Chair’s Annual Report yr ending Dec 31[st] 2025
The Chair presented a report at the AGM (March 8[th] 2026) on the Society’s activities over the past year:
Members were thanked for their support of the Society during a busy 2025, with a wide range of activities.
As in previous years, the Society enlisted our former chair Averil Nottage for two historic walks this year. Her series of walks have covered over three centuries of local history, finishing with a walk in April about the first half of the 20[th] century and then into the second half, with a walk in October. A talk by Fabian Watkinson, The Golden Age of Camden Housing, hosted jointly with the Friends of Belsize Community Library, drew a capacity audience.
The Society carol singing in December collected over £350 for the Royal Free Hospital Maggie’s Centre. Tim Cleverdon was the new lead, with help from members of the Belsize Community Choir. The summer garden party benefitted from a sunny day and was well attended.
The planning applications examined in detailed numbered around 80 this year, raising 27 objections or comments. This year has also seen a considerable effort to shape the area around Swiss Cottage. Asset of Community Value status was successfully applied to the Ye Olde Swiss Cottage Tavern and to the Eton Avenue Piazza . For each, we presented considerable evidence about the sites, including the results from surveying local users and members. When we were informed that the owners of the Tavern intended to sell, the Society expressed an interest under the Community Right to Bid to purchase the pub on behalf of the community, initiating a moratorium on any sale until early 2026. We commissioned a valuation of the pub (£3.6-4.2m) and we had some tentative approaches from developers but none that would progress under the terms of the ACV.
On tree applications , about 250 have been reviewed, of which comments were made on 20.
The Society continued to monitor developments on maintaining manual parking scratchcards to prevent digital exclusion. The Society maintained active role in the local retrofit programmes and involvement in an event with Retrofit Kentish Town and the Council. The Society expressed concerns as the Council made changes to Conservation Area Article 4 directions to allow solar panels on roofs and at ground level as permitted development. A survey of local residents helped our contribution.
The quarterly Newsletters continued to be produced, with the 2025 edition of Tradesmen You Can Trust accompanying the May Newsletter. A project to redesign and upgrade the website was completed to allow for improved appearance, clearer navigation, easier updates, online payment and a members’ area which will be developed further. Social media sites have been initiated a policy adopted for save use. The two Society Noticeboards have been kept updated weekly, displaying non-commercial local
events, services, and notices of interest.
Our financial position remains healthy. We are making progress getting our Gift Aid claims up to date. We have made donations to bodies supporting the community. The year saw considerable effort to maintain membership income which was affected in early 2025 by changes in bank processes for direct payments. We have been successful in contacting affected members, and grateful that payments are back in place. Independent examination notes confirmation of individual membership payments are difficult to check and this will be improved soon. Overall, during the year, 38 new member households joined the Society. The total membership is 450 households (439 paying, 11 complimentary).
The Committee, Trustees and many other members on whom the Society depends for its success were thanked. The committee thanked Barbara Abrahams for continuing to monitor and comment on applications for tree pruning and felling though she has resigned from the committee.
Prabhat Vaze, Chair
Annual Accounts below
Annual Accounts yr. ending Dec 31[st] 2025 (presented at AGM)