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2025-12-31-accounts

The Kensington Society

Registered Charity Number 267778

Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2025

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

The Trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2025.

Constitution and objects

The Charity‘s objects shall be to preserve and improve the amenities of Kensington for the public benefit by stimulating interest in its history and records, promoting good architecture and planning in its future development and by protecting, preserving and improving its buildings, open spaces and other features of beauty or historic or public interest.

The Kensington Society was founded in 1953. The constitution is a trust deed adopted on 11 November 2010 and is available at www.kensingtonsociety.org.

Patron

His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, KG, GCVO

President

Lord Carnwath of Notting Hill, CVO, PC

Vice-President

Nick Ross CBE

Council

Barnabas Brunner Sir Angus Stirling

Trustees

Amanda Frame, chair Martin Frame, treasurer and membership secretary Michael Bach, chairman of the planning committee Henry Peterson OBE, planning committee Sophia Lambert CB, planning committee Thomas Blomberg, planning committee, website and newsletter Vanessa Bartulovic, planning committee Barry Munday, planning committee Shayan Keyhan-Rad, planning committee James Fairrie, planning committee Peter Mischcon

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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

Chairman’s review of the year’s activities and achievements

The Kensington Society has now been in existence for 73 years. We have worked hard to as our objects say, “to preserve and improve the amenities of Kensington…promoting good architecture and planning in its future development and by protecting, preserving and improving its buildings, open spaces and other features of beauty or historic or public interest”. A week does not go by without one of us, the trustees, meeting with local residents, meetings with the council and/or councillors, reviewing and commenting on the ever-growing number of consultations.

Government planning process

The government’s demand for more housing is driving us in some dangerous directions. The minsters have decided that the reason we have a housing crisis is the councils’ planning system is too slow. No one seems able to understand the economics of housing delivery. To think two million homes can be built in five years by streamlining and removing the democratic process, demonstrates how our government is dangerous and naïve.

In looking back, one of the reasons the Society was formed was the encouragement presented within the Town and Country Planning Act 1968. The Act introduced by a Labour government, required planning authorities to publicise development plans and consider public opinion. Before the Act, decisions were dominated by professionals with little transparency, public participation in planning was minimal, optional, and seen as largely symbolic.

With the Act 1968, participation became formalised, structured, and expected with planning authorities required to publicise development plans and consider the public. It created statutory duties. Over the following decades, public participation became a core democratic principle of UK planning.

We now have a major redirection in the way in which planning decisions will be made and how the public will participate. Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 became law on 18 December 2025. It is explicitly designed as the government claims to “slash delays and costs” and speed up planning. The legislation restructures local planning decision making, increases delegated powers to officers, and limitation on what can go to planning committees. Public participation is likely to become more structured and less powerful, with housing and infrastructure prioritised and fewer opportunities for community challenge.

Future actions

We, the trustees, were regularly active and continue to be so, by both responding to the consultations, commenting, and expressing our concerns over the loss of public participation in the running of our Borough. We cannot stop the Bill. However, we influence and shape how it is implemented within RBKC. There are actions we can and are taking. We have, and will continue to:

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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

We shall:

2025/2026

Every year I say we have been busy. This year will be an understatement. The planning report excellently compiled by Michael Bach tells what the Society’s planning committee has been up to with the multiple faceted planning activities from two of the largest development applications to the massive changes noted above by the new government.

South Kensington Station

Just this month the Society celebrated the success of TfL finally succumbing to reality and announcing the much-needed improvements to the South Kensington station. TfL had tried try to develop the large area surrounding the station without the safety needs of over 30 million passengers that go through the station in a year.

We, the trustees, cannot emphasise how important this win is and how difficult it was to achieve. However, it shows again, where there is a will, there is a way.

Earl’s Court and Kensal Canalside approved

The two enormous developments, Earl’s Court and Kensal Canalside, the largest this Borough has ever faced, will dominate the landscape. With the pressure from government for more housing, planning permissions for both were inevitable. There are deep flaws in the design, the density is excessive and lack of open space. The saddest is to contrast the opportunities lost to the global examples where landscape and city life are integrated beautifully. When you see the celebration of cities such as Singapore with 74-hectare botanical gardens in the heart of the city or their Gardens by the Bay with the trees or even New York who turned a once abandoned elevated rail line into a 1.45-mile linear park. Or closer to home, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park now a vibrant urban district with wetlands, art, and sport facilities. All have shown us landscapes can be reintegrated into daily urban life. We shall be pressing for Conditions which require the planting to be as presented in the PR applications.

‘Affordable’ housing too expensive

Land value has continued to increase. Material and building costs along with the requirements for higher energy savings means costs are rocketing, as a result requirements to meet the calculation of what is “affordable housing” has reached the stage where without further government support, occupation rates are decreasing. One major housing association has pulled out of their commitment in a development in Acton. The Odeon developer has not been able to secure an agreement with any housing association. This is with planning obligations continue at 35% affordable housing.

