2023-12-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 January 2023 To 31 December 2023

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 local public services, 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) Youmay choose toincludefurtherstatements	Additional information (optional) Youmay choose toincludefurtherstatements	whererelevant about:
	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	The Society is not a grant-giving charity but, as an activity ancillary to its charitable purposes, it has been the charity’spractice 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 websitewww.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	Very sadly Neil Harris, our Treasurer, Trustee and Committee member passed away suddenly in March. The Society celebrated his considerable contribution and helped in various arrangements after his passing. The Committee and Trustees worked hard to fill the gap for Society business and transfer the responsibilities Neil held. We welcomed Peter Wallace as a new Committee member in May. The Society held a wide range of activities in 2023. We held a historic walk, open to non-members, that took us through the Eton College Estates in the Belsize area. We were also pleased to host events jointly with the Belsize Community Library, with a talk about the local, listed, Goldfinger House. In December the Society hosted carol singing in Belsize Terrace, joined by Primrose Hill Community Choir, and raised a considerable sum for the Marie Curie Hospice. The planning team has continued to look at applications for planning permission made to the Council in the Belsize area, commenting on around 10 this year in support of local planning policyandguidance.

We have continued to monitor local tree applications, looking at 243 applications and commenting on 16. The Society was pleased to have three trees planted under the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative in the Belsize area. The Society has commented in consultations, such as by the Council about understanding and experience at community level as plans are made to prepare for climate change. We also publicised initiatives to retrofit older properties, including events allowing residents to see premises that have progressed retrofits. 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 locally. Throughout the year, our noticeboards have publicised non-commercial local events, services and notices of interest. The Society’s financial position has remained healthy. Like last year, we have made donations to bodies supporting the community.

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: £5,899 Expenditure for the period: £5,666 Total cash assets (including reserves): £15,626 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.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£15,626
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)

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. 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 2023, 35 new member households joined the Society. At the end of the period the total paying membership was 508, with a further 16 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 2023 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 Committee posts are honorary so 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 until Neil Harris passed away in March 2023. Committee member David Thomas was appointed as a new trustee in December 2023. At the AGM, the trustees and committee were proposed to the 60 attendees and, as there were no objections to the nominations, passed without a vote. To date trustees have been selected from past or present Committee members. Nominations to join the Committee are solicited in thepre-AGMpapers.

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 relatedparties	Para 1.51	N/A
Other		N/A

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name The Belsize Society Other name the charity uses N/A Registered charity number 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	01.01.23-15.03.23
	Michael Jampel	Governance
	Barbara Abraham	Trees & Acting Treasurer
	David Thomas	Climate change & retro-fitting	Appointed 12.12.23

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

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 A Abraham
	Chair	Trustee/Acting Treasurer for 2023
	18 August 2024
	18 August 2024

I he beisize bociety ACCOUNTS FOR THE 12 MONTHS TO Jl DecEMBEP 2023 INCOME & WENOITURE ACCOUNT IN¢￿￿E SU8SCRIPTIONS uv￿￿¢￿tA5 txthès INlÈNtbl (?IP I AIU NUI ILttlUAIWb UQNA I iuNb (ir(￿￿ mernDws1 IM¢k< Iiiirningi 2023 £5.456 0 2022 £5.160.CrfJ 130.L t11135 £o.ts) £1.275 IXI £80 fKI YJ21 r.fj.iryJ.on LS00 £4194 r328.85 EO.aO £0 EO.fAJ 000 L95.00 IUIALINLUM £0.$56.35 £5.702.2J EXPENDITURE PROVL%￿N$ FOR EVENTS STATIONERY PRINTING PHOTOCOPIES POST AGE GIFTS HIRE OF ROOMS SU8SCRIPTIONS REFUNDED WE8SITE DONATIONS lio• b•kty41'1 ENTERTAINMENT INSUFIANCE NOTICEBOAROS Iln¢. Prkn¢ing1 IUNA4Ji & rtÈMUVAL IACC¢WIII R¢¢ofd$ & NH 8ooksl OTHER l¢arc4s Foel8enk ¢harAesl TOTAL EXPENOff LIRE £39.26 £99.58 E1.640.C(S £o.c4) £183.78 £o.ty) E661.tJl £Q.L £362.44 £1.450. £190.C8 t131.97 £t rATrO.04 £0.00 £227.24 fo.oo £643.C £to.o) £95.40 EO ofj f284.00 fD.¢)E) L1104Q r2.ILY).00 £0.00 1-231.00 co.00 £231.00 £2.(￿.1) £242.¢)J £410.21 £41143 £0. £0.00 Ele4.￿) £150. £7.540.78 485.00 ts.44S.$4 8URPLUSIIDEFicifi FOR YEAR £233.•• 4884.43 £256.69 ALANCE SNEET AT: 8ANK BALANCES LESS UNPAID tK)NATI(hYS 3111212023 £15.626.30 3111212022 £15.520.77 E200.IJI 3111212021 £16.445 20 TOTAL NET o￿ANcE £14IX30 £11320.77 £18.445.20 AEPReseNTED BY.. SURPLUS AT START OF YEAR SURPLUSIIDEFICITI FOR YEAR £iS.W.77 £n3.98 £18.445.20 .£884.43 £16.168.$1 L256.69 SUIIPLUS AT END OF YEAR E15.554.73 £15.560.77 £16,445.20 ' Dgmtiom M•d• In 20 NW3CLT Belsize Ililkge lihlfj Camdén Age UK C4WS Hom¢ks5 Pr¢i 8CL Tot•1 £29).tJl t?￿.{ £1.450.00 Paydwuk Ju5tr 8arrry ExarnineT rieasurer