Minutes of the IARA AGM 2024. Meeting held on 23.1.25
Present:
Willes Road Dee, Mike, Vivienne, Julia, James, David T, Sarah H, Regis, Joe E, Cassandra, Don, David P
Cathcart Simon
Ryland Shivaun, Martin, Christine, Jonathan F, Gail, Sophie, Jeff
Holmes Sue McN, Judith
Inkerman Rafe, Anne B
Grafton Chris H, Tom
Raglan Paul S, Liz W, Rob, Mary, John N
Alma John E, Charles, Dilip, Lesley, Jeremy, Howard, Sarah C, David J, Debby
Camden Councillors Meric Apak, Joseph Ball
Apologies:
Willes Greta, Jonathan B, Julia P, Belinda, John T, Gary, Sarah M
Ryland Trisha, Gill B, Liz de K, Chris C
Inkerman Paul
Grafton Ana, Yunwen, Paul M
Raglan Robert, Harriet C
Alma Patricia, Gill R, Isabel, Alison, Liz W, Ian D, Hilary, Jane H, James D.
Camden Councillor Jenny Headlam-Wells
1. Attendance and apologies – see lists above.
2. Minutes of the previous AGM. These were circulated via the website.
Approval of them proposed by Dee, seconded by Mike. Approved unanimously.
3. Matters arising. None.
4. Election of officers – chair, secretary and treasurer. John acted as returning officer. No nominations were received other than the existing officers, Debby Hyams, David Jockelson, Paul Seviour. These were proposed by Howard, seconded by Chris. Voted unanimously.
5. Chair’s report.
Debby went through her written report highlighting certain aspects. She reminded people that if the WhatsApp group, which is now 246 people, becomes a bit overwhelming, it’s possible to mute the sound. She drew attention to the protocol that has been agreed and which is pinned on the site.
She referred to the Regis Road/proposed film quarter and other developments. She mentioned the need for pressure in the feedback to the consultation on this to raise the priority of having lifts at Kentish Town overground. Somebody asked for a link to the appropriate place to make those points and this is: https://www.camden.gov.uk/regis-road-regeneration-strategy http://regisroadareaguidance.commonplace.is/
Debby explains the background history of the Pizza Express building saga and the missing cinema in some detail. She also explained the aspects of her report referring to the Stay Club and talked about meetings that we’ve had with the senior staff there. Paul later reminded us that the owners of the Stay Club had put in lots of applications to extend the building, the latest of which has recently been rejected on appeal.
Debby talked about the Independent Elders group and explained this name was chosen years ago and it includes people of ages from 50 upwards to 90. It has met occasionally during the year and keeps an eye on a number of different matters, currently with serious concern about the state of the pavements in the High Street.
She mentioned that sadly one of our members, Anne Hearn, died during the year.
Questions following the annual report:
Martin asked about the George pub and Paul contributed the information that he had seen that it was for sale for £4 million and Dee added that there is planning permission for the top floor to be extended upwards and for “executive studios” to be built.
Martin also commented that both cyclists and pedestrians can behave badly, with people pushing buggies or just absentmindedly wandering into bike lanes.
6. Treasurer’s report
Paul went through the Financial Statement carefully and pointed out that these are not finalised accounts because our year ends in March which is why some of the statement includes £00.
He explained the fact that the balance looks healthier than it is because £1000 of that is a bequest. The cost for example of the AGM will also reduce our reserves to about £8600. He explained that we need £8500 upfront for the cost of the Alma Street Fair in terms of expenditure on stage, toilets, insurance etc so if the fair is cancelled or highly compromised it would pretty nearly clear out the balance, although it is true that we would have some money from the non returnable booking fees from the stallholders.
Dee asked if he was worried about the state of our finances and he said that he was not and that we simply needed to act a bit smarter as regards the fair.
Paul and Debby mentioned that there was £1000 bequest from Pauline Alexander, who was a long-term resident of Alma St. She had been intensely private and we were surprised and delighted to get a bequest. Her executor indicated that she had no specific directions for this so we have the question of what we should do with it. One suggestion that has been discussed by the officers was to create a historic plaque or plaques, somewhat along the lines of the mural that there had been at the top of Anglers Lane explaining some of the history of the area.