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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

NPPF

‑ The proposed planning decision changes centre on a major rewrite of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in December 2025. The reforms shift power away from local councils and toward national rules, reduce the influence of local plans. The reforms restrict local policies, remove supplementary planning documents (SPDs) and, most fear, resist our local specific design, heritage, and conservation guidance. There will be a stronger presumption in favour of development, particularly housing. RBKC currently has a new Local Plan which will hopefully give us some protection but there will be less discretion to apply our local distinction and risks losing the strength of its own policies.

The Kensington Society

Hopefully the above will reassure you that the Kensington Society is here for you and for us all. We do need more support and do ask that you encourage others, your neighbours, and friends, to join us. We are planning a garden party for the summer and let us all come together and celebrate what makes Kensington great.

Financial review

The Society thanks all the members who have generously subscribed £10,515, donations and legacies of £2,892 which qualified for Gift Aid of £2,670.28.

The total income for the year was £30,135.80, a decrease of £3,697.42.

The cost of administration is allocated on a time basis to the various charitable activities.

The total expenditure was £26,258.43, a decrease of £6,735.34.

The balance sheet has unrestricted funds of £66,720.26, an increase of £3,877.37. These funds are necessary to secure the future of the Society. Improving funds through subscriptions, donations and legacies is welcomed.

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INDEPDENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

I report on the accounts of The Kensington Society for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 7 to 10.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Independent Examiner

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Act, but that an independent examination is needed under section 145(1)(a).

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

The examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view,’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

No matter has come to my attention:

Aaron Smyth ACA For and on behalf of Throsby Limited

23 March 2026

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FINANCIAL INFORMATION

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR TO 31 DECEMBER 2025

Income
Donations and legacies
Membership subscriptions
Donations and legacies
Gift Aid
Total donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Events
Annual report advertising
Total charitable activities income
Investment income
Bank interest
Total income
Expenditure
Charitable activities
Newsletter
Events
Annual report
Planning
Membership
Charitable subscriptions
Total charitable activities expense
Other
Insurance
Examiner
Total other expense
Total expenditure
Net income/(expenditure)
Total unrestricted funds brought forward
Total unrestricted funds carried forward		 2025
£
10,515.00
2,892.00
2,670.28
16,077.28
1,524.00
10,850.00
12,374.00
1,684.52
30,135.80
2,203.84
4,500.06
13,607.30
3,796.35
943.80
205.00
25,256.35
102.08
900.00
1,002.08
26,258.43
3,877.37
62,842.89
66,720.26		 2024
£
11,015.00
1,557.00
2,923.38
15,495.38
4,650.00
12,350.00
17,000.00
1,337.84
33,833.22
3,462.32
6,108.66
15,914.00
5,445.27
856.44
205.00
31,991.69
96.00
580.00
676.00
32,667.69
1,165.53
61,677.36
62,842.89

There is no material difference between the net income/(expenditure) above and the historical cost equivalent. All activities are continuing. All gains and losses recognised in the year are included in the statement of financial activities (SoFA).

The notes on pages 9 to 10 form part of these financial statements.

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FINANCIAL INFORMATION

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2025

Current assets
Debtors
Accrued income and prepayments
Interest receivable
Prepayments
Total accrued income and
prepayments
Cash at bank and in hand
Nationwide Building Society
Barclays Bank
PayPal
Total cash at bank and in hand
Total current assets
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Deferred income
Subscriptions and donations
Creditors and accruals
Creditors
City Living Local Life - Norland
Accruals
Total deferred income and accruals
Total net assets
Funds of the charity
Unrestricted funds		 2025
£
129.94
0.00
129.94
60,000.00
9,003.95
3,975.32
72,979.27
73,109.21
2,312.00
2,378.79
798.16
900.00
6,388.95
66,720.26
66,720.26		 2024
£
137.84
64.00
201.84
60,000.00
7,568.43
1,670.62
69,239.05
69,440.89
1,887.00
3,262.84
798.16
650.00
6,598.00
62,842.89
62,842.89

The financial statements on pages 7 to 8 were approved by the Trustees on 18 March 2026 and signed on their behalf by:

Mr Martin Frame Treasurer Charity No. 267778

18 March 2026

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FINANCIAL INFORMATION

NOTES ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Charity registered address and number

The Kensington Society’s charity number is 267778 and is registered at Westwoods, Marlborough SN8 4DY.

(a) Basis of preparation

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 – ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (‘FRS 102’) and with the Statement of Recommended Practice ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities’ SORP FRS 102 (effective 1 January 2019), together with the reporting requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Amended 2026).

(b) Income

These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when:

(c) Donations

Donations are only included in the SoFA when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the income.

(d) Tax reclaims on gifts and donations

Incoming income from tax reclaims are included in the SoFA to the extent that claims have been made.

(e) Volunteer help

The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the financial activities.

(f) Investment income

This is included in the financial activities when receivable.

(g) Liability recognition

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to expenditure.

(h) Debtors

Debtors do not carry any interest and are stated at their nominal value. Appropriate allowances for estimated irrecoverable amounts are recognised in the SoFA when there is objective evidence that the asset is impaired.

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FINANCIAL INFORMATION

NOTES ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(i) Cash at bank and in hand

These comprise cash at bank and other short-term highly liquid bank deposits with an original maturity of three months or less.

(j) Public benefit statement

The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit ‘Charities and Public Benefit’.

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