.00 £284.IKI £0.00 £110.40 £2,100. £o.c £231.00 £111.84 £485.(M) £117.50 £92.07 £1,423.96 £0.00 £21.72 £0.( £239. £0.00 £263.40 £1,900.00 £150.00 £220.00 £70.80 £516.84 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £7.540.78 £5,445.54 £5,015.29 5URPLUSI(DEFICm FOR YEAR -£884.43 £256.69 £2,482.47 BAL4NCE SHEEf AT: BANK BAL4NCES LESS UNPAID DONATIONS 3111212022 £15,520.77 £21XI.IX) 3V1212021 £16,445.20 £0. 3V1212020 £16,188.51 £0.00 TOTAL NEf BALANCE £15,320.77 £16,445.20 £16,188.51 REPRESEpifED BY: SURPLUS ATSTART OF YEAR SURPLUSIIDEFICITI FOR YEAR £16.445.20 -£884.43 £16,188.51 £256.69 £13,636.59 £2,482.47 SURPLUS AT END OF YEAR £15,560.77 £16,445.20 £16,119.06 * Donatlons Made In 2022 Royal Free Charity12 Donations) The Winch St Mary's Primrose Hill NW3CLT £500.(K) Chalk Farm Food Bank £250.IXI Camden Age UK £250.CKI C4WS Homeless Project £380.(X) Belsize Willage ￿ghts (carried over to 20231 £250.CKI £250. £250. £200.IXI Total Oonailons £2,330.(N) Neil Harris Treasurer Justin Barrington Independent Examiner Date Ly J v¢J Date