The difficulty with that might be getting permission from householders and the possibility that any plaque would be stolen. Members were asked to put any ideas for this on post it notes and leave them at the end of the meeting or to contact us direct.
7. 1. Police liaison.
John explained the background of the Safer Neighbourhood Panel that he’s been sitting on for some years now and he informed us that this area is within Kentish Town South which is considered to be a low crime area. He said that there had been 13 burglaries reported in the last year, 12 of them non-residential. 40 offences against persons of which seven were mobile phones. There were three robberies and three sexual offences – one at the O2, one involving Uber and one elsewhere. They have been 56 reports of antisocial behaviour, mainly drug related.
He said that the 28 shoplifting offences reported were a major increase and many of them were focused on the Co-op supermarket. The police will be posting plainclothes police officers in the shop. Somebody pointed out the CNJ has had a report on the Co-op in Holloway Road closed because of shoplifting.
Several people referred to car windows being smashed, particularly in Rochester and Cantelowes Park area. High end vehicles are apparently having their parcel shelves stolen.
Front doors being kicked in was raised as a serious concern particular by Anne who asked what action has been taken. John mention that some schoolchildren have been identified by door cameras and they had been brought to the householder with their parents and the police to apologise.
John raised the fact that he’d filed regular reports over the years, probably about 50 in all, and had no idea whether they were seen or of any interest. The members present gave a strong indication that they do read them and find them useful.
John explained that the sergeant, Matt Howard, is in charge of both this and the North Camden area. It is 30% understaffed and the Metropolitan police obviously have major recruitment and resource problems.
He emphasised repeatedly that for us to maintain the priority we need to be feeding him information and reports about any crime that we see. This can be done via email or direct messaging to IARA.
Joe Ball said that the councillors attend the Safer Neighbourhood Panel meetings as well, and that issues of drug use on Camden Council properties have led to enforcement action by the council. He added that we were lucky to have John so conscientiously attending.
Paul reminded people that an immediate emergency requires a call to 999, reports of past crime 101 and that’s what generates the police statistics.
7.2 Alma St Fair.
David summarised a note that Jonathan had prepared for the meeting. He mentioned that the Fair had been established over many years and had been organised by various people but recently have been very efficiently organised by Jonathan and we are already involved with meetings to plan this year’s.
We would very much appreciate younger people on the organising group. We would also want the involvement of anybody who has skills and an interest in running the children’s aspect of the fair which has been quite variable in the past.
Volunteers for helping on the day is a very important subject and our team of Jane, Jeremy and Sarah are looking for names of volunteers. Jane was unfortunately ill today but the others passed around clipboards for people to sign up and there will be some door-to-door knocking.
7.3 Sustain IARA/retrofit.
Rafe introduced the subject, explaining that we’ve had the SustainIARA as a subgroup on WhatsApp. That has got quite a wide remit – both improvements to our homes but also to gardens and other green issues in the area including transport and possible car sharing.
Something that has grown out of that is Retrofit Kentish Town which is very much focused on home improvements, insulation, alternative energy sources and suchlike and there is a very good website dedicated to that at: https://retrofitkentishtown.org/
Dilip talked about trees and gardens leading on from the wider SustainIARA remit. This has a separate WhatsApp group. He paid tribute to Chris and Robert for their work in maintaining the community garden in Raglan Street.
He mentioned maintenance work that has been carried out on the Inkerman Gardens [without claiming the appropriate credit for having devised the planting and generally organised it all. Ed.] See the website: https://www.inkermanresidents.org.uk/category/gardening.] He pointed out that we have been recognised by Google on their maps where it is now named as the Inkerman Gardens.
He talked about the Camden tree planting program and said that there were too many cherry trees – 35% of the trees – and this is not best practice in terms of diversity. There are a number of missing trees including the destroyed hornbeam at the top of Anglers Lane. He encouraged people to adopt trees if they are near their homes to water them during the first three years of their lives.
