Provisional results show that that 73.7% of Camden schools’ GCSE exam entries in 2026 were awarded grade 4 or above, higher than this year’s national average of 67%. 7.2% of GCSE exam entries by Camden schools gained the top grade 9 this year, which was also above the 2026 national average of 5%, with 29% of Camden schools’ GCSE exam entries at grade 7 or above, compared to the national average of 21.8%.

The percentage of Camden Year 11 students achieving a ‘strong pass’ in GCSE English and maths – grade 5 or above in both subjects - increased to 49%, and the percentage of Camden GCSE students achieving a ‘standard pass’ in English and maths – grade 4 and above in both - also increased to 65%.

Validated figures are expected to be above, or in line with, the national average when these are published in the final performance tables later this year. Camden’s overall results, which are all above last year’s figures, reflect the commitment of students, the support of their families, and the tireless efforts of teachers and school staff.

Councillor Marcus Boyland, Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families, visited Regent High School and Maria Fidelis Catholic School to congratulate students and staff.

Students' stories and results

Schools across the borough have shared stories of individual success, with many students achieving top grades and securing places at sixth forms and colleges to pursue A-levels, vocational qualifications, or apprenticeships.

At Maria Fidelis Catholic School, Headteacher Mark Anthony was delighted that the school achieved their best set of results since 2017, with many Year 11s having attended extra after-school and weekend classes put on by Maria Fidelis staff to support students in their exam year. Mr Anthony said: “Almost all our Year 11s took advantage of the additional after-school and weekend classes, which started at the beginning of the year. This has contributed to our GCSEs success this year, with the best results since 2017. It’s lovely to see so many students coming into school smiling and happy. It has been a great team effort from the students, parents, teachers, support staff and premises staff.”

Among the top performing GCSE students at Maria Fidelis, were Malaika Bunga-Vila and Siam Ahmed. Siam received the top grade 9 in all 10 of his GCSEs, while Malaika got a string of grade 9s and 8s. Fellow Maria Fidelis GCSE students, Keira Medhaine and Emma-Louise Harris are both staying on in the school’s sixth form. Keira was pleased with two grade 8s in English literature and religious education, as well as a 7 in English language, 6s in double science and a 6 in history. Keira now plans to study Level 3 BTEC in sports science, as well as psychology and sociology A-levels and hopes to study sports science at university. Emma-Louise also now plans to study a mixture of BTECs and A-levels and then go onto to art college to study fashion design. 

At Regent High School, Ejaz Khan was delighted with his 11 GCSEs, including four at the top grade of 9, as well as four grade 8s. Ejaz said: “I was a bit nervous for my results but mainly excited because I knew what I was expecting and I did pretty well so I’m very happy.” 

Fellow Regent High GCSE student Naeema Hussain gained nine GCSEs, including a grade 9 in English literature and two 8s in English language and sociology. Naeema said: “I was really overwhelmed, but when I got my results I was really happy.” Another Regent High School student, Holly Meehan, who has special educational needs, was delighted to have passed seven GCSEs and has a place on a Supported Internship with learning disability charity Mencap, which was arranged through Camden’s SEND and Inclusion Team.

At William Ellis School, 70% of boys achieved grades 4 to 9 in both English and maths GCSEs, with 54% reaching at least grade 5 in both. Headteacher Izzy Jones said: "I want to say a huge thank you to our staff and to families for the constant support and guidance they've given throughout this period. That partnership has been central to building the kind of learning community where our students can thrive.” 

At Haverstock School, top performers included Tyler Varda, who was celebrating achieving three top grade 9s in his English language, maths and computing GCSEs, along with 8s in English literature, physics, economics, geography and further maths. Tyler, who is staying on at Haverstock Sixth Form, said: “I’m pleased - it went well. I have felt very well supported during my time at Haverstock as the teachers really understand me. I’m going to study maths, further maths, economics and physics A-levels at the sixth form here.”

Fellow Haverstock student Rayana Abdisalam gained three 9s, three 8s, two 7s and one 6 in her GCSEs. Rayana plans to stay on at Haverstock Sixth Form for her chosen A-levels in biology, chemistry and psychology. She said she was "very proud and excited about what the future holds".

Joe Edwards, Interim Head of School at Haverstock, said: “Congratulations to Haverstock’s Year 11 students who have worked incredibly hard and been so well supported by our staff. It’s so pleasing and exciting to see that so many students are keen to return to Haverstock for their sixth form studies.”

At Parliament Hill School, an impressive 47% of grades were at 9 to 7, while 85% of students achieved at least a grade 4 and above in both English and maths. Headteacher Sarah Creasey said: “A huge congratulations to Parliament Hill students who have worked incredibly hard to achieve these brilliant results alongside their committed subject teachers, whose tireless support and excellent teaching is reflected in these impressive outcomes.”

At Hampstead School, high achieving students included Tianna Chauhan, who gained 10 GCSEs, with eight at grade 7 or above, and Dania Mohamed, who passed 11 GCSEs, with seven at grade 7 or above. Hampstead School’s Headteacher, Matthew Sadler, said: “I am so impressed by all of our Year 11 students, and it is lovely to see them celebrating individual achievements and exceptional progress, as well as taking their next steps into sixth forms, colleges and other destinations.”

Acland Burghley School achieved its best-ever GCSE results since 2017, with 76% of students achieving a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. Science, English and Spanish scores, in particular, all had an outstanding year. The maths department built on last year’s success with 45% of students achieving a grade 7 or above in the subject.

Nicholas John, Headteacher of Acland Burghley School, said: “These are Acland Burghley’s best GCSE results since curriculum reform in 2017, by a significant margin. The students have done well at every level across a broad curriculum. The school is highly successful in our academic and creative curriculum. We’re incredibly proud of these young people.”

At UCL Academy, Lily Kong was the school’s highest achieving student. She was awarded a grade 9 in all 10 of her GCSEs. In September, Lily will be pursuing her passion and specialism in maths at King's Maths School. Lily will be studying maths, further maths, computer science, and physics, with the goal of eventually pursuing a career in cyber security. 

Fellow UCL Academy student Lavinia Foresythe also achieved a phenomenal set of results, with eight grade 9s and two grade 8s. Lavinia will study A-levels in maths, further maths, computer science and English literature at Woodhouse College, with her ultimate goal being to work in data science or quantitative research.

Students and staff at La Sainte Union Catholic School are celebrating an impressive set of GCSE results. In English literature, 84.6% of students achieved grades 9 to 5, with 92.3% securing grades 9 to 4. English language also saw strong success, with 76.8% achieving grades 9 to 5 and 87% achieving grades 9 to 4.

La Sainte Union students performed particularly well in separate sciences. In chemistry, 100% of students achieved grades 9 to 5 and grades 9 to 4, while biology and physics both recorded 100% pass rates, with 95.2% of students achieving grades 9 to 5 in each subject. Overall, almost 90% of La Sainte Union students achieved five or more GCSE passes. 

Sophie Fegan, Headteacher of La Sainte Union Catholic School, said: "We are incredibly proud of our students and all they have achieved. These results are a testament to their perseverance, ambition and commitment throughout their GCSE studies."

Meanwhile, Camden School for Girls achieved a record set of GCSE results, with an amazing 22% of passes at the highest grade 9 and 56% at grades 9 to 7. 

91% of exam entries at Camden School for Girls were at grades 9 to 4, with an exceptional 45 students achieving at least eight GCSEs at Grades 9 to 7.

Headteacher Kateryna Law said: “The number of top grades is the highest in the school’s history, and I would like to warmly congratulate all our students on this exceptional achievement. We are immensely proud of the hard work, determination and dedication that every student has shown, and we could not be more pleased with this outstanding set of results.”

For students and families looking for advice on next steps, including university, apprenticeships, or emotional wellbeing support, visit the Camden Rise website and Camden Learning’s Next Steps Post-16 website.

This year, the average point score per A-level entry in Camden was 35.9, compared with 35.4 in 2025. 98.1% of A-level exam entries were awarded grades A* to E – in line with the national average.

For vocational qualifications, the average point score per entry was 31.7, up from 30.0 in 2025.

This year also marks an important milestone for Camden, with the first cohort of students in Camden schools completing their T-level courses and receiving their qualifications.

Students studying T-level at Acland Burghley School, Haverstock School and Maria Fidelis School achieved a 100% pass rate, compared with a national average of 93%. The results also demonstrate the high level of achievement among Camden's T-level students, with 92% achieving distinction or merit grades, compared with a national average of 68.9%. These high grades are equivalent to achieving AAA to BBB at A-level, highlighting the strength and calibre of Camden's technical education offer.

These results reflect the excellent work taking place every day across Camden’s schools, with dedicated teachers and staff supporting young people to achieve, thrive and prepare for their next steps. Camden’s schools continue to provide high-quality education, helping every young person to develop their talents and fulfil their potential.

Strong employer partnerships through Camden STEAM have provided students with valuable industry placement experiences, while bringing schools and employers together to develop the skills needed for the future workforce.

This impact can be seen in the journeys of two Camden T-level students, Sem Nuru and Maciej Brzezia, who completed their industry placements at The Francis Crick Institute and have now progressed to degree-level apprenticeships, returning to the Crick this autumn.

Alongside celebrating this year's results, Camden Council and Camden Learning are continuing to deliver Camden's Education Strategy, Building Back Stronger, including our joint commitment to an excellent school experience for all Camden pupils and a post-16 education system that benefits all students.

Camden is also expanding opportunities for young people beyond the classroom, including through its Opportunity Centres at the London AI Campus and Euston Skills Centre, giving students access to academic support, future-facing skills, careers advancement and vocational pathways.

In addition, Camden’s Virtual School also provides dedicated support for young people in care and care leavers, helping them navigate their education, results and next steps, including progression to further and higher education, training and employment.

Student stories and results

Celebrations took place across Camden, as students gathered to receive their results.

Among the individual success stories at Parliament Hill School and LaSWAP Sixth Form was Billy Hutchins, 18, who was celebrating getting two A* grades in physics, maths and an A in chemistry in his A-level. Billy is off to Imperial College London to study physics – one of the most competitive STEM destinations in the country. Billy’s dad, Morgan Hutchins, whose elder son from the same school went to Oxford was there to celebrate Billy’s success and was so proud. Billy said: “I’m super excited and it can’t get better than this."

Another high achiever from Parliament Hill School was Eva Roberts, who got two A* grades in geography and politics and an A in English literature and is now going to Manchester University to study English literature. She was so happy, and said she “always wanted to study literature”.

La Sainte Union Catholic School and LaSWAP student Isabel Doolan, 18, gained impressive marks in biology, psychology and PE and is off to the Brunel University to study physics. It was a proud moment for her as she became the first in her immediate family to go to university.

Another La Sainte Union Catholic School and LaSWAP student Eric Henig Griffin, 18, is off to University of Liverpool to study town and regional planning after gaining As in physics, maths and geography. Eric got inspired to take the urban planning course whilst playing video games and realising that people actually do this for a living.

Vocational student, Fayola Fitsum, aged 18, from La Sainte Union Catholic School, achieved three distinction stars in BTEC health and social care and is going to King’s College to study mental health nursing.

Among the individual success stories from Acland Burghley School and LaSWAP is Rayhane Abdelhalim ,18, who was celebrating getting two As in German and sociology. She is off to UCL to study German and management. She was delighted with her results and said her parents were so proud!

Julia Oduro from Acland Burghley School got a merit (BBB) in her T-level in media, broadcast and production. She is now going to Manchester Metropolitan to study advertising and brand communications. She was recently named the Camden T-level Student of the Year 2026 for demonstrating exceptional commitment, resilience and personal growth.

William Ellis School and LaSWAP student Luca Frodsham, 18, has a place at Cambridge University to study natural sciences after receiving A* grades in biology and chemistry and an A in Maths. He said he was nervous about the results as getting admission to natural sciences is very competitive, but he is pleased he got it.

Speaking on behalf of LaSWAP Sixth Form, Acland Burghley Headteacher Nicholas John said: “This year has seen the biggest set of results, as well as the best set of results since curriculum reform for the consortium. We’re pleased that out of all the grades awarded, 25% are A and A* and 82% are C and above.

"We’re also extremely proud of our strong vocational results and the first cohort who completed the media, broadcast and production T-level at Acland Burghley with over 80% of those achieving a merit or distinction. Well done to all the students.”

This year, Haverstock School received their first set of T-level results, with all 12 students on the management and administration course excelling themselves and received merit (the equivalent of BBB at A-Level) or distinction (the equivalent of AAA).

One student in particular, Khaled Albitar, who arrived in the UK as a refugee from Syria, not only received a T-level student award at the recent Camden T-level celebration event, but has also been offered a degree apprenticeship by his placement employer, Berkley Group PLC.

Another high achiever was the fantastic Adeeb Hamidi, who joined Haverstock School in year 9 following escaping from Afghanistan. After learning English at Haverstock, Adeeb performed so impressively in GCSE and A-level results that he used clearing to ‘trade-up’ today and is heading to University of Nottingham to study computer science.

Joe Edwards, Interim Head of School at Haverstock, said: “Congratulations to our Year 13 students on their results and destinations - it's testament to their hard work and dedication, and those of their teachers."

Hampstead School is celebrating excellent A-level, BTEC and LIBF results from their hard-working Year 13 students. The average point score of Hampstead School students has again increased, to 28.3, compared to 28.1 last year and 19.1 in 2019. Across the entire Year 13 cohort, 96% of students achieved an A* to E.

Noha El Haouass El Mengadi, one of the Principal Students, achieved a wonderful A in English literature, and Bs in geography and psychology. She will be studying law at Queen Mary University.

Faris Al-Hirch received a distinction star in IT BTEC, merit in health and social care, and C in criminology. Faris said: “I can’t believe I got a distinction star - it’s almost impossible!”

At Camden School for Girls, an impressive 21% of A-level grades were at A* and 48% were at A* to A. 19 students have secured the grades required to take up places at Oxford or Cambridge, with many more progressing to leading medical schools, innovative art and design institutions, prestigious music conservatoires, competitive apprenticeships and a wide range of leading universities across the country.

Kateryna Law, Headteacher of Camden School for Girls, said: “I am delighted to share that Camden School for Girls has achieved another exceptional set of A-level results this year. I would like to congratulate all our students on their outstanding achievements.”

At UCL Academy, almost half of Sixth Form students achieved A* to B grades, and 71% of students achieved A* to C grades. 18 students secured at least two A*/A grades, with three of those achieving all A*/A grades. Overall, UCL Academy students secured an exceptional 55 A*/A grades.

Among the high achievers at UCL Academy is Deena Molokhia, who is the fourth and youngest of the Molokhina clan to complete all their education at UCL Academy, and has achieved A*, A and B in maths, further maths and physics. She is now continuing her education at City St George's, University of London, studying civil and infrastructure engineering.

For students and families looking for advice on next steps, including university, apprenticeships, or emotional wellbeing support, visit the Camden Rise website.

Camden has awarded a contract to Carbon Heroes, a London-based urban nature infrastructure platform, to channel private sector investment into the borough’s trees. Suppliers bidding for Camden contracts can fund the planting, aftercare and welfare of trees across the borough as part of their social value commitments.

Suppliers bidding on Camden contracts can choose to use Carbon Heroes to design a nature-based social value strategy for the borough — choosing from new tree planting, young tree aftercare and mature tree welfare.

Carbon Heroes then quantifies the social, environmental and economic value of every commitment in pounds, with Camden planting and maintaining the trees. Every tree is logged in a registry with species, location, planting date, condition and social value contribution.

Councillor Slater continued:

“We know that trees are vital, helping make the urban environment more liveable and providing part of our response to the climate emergency.

“Our tree planting strategy sets out how we are increasing the tree canopy cover in Camden, maintaining species diversity, and ensuring a healthy population of trees.

“This additional funding will help us to reach our aim to increase the canopy cover in the borough to over 26% by 2045.”

Between 2017 and 2023:

• The number of trees in Camden increased from 25,890 to 28,461.
• The total carbon storage increased from 10,800 tonnes to 13,600 tonnes.
• The annual carbon sequestration (the net amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by biomass within a single calendar year through photosynthesis) increased from 207 tonnes/yr to 231 tonnes/yr.

If you have concerns about people sleeping rough, you can report this via:

• Complete an online referral via Street Link
• Call Camden Outreach Service on 0207 846 3535
• Email Camdenoutreach@shp.org.uk
• More information at support for people rough sleeping

Find out more about Camden’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025 to 2030 and leading role in the London wide Ending Homelessness Accelerator Programme with the Mayor of London, London Councils, and partners across the capital.

Read our research into Women’s Homelessness in Camden – the largest study of women’s homelessness in England - jointly conducted with Single Homeless Project and the University of York.

Organised by Camden Learning, the ‘Summer of STEAM’ has brought together young people, employers, industry experts and creative professionals through an extensive series of events and experiences in the Summer term. These events and experiences aimed to help young people build skills, networks and confidence while supporting local businesses to tap into local talent and create clearer routes into employment, ensuring local people can benefit from opportunities in their borough.

The ‘Summer of STEAM’ culminated with the graduation of the first cohort of students from AI Connect, the flagship enrichment programme of the London AI Campus. Students celebrated alongside mentors, industry partners and school leaders after completing the pioneering programme, which equips young people with the knowledge, skills and networks needed to thrive in an AI-enabled world.

Delivered through a partnership between Google, Camden Learning and Camden Council, the London AI Campus on Charrington Street is uniquely positioned to provide world-class education that is rooted in community – removing barriers to underrepresented groups and increasing AI literacy across the student body.

Students learn directly from professionals at world-leading organisations such as GSK, Google and UCL. They attend weekly sessions exploring real-life projects which connect AI to diverse fields like health, social sciences and the arts, as well as accessing valuable insights from Masterclasses led by industry experts, workshops, office visits and industry events.

Stephanie Dean, Director of Charitable Investments Programmes, at GSK, said:

“Programmes like AI Connect are vital for growing the UK’s STEM talent pipeline and closing the AI skills gap, by giving young people real-world experience of how responsible AI can be harnessed in a range of different industries. We’re incredibly proud of the creativity and commitment shown by the students and congratulate them on their achievements as future innovators.”

Amyrah, a student from Camden School for Girls, who graduated from AI Connect this year, said:

“Before the course, I didn’t really understand what AI was for, or how to use it. Now I feel better informed and know how it works, which is something that is becoming increasingly important today. I have been inspired by what we have learned and things we have done, such as the No Black Boxes robotics course, which encouraged me to apply for Robotics at Sheffield University next year.

“The AI Connect course has also been a huge part in my growing self-confidence. The opportunities presented to me, such as delivering presentations, as well as being able to talk to panels at a range of events, have meant I am more sure of myself now, as I can better articulate my thoughts.”

The Summer of STEAM

The graduation marked the final event of Camden's ‘Summer of STEAM’ programme of events, which has provided children and young people across the borough with opportunities to explore future pathways in education and employment.

More than 300 pupils took part in the Camden Primary Careers Day at the British Library meeting over 20 local employers and learning about a diverse range of career across the STEAM sectors. This included LifeArc, Digital Catapult and Springer Nature. The events encouraged children to think creatively about their futures, be curious and helped make the local world of work more accessible and relatable from an early age.

Meanwhile, over 340 secondary students gained hands-on experience with leading businesses during the annual STEAM Work Experience Week, with prestigious employers opening their doors to engage students in real-life business challenges including London Zoo, Astra Zeneca and the British Museum.

Students from the five Camden schools delivering T Levels came together with employers at Camden's first dedicated T Level student celebration event. The popularity of T Levels among young people in Camden has increased significantly in just a year, with the number of young people signing up to these qualifications increasing from 22 last year to 66 this year.

The summer also saw the return of the Camden Schools Art Biennale, with artwork from every Camden school exhibited at the Lethaby Gallery, Central Saint Martins and across the King's Cross Estate. Supported by professional artists, children and young people showcased work spanning sculpture, collage, illustration, painting, drawing and film.

Stephen Hall, Chief Executive Officer of Camden Learning, said:

“The graduation of our first AI Connect cohort is a significant milestone, not only for the London AI Campus, but for Camden's wider ambition to ensure every young person can access the opportunities and skills they need for the future. AI Connect is just one example of what can be achieved when schools, employers, universities and community partners work together around a shared vision for young people. Through Camden's Summer of STEAM, hundreds of children and young people have been able to explore new possibilities, meet inspiring professionals and gain first-hand experience of the world of work.”

These opportunities form part of Camden's wider commitment to ensuring every young person can access high-quality education and career development opportunities, regardless of their background. Working closely with the Camden family of schools and local organisations also enables stronger collaboration, shared expertise and a coordinated approach to preparing young people for future careers, ensuring opportunities are accessible, relevant and impactful across the borough.

This will help support our communities to prepare for the impacts of climate change, taking climate action that also helps residents to lower their energy bills.

The scheme aims to improve the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of a property to at least a 'C' once the improvements have been installed.

Eligible homeowners or renters, with landlord permission, can get free measures including insulation upgrades; ventilation and damp-prevention measures; solar panels and low carbon heating systems – including air source heat pumps.

Camden is a member of the London Consortium, made up of 30 other London boroughs and led by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and London Councils. We are working with other London boroughs to deliver the scheme in a co-ordinated, efficient approach.

What can be funded

If you are applying as a homeowner or a private tenant, you are not required or expected to make any contributions to the cost of upgrades.

If you’re applying as a landlord, you can apply for multiple eligible homes. You may be able to receive full funding for one home, but you must pay 50% of upgrade costs for any additional homes upgraded after the first. Tenants are not required or expected to pay for upgrade costs.

The aim of the scheme is to boost the EPC rating of your home to at least a 'C' once the improvements have been installed. Measures that could be funded include:

• insulation upgrades
• Ventilation and damp-prevention measures
• Solar panels
• Low Carbon Heating – including air source heat pumps

Check your eligibility

To qualify for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, you must meet the following criteria:

• your home must be in England
• you must own your home or rent from a private landlord (with landlord permission).
• your home must have an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G. You can find your EPC out when you apply or check your home’s energy certificate on GOV.UK.
• Your total savings are less than £25,000 including money in bank accounts, ISAs, and other savings. If you have £25,000 or more in savings, you cannot get help from this scheme unless someone in your property is eligible for Pension Credit Guarantee Credit.
• your home must be located within one of the government’s priority postcodes. Check whether your postcode qualifies here.

Check your eligibility now and apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant

Or

• you have a gross household income below £36,000 a year or at least one resident on a means-tested benefit including housing benefit, job seekers allowance, pension credit or universal credit.

The new scheme, launching ahead of this year's Summer Reading Challenge, is designed to reach children who may not otherwise join a library. It will connect them with Camden's libraries, free books, digital resources and year-round reading activities.

Councillor Marcus Boyland, Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families, attended Argyle Primary School last week to gift library cards to a class of Year 2 pupils.

Jemima Wade, Headteacher at Argyle Primary School, said:

“We were thrilled to welcome Councillor Boyland to present our pupils with their new library cards. They’ll be so pleased to choose from the wonderful selection of children’s books on display at Camden Libraries. The work Camden is doing to help remove any barriers that may prevent a child from learning to read and wanting to read is fantastic and auto-enrolment completely supports this aim. It’s giving children access to a world of books, imagination and opportunity.”

The move comes during the National Year of Reading 2026 and recent research by the National Literacy Trust found that children's reading enjoyment and daily reading levels have begun to recover after several years of decline, but remain significantly below levels seen a decade ago.

The research also highlights a widening gap in reading engagement between disadvantaged children and their peers, underlining the importance of initiatives that make reading and library services more accessible to all children.

Camden’s Reading Together strategy is helping to address this locally through schemes such as auto-enrolment for primary school children. Other initiatives include Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which delivers high-quality books directly to children's homes, and the Share and Read with Baby packs, which provides new parents with their baby's first Camden Libraries card and introduces families to library services and wider support from the very start of their child's life.

This year's enrolment programme will focus on primary school children who do not already have a library card, with follow-up visits from library staff planned for the autumn term to help pupils make the most of their membership. From autumn 2026, the scheme will become part of Camden's annual offer, with every new Reception pupil automatically enrolled in Camden Libraries.

As part of the initiative, Camden Libraries are also strengthening support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). From the Autumn term, pupils from Robson House School will visit Swiss Cottage Library each week, where they will be supported to explore the library, borrow books and learn how to use their library cards before taking them home.

Pupils can use their new library cards to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge 2026. This year's theme, Read to the Beat!, celebrates music, creativity and the power of stories to inspire and connect young people. Libraries across the borough will host a range of free activities, including interactive performances, song writing workshops, family sessions and events in local parks.

By ensuring every Camden pupil is connected to library services, the Council hopes even more children will take part in the challenge, borrow books over the summer holidays and continue developing positive reading habits.

Find out more about Camden Libraries and the Summer Reading Challenge at: www.camden.gov.uk/libraries

This year’s categories are:

• Best front garden - this could be a front garden of any size, balcony or window box
• Best community food growing – share the story of your shared food growing project
• Best sheltered housing garden – for residents in sheltered housing for a garden of any size, balcony or window box
• Best community nature garden – for communal gardens with a focus on wildlife
• Camden young gardener – for green-fingered Camden residents under 18
• Treemendous Trees Award – for anyone watering trees in public spaces
• Best Community Rain Garden – for community managed rain gardens in public spaces

Thanks to our sponsors, Camden Garden Centre and Treehab, winners will receive Camden Garden Centre vouchers as well as other prizes. They will also be invited to a ceremony at the Town Hall with the Mayor of Camden. 

Entries close on Monday 31 August. For more information and to enter, visit: www.camden.gov.uk/camden-in-bloom

At tonight’s Full Council meeting (13 July), the council led a debate to shape the next phase of Camden’s urgent work preventing violence against women and girls – focusing on early intervention and holistic support for survivors.

The debate included councillors, residents, and representatives of community groups and local organisations who support women and girls in the borough – including Women at The Well, Tender, Hopscotch, and the Camden Women’s Forum.

As part of the council’s ongoing commitment to making the borough a safer place for women and girls, Camden is set to launch its first standalone Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy for 2026 to 2030. This sets out clear actions and Camden’s approach to preventing violence, strengthening early identification, improving support for survivors, and holding perpetrators to account.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) includes sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic abuse, exploitation, and faith or honour-based violence. Camden's VAWG Assessment found that one in four women in the borough is likely to experience domestic abuse during her lifetime, underlining the importance of continued action to prevent abuse and support survivors.

In the strategy, violence against women and girls is addressed as a serious public health issue. It highlights domestic violence as a significant local issue, but also the need to prevent and respond to other forms of harassment and violence which are often underreported.

Co-developed with survivors and key community partners, the council’s approach takes any responsibility away from women and girls to change their behaviour, and more towards preventative work to ensure the borough is a safe place for women and girls to thrive, without fear of harassment or abuse. This includes equipping staff across services and partner organisations to spot warning signs earlier, while also working with the police, schools, and youth settings to change perpetrator behaviour and promote healthy relationships.

The debate re-affirmed five key priorities within the strategy, setting clear actions to bring meaningful change:

• Prevention, through a public health and life-course approach that challenges harmful attitudes and behaviours

 • Earlier identification and support, strengthening professional responses across services

 • Holistic support for adult and child survivors - including housing, mental health and recovery

• Holding perpetrators to account, through a whole-system approach that centres survivor and child safety

 • Working in partnership, strengthening coordination across the Council, partners, communities and survivors.

The Strategy builds on Camden's longstanding investment in tackling violence against women and girls, including specialist support services, partnership working and workforce training to strengthen the identification of abuse and support for survivors. This includes new training and policies to help council housing staff recognise signs of abuse to signpost survivors to any support they may need.

Other work to tackle violence against women and girls includes Camden’s ‘Call It Out’ sexual harassment campaign, encouraging bystanders to safely take action if they witness an incident of sexual harassment or assault.

How to report - Camden Safety Net

Camden Safety Net is the council’s domestic and sexual violence advocacy service which provides support to thousands of survivors, including access to mental health services, legal advice, and employment support.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, please know there is support available. Call Camden Safety Net on 020 7974 2526. You can also call the National Domestic Helpline 24/7 on 0808 2000 247. If you are in an emergency, please call 999.

We are now consulting on making the trial permanent, seeking views on a potential expansion to the traffic free area and want to hear from you.

During the trial, we have been collecting feedback through our Commonplace page along with our own monitoring to better understand how the scheme was working.

Councillor Slater continued:

“The comprehensive and detailed feedback that we have received from residents, businesses and visitors, along with our monitoring, has helped us to better understand what people feel about the trial and therefore we are consulting on making the trial permanent and also on a potential extension to the traffic free area.

“If the trial is made permanent, this could provide opportunities to replace the large barriers with a smart bollard system and make further improvements to the look and feel of the street, through more level surfaces, benches and planting. We would work with the local community to further refine these plans.

“Many residents have told us that they want to go even further on pedestrianising Camden High Street, so we will also be seeking views on extending the area across Camden Lock bridge and up to the junction with Castlehaven Road. 

“This could include a range of improvements for people walking, wheeling and cycling, as well as more public space and outdoor seating for local businesses.

“Whether or not you responded to the earlier survey, we want to hear your views on our proposals for the future of Camden High Street. The consultation will run for six weeks from Monday 13 July to Sunday 23 August. and I urge all residents, businesses and visitors to respond.”

Once the consultation is complete and we have reviewed all the feedback received, this will then be considered alongside monitoring data collected during the trial as well as council policies.

Camden will then decide whether to make the pedestrianised area permanent or end the trial.

If we decide to make the trial permanent, we will also consider the feedback received on the expanded traffic-free zone to inform the designs for this area. We will invite further comments on these designs for the potential extended area through a further public consultation in 2027.

During the trial, we have also heard about wider issues and ideas that would benefit Camden Town as a whole. If you have got more to say, we are running a separate consultation on a vision for Camden Town that will help guide investment and collaboration on future projects in the area. Play your part – share your views in the Camden Town Vision consultation today.

Feedback through our Commonplace page  received during the trial and data received from external independent monitoring that we commissioned have shown:

• People told us that removing traffic has made walking in and around the area more comfortable
• Data shows that the amount that people spend on businesses in the pedestrianised area has remained at consistent levels
• Visitor footfall – meaning the number of people measured walking on the high street – has remained mostly the same.
• Roads around Camden High Street did not see higher traffic levels overall
• Clear improvements in air quality on Camden High Street, with no significant effect on air quality on nearby roads
• Overall levels of crime fell over the course of the trial

The trial scheme forms part of our plans to establish a Low Emission Neighbourhood in Camden Town, backed by £5m of TfL Borough Safer Streets funding.

Over 70% of people in a public consultation held in 2024 said they supported pedestrianisation and the proposal to trial a motor traffic-free section of Camden High Street.

The trial has seen the removal of motor vehicles on Camden High Street, from the junction with Parkway and Kentish Town Road, in front of Camden Town Underground station, up to the junction of Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent. Buses towards Chalk Farm now travel along Kentish Town Road and then Hawley Crescent before continuing northward.

The high-level ideas for an expanded zone

• An extended pedestrianised zone on Camden High Street between Hawley Crescent and the junction with Castlehaven Road, with two-way cycling to link Arlington Road with Castlehaven Road and Chalk Farm Road.
• A new pedestrianised zone on Jamestown Road and Hawley Crescent, between Arlington Road and Stucley Place. This would create a more flexible space which can be used for business spill-out, seating, tables and chairs licences, events, etc.
• New timed loading and servicing access arrangements on Hawley Crescent and Jamestown Road. This means that at quieter times of the day, businesses can still use this space for loading and servicing.
• Bus improvement changes on Kentish Town Road from Hawley Crescent, north to Castle Road, to support diverted buses and bus journey times.  

Labour Party candidate, Nanouche Umeadi, won the by-election and is elected Councillor for the Regent’s Park ward.

View the results in full.

The election turnout was 21.93%

The teams will operate seven days a week in Holborn & Bloomsbury, Camden Town, and Kilburn. They can also be rapidly deployed to other areas across Camden as required.

The additional officers come as part of a £1million investment announced in the council’s budget earlier this year, enhancing the council’s commitment to clamping down on a range of offences such as retail crime, anti-social behaviour, drug activity, and environmental crime.

Community Safety Enforcement Officers have a broad range of powers and can issue fines for offences such as alcohol-related anti-social behaviour, illegal street trading, and fly-tipping. They may also have more powers in areas with Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs). They work in partnership with the police to gather intelligence, deter criminals, and reassure communities.

This brings the total number of Camden’s Community Safety Enforcement Officers up to 50, enhancing visibility across the whole borough and increasing resources to support residents or businesses in areas where issues may persist.

Anyone concerned about anti-social behaviour is encouraged to report issues online or call 020 7974 4444. In an emergency, call 999.

Held in the same venue that hosted Ribeiro's landmark retrospective in 1987, the exhibition brings the artist's work back to Camden nearly four decades later, offering residents and visitors a renewed opportunity to engage with his powerful artistic legacy.

Launching Camden's South Asian Heritage Month programme, the exhibition explores themes of migration, identity, memory and belonging that shaped Ribeiro's practice and continue to resonate with audiences today. Through a selection of works spanning his remarkable career, visitors will discover an artist whose bold abstractions and expressive visual language bridged cultures and experiences.

Born in Bombay, Ribeiro first came to London to study accountancy. However, his passion for art soon took over and he abandoned accountancy for life drawing classes at St Martin's School of Art, now located in Camden. Ribeiro became an important voice in post-war British art. A Retrospective Revisited honours both a significant moment in the artist's history and his enduring contribution to British and South Asian artistic heritage.

Ribeiro’s daughter, Marsha Ribeiro, said:

“I am thrilled that Camden are honouring my father’s personal and artistic journey from Bombay to NW3 - with this return to Swiss Cottage. As a long-time Belsize resident, this was not just the place of our cherished home but a thriving, vibrant and diverse area which brought him early recognition. It is therefore deeply poignant that his legacy is being celebrated as part of South Asian Heritage Month.”

The exhibition forms part of Camden's wider South Asian Heritage Month programme, now in its fourth year, and kickstarts a month of cultural celebrations across the borough. Bringing together local communities, artists, historians, performers and cultural organisations, the programme celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of South Asian communities through exhibitions, talks, food events, film screenings and live performances, creating opportunities for people to connect, learn and celebrate together.

Other highlights include South Asian Flavours, a talk with Dr Alia Amir followed by a food tasting and guided walk along Drummond Street exploring the culinary heritage of British South Asian communities; Camden Mela, a free celebration of South Asian culture featuring live music, dance and family activities; and a mural at Chadswell Healthy Living Centre, created by artist and curator Bablu Miah of Trapped in Zone One in collaboration with Camden's Bangladeshi community, celebrating their stories, cultural heritage and deep connections to the borough.

For more information on the Lancelot Ribeiro: A Retrospective Revisited exhibition and the full South Asian Heritage Month programme visit lovecamden.org/south-asian-heritage-month

Windrush and Caribbean culture is uniquely special in Camden. The North London borough served as the birthplace of the UK’s first Caribbean Carnival in 1959 – a seed which eventually blossomed into the famous annual Carnival in Notting Hill which has become one of the biggest events in the UK’s cultural calendar.

Camden Council annually invests in extensive programming for Windrush Day, showcasing local talent at the Homecoming Celebration, which on Saturday (20 June) saw a huge turnout of residents and visitors take to Talacre Town Green in Kentish Town for a jubilant day of Caribbeans rhythms, carnival costumes, arts, food, sport and more.

In the backdrop of the Homecoming Celebration, the Council unveiled four separate mixed-media artworks at Talacre Sports Community Centre. Artist Matt Small was inspired by stories and figures from Camden’s Caribbean heritage and presented them as “blossoms” representing public service, activism, cultural identity and unity.

The Blossom of Service highlights the work of Camden’s first Black mayor, Jerry Williams, who was instrumental in the development of Talacre Park to a thriving public garden. In 2003, the area was redeveloped to accommodate Talacre Community Sports Centre, which is where the mural has been unveiled in honour of Williams who is credited with the development of remarkable space that it is today.

The Blossom of Activism highlights activist Claudia Jones’ significant impact on the civil rights and welfare of British Caribbean and African communities across Britain. Claudia set up the first Black-led newspaper, The West Indian Gazette, in 1958. The following year she developed and delivered the UK’s first Caribbean Carnival at St Pancras Town Hall (now Camden Town Hall) – which was recently memorialised with a Blue Plaque.

The Blossom of Cultural Identity celebrates the impact of Caribbean culture on the UK through the Funky Dred logo of legendary Camden music collective Soul II Soul. The children and grandchildren of the Windrush generation continue to influence British arts, music, and contemporary culture from within Camden: notable figures include Jazzie B (Soul II Soul), musicians Akala and Miss Dynamite, and actor Kingsley Ben-Adir.

The One Love Blossom is a collaborative piece made with help from local Camden schools. The blossom encapsulates everything the borough of Camden represents; a multicultural haven that enables young people to grow in unity with people from many different racial and social backgrounds.

And tonight (22 June) will be the annual Pitt Lecture, held in honour of Lord David Pitt, who dedicated his life fighting against racism and discrimination and made history as the UK’s first Black parliamentary candidate, standing for Hampstead. The lecture proudly features Marcus Ryder MBE as keynote speaker, who delved into the history of Carnival, its profound connection to Camden, and its widespread legacy felt today across the UK. There are still tickets available to attend the lecture held at Camden Town Hall tonight.

Further information

Read the Camden People’s Museum exhibits of Claudia Jones and Jerry Williams. The Camden People's Museum is a digital collection of art, history and community celebrating the culture of Camden, and is managed by LoveCamden, the culture service at Camden Council.

Read about Gospel Oak artist Matt Small.

All proceeds from the Pitt Lecture will be donated to the Claudia Jones Organisation, in support of their work with the Windrush Justice Clinic - a free service which helps individuals impacted by the Windrush scandal.

That same morning, a very special mural will be unveiled outside Talacre Community Sports Centre. Artist Matt Small has created mixed-media artworks, presenting four stories or “Blossoms”, marking the distinct ways in which Camden’s Caribbean community has impacted the borough:

• The Blossom of Service highlights the work of Camden’s first Black mayor, Jerry Williams, who was instrumental in the development of Talacre Park from bombsite to public garden.
• The Blossom of Activism highlights activist Claudia Jones’ significant impact on the civil rights and welfare of British Caribbean and African communities across Britain.
• The Blossom of Cultural Identity celebrates the impact of Caribbean culture on the UK through the Funky Dred logo of Camden’s legendary music collective Soul II Soul.
• The One Love Blossom is a collaborative piece made with help from Haverstock High School, Rhyl Primary School and TAG play scheme.

The Annual Pitt Lecture at Bloomsbury studio is also returning on Monday 22 June, at Camden Town Hall – held in honour of Camden legend Lord David Pitt, who dedicated his life fighting against racism and discrimination and made history as the UK’s first Black parliamentary candidate, standing for Hampstead.

This year’s lecture marks 60 years of the Notting Hill Carnival, so will look back to its roots in Camden in 1959, when Claudia Jones and the West Indian Gazette organised Britain’s first Caribbean Carnival in response to racist attacks – recently memorialised with a Blue Plaque at Camden Town Hall.

The lecture proudly features Marcus Ryder MBE as keynote speaker, who will delve into the history of Carnival, its profound connection to Camden, and its widespread legacy felt today across the UK.

All proceeds from the lecture will be donated to the Claudia Jones Organisation, in support of their work with the Windrush Justice Clinic - a free service which helps individuals impacted by the Windrush scandal.

Further Information

Full Events Timeline

Windrush Homecoming Celebration

Saturday 20 June, 12pm–6pm, Talacre Town Green

Camden’s Homecoming Celebration returns this weekend for a vibrant day of Caribbean rhythms, carnival costumes, arts, crafts, sports and food.

Line up:

• DJ Matt White
• Wookie
• Nu Establishment
• Paulette Tajah
• Mahogany Carnival Arts Parade
• Camden Music Service Youth Steel Band

Camden Blossoms: Artwork Unveiling

Saturday 20 June

This series of four mixed-media artworks explores stories from Camden’s Caribbean communities, celebrating public service, activism, cultural identity and unity.

• The Blossom of Service honours Camden’s first Black Mayor, Jerry Williams, whose leadership helped transform Talacre Park from a bombsite into a public garden. It also celebrates ongoing public service within Camden’s Caribbean community.
• The Blossom of Activism recognises Claudia Jones and her pivotal role in advancing civil rights for Caribbean and African communities in Britain. Founder of The West Indian Gazette (1958), she also organised the UK’s first Caribbean Carnival at St Pancras Town Hall, inspiring today’s Notting Hill Carnival.
• The Blossom of Cultural Identity celebrates the global influence of Caribbean culture through the iconic Soul II Soul ‘Funky Dred’ logo, reflecting the impact of Caribbean music, fashion and art.
• The One Love Blossom is a collaborative piece created with students from Haverstock High School, Rhyl Primary School and TAG Play Scheme, celebrating Camden as a diverse and inclusive borough.

The Annual Pitt Lecture 2026: Marcus Ryder MBE: Carnival at 60 – Equity, Justice and Representation

Monday 22 June, 7pm–9pm; Claudia Jones Room, Camden Town Hall

Join an evening of reflection and celebration at the Annual Pitt Lecture, a flagship event in Camden Council’s cultural programme.

In January 1959, Claudia Jones and colleagues organised the UK’s first Caribbean Carnival at Camden Town Hall in response to racist attacks on Caribbean communities. This landmark event later inspired the Notting Hill Carnival, which now attracts around one million people annually.

Marking 60 years of Notting Hill Carnival, this year’s lecture explores its legacy, impact on cultural identity, and its role in ongoing conversations around equality, social justice and reparative justice.

Marcus Ryder MBE (RADA Chair) will deliver a 30 minute keynote covering:

• The historical origins of the Notting Hill Carnival, links to Camden and carnival as a site of cultural expression, protest, and celebration
• Carnival’s contribution to debates on equality, inclusion, and belonging in Camden and across the UK past present and future
• Reparations and reparative justice, Camden’s links wealth generating from the enslavement and trafficking of African people.
• How cultural events, media platforms, and institutions can better support diverse voices and more equitable representation
• What the legacy of the Carnival offers for future approaches to social change, cultural policy, and inclusive storytelling 

Windrush Podcasts

Camden Council has produced a series of podcast episodes for Windrush Day, titled Camden’s Windrush Tales. These feature interviews with Windrush descendants, community leaders, activists and experts, exploring the history, challenges and ongoing legacy of the Windrush generation.

Contributors include:

• Beryl Joseph – Camden resident and Windrush elder
• Walter Osbourne – Camden resident and Windrush elder
• Darla-Jane Gilroy – Daughter of Beryl Gilroy, Camden’s first Black headteacher
• Angela Beale – Daughter of Jerry Williams, Camden’s first Black Mayor

Listen to the Windrush Podcasts here. 

The national award celebrates libraries that go above and beyond to welcome refugees, people seeking asylum and others new to the UK, offering not only access to learning and information, but also community, connection and support.

The recognition comes as Camden marks the start of Refugee Week (15 to 21 June) with a vibrant programme of events across its libraries and community spaces, celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugee communities.

Throughout Refugee Week, residents are invited to take part in a wide range of free activities covering creative workshops and exhibitions, to music, storytelling and community events. Highlights include Portrait(s) of Camden, a large-scale community quilt created by more than 500 residents celebrating the borough’s diversity and creativity, and Words in Flames, an international touring exhibition presented in partnership with the Artists Support Ukraine Foundation and Port of Culture, which explores the devastation of Ukrainian libraries and publishing during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The Libraries of Sanctuary award was announced at the Words in Flames exhibition’s launch, which featured a Bandura music workshop marking Ukraine’s national instrument, led by Iryna Rodionova, Director of the Bandura Music Academy in London. The event also included a presentation of authentic embroidered Ukrainian shirts from the Sumy, Chernihiv and Poltava regions.

Camden has a longstanding commitment to being a Borough of Sanctuary, working with local partners to support people rebuilding their lives after being forced to flee their homes. From providing access to services and education, to creating opportunities for community participation, the borough continues to take an active stand against racism and discrimination in all its forms.

The Libraries of Sanctuary award, awarded by City of Sanctuary UK, recognises Camden libraries’ work in creating inclusive, welcoming environments, including offering tailored support, hosting community-led events and celebrating the cultures and experiences of residents from around the world.

A spokesperson for City of Sanctuary UK said:

“City of Sanctuary UK is delighted to award Camden Libraries in recognition of their outstanding commitment to creating welcoming, inclusive and safe spaces for everyone in their community. Their work demonstrates how libraries can lead the way in building community, dignity and belonging, and sets a strong example of good practice across the sector.”

Refugee Week provides a powerful moment to bring these values to life, with libraries across Camden opening their doors to residents of all backgrounds to share stories, experiences and creativity.

To find out more about Refugee Week events in Camden libraries, visit the website.

A launch event took place on Thursday 11 June to celebrate the success of the project and showcase the newly developed areas to partners and community groups.

Strengthening