What we do
The Highgate Society is an unincorporated association established for the public benefit. It is run by an elected Council, whose members are responsible for the Society’s activities.
Our core objectives relate to the environment and we also have our own hall in the heart of Highgate village, which is a focus for community activities. We publish a quarterly members magazine, buzz, and a monthly newsletter which circulates to nearly 2,000 local residents and businesses. For major local issues we run campaigns to achieve our objectives.
With 1,400 paying members and around active 170 volunteers, we are growing, and our focus on Highgate covers four boroughs: Haringey, Camden, Islington and Barnet.
History and Achievements
The Highgate Society was founded in 1966 by local people who had successfully fought government plans to route heavy traffic through the heart of Highgate.
The Society has continued to work for Highgate, its residents, visitors and businesses. It works closely with local authorities and other London bodies and has earned a reputation for well-founded views and a determination to make sure those views count.
Organisation and activities
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Governance
How we are organised – an explanation of roles
Elected Council members Members of Council are elected by the Society’s members at the Annual General Meeting and have voting rights within Council. Members of Council serve for three years. As well as being responsible for the governance of the Society, they also often undertake volunteer roles.
President and Vice-Presidents The President and Vice-Presidents are elected by Council. The role of the President is to represent the Society externally and to guide and support the Council and Chair. Vice-Presidents are selected from members who have given exceptional time and support to the Society, and are available to give advice when requested based on their experience. Vice-Presidents typically continue to undertake important volunteer roles.
Officers The Society’s Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer are elected by members of Council.
Co-opted Council members Council may co-opt further members.
Volunteers As we have no paid staff around 170 volunteers undertake important but focused roles within particular areas of activity.
Our team
Our people include many who have led successful careers or continue to do so in areas relevant to the Society’s activities.
For details of our management team and key volunteers, please follow this link.
How we operate – meetings
Council usually meets five times a year to review performance and consider key strategic issues and recommendations from Committees and Working Groups. The President, Vice-Presidents, Officers and Council members attend Council meetings. Most issues are decided by consensus, but when votes are taken only the Council members who have been elected by members in the AGM are entitled to vote.
Much of the work of the Society is undertaken by Committees, Working Groups and through friendly and collaborative discussion. Committees have a permanent existence while Working Groups are formed for a particular task or project. Both Committees and Working Groups draw on expertise from other Society volunteers.
Financial overview
We are a non-profit organisation and aim over time to use our income to pursue objectives in accordance with our Constitution.
Most of our events are expected to cover their costs, including where relevant taking account of a charge for using our hall. Our magazine, buzz is self-financing.
We maintain provisions and reserves to cover the expected future costs of repairing obligations for the hall lease, and so that we have funds available for campaigns, when needed. Our membership fee income enables us to involve specialists when a complex topic requires it.
Our annual Financial Report is published each year in the Summer edition of buzz and may be accessed here.