He told the meeting about Jeff who is a professor from UCL and now deeply involved with Hampstead Heath ecology. That led onto a discussion of the Green Corridor, which is a series of habitats stretching from Hampstead Heath down into Camden towards Talacre. The need for this has been recognised in the plans for Regis. Road.
Dilip mentioned the importance for those of us who have back gardens to make them eco-friendly with such things as woodpiles or ponds. He seeks better contact with the tree officers and is looking to the councillors to facilitate this.
Somebody raise the question of the pruning of oversize trees. Julia mentioned the darkness in Willes Road caused by the tree canopy and the over-tall street lamps. It also has implications for the roots. It was agreed that having a meeting with a tree officer would be very desirable.
8. #2 Prince of Wales Road.
Debby explained the background history of this building as having been a cinema many years ago and subsequently the Law Centre and the Citizens Advice Bureau, but that it has been empty for several years now.
IARA has been in touch on several occasions with Camden officers and have visited the building. We have recently received an email which will be posted on the IARA website explaining that work has started and there will be some space available soon for artists but the main function as a community centre will not be available until 2027.
Debby mentioned that Kentish Town Neighbourhood Forum is having an AGM on 5 February 6.30 pm Acland Burghley School and one of the initial items for that meeting is a talk by the architects who are designing the conversion. https://ktnf.org/news/ https://mailchi.mp/bd25989a48ba/kentish-town-neighbourhood-forum-talks-and-agm-5-february-acland-burghley?e=c47f7360a0
9. Any other business.
David referred to a WhatsApp posting by IARA recently asking for ideas for new developments in IARA. He mentioned the possibility of creating a focus around visual arts or music, both attending events or creating our own and acknowledged that there is a great deal happening in the area that we do not necessarily need to replicate but could signpost more efficiently. He also talked about possible informal walking events on the Heath and the parks.
More generally he said that IARA has been predominantly middle-class residents in street properties, often owner occupiers, and we have failed to reach other groups in flats, whether privately owned or council. He mentioned that the CNJ has described Camden as the loneliest borough in London and suggested that we make a bigger effort to be inclusive and have a social conscience.
Meric mention that Camden is organising a surgery aimed at people in the private rented sector and pointed out that this is still the largest provider of housing in the borough. Full details of this would be circulated by IARA.
Charles raised the question of the health of the High Street and Dee reminded us that the council have very limited powers as to what shops are present unless there is an actual change of use. Debby mentioned that the ownership of the High Street commercial properties is very dispersed and mainly profit-seeking. Land ownership in Tufnell Park in contrast is more centralised with a land owner who appreciates the value of having a healthy balance of shops. David suggested that the health of the High Street depends on us using it rather than getting everything through Amazon or other remote shopping outlets.
In connection with that somebody mentioned “Porch Pirates” – thieves who actually follow Amazon type vans around and simply collect the parcels off doorsteps so people need to make more secure arrangements for the delivery of goods.
Joe Ball thanked us for inviting him, to what he described as an amazing Residents Association. He said the council were very aware of the need for social housing on the Regis Road site as well as the recycling centre remaining there and the need for a lift for the Thameslink station. They are attempting to engage Keir Starmer in this. He mentioned the importance of reporting crime so the Safer Neighbourhood Panel has the material it needs.
Judith asked about street representatives and whether they could form a larger committee but there’s been no progress on that suggestion as it was explained that street representatives distribute notices and residents’ views are expressed via WhatsApp or email to IARA.
Anne talked about the low traffic neighbourhood issue and how difficult it is for road traffic to get into Inkerman Road at all and that a cab that she needed when she had an injured leg gave up attempting. Deliveries down Grafton Road, for example from the City Farm, are now impossible apart from cargo bikes. Debby reminded the meeting that more changes are about to happen and there will be a consultation period.
Jonathan said that Kentish Town underground station is not properly open. It’s impossible to buy a ticket there now and when the escalators are not working the spiral staircase is in a totally and unacceptably squalid condition. He asked whether the Council could put some pressure on TFL.
The meeting ended at 8.39 with food and drink prepared by The Grafton, whose manager, Elisha, attended the meeting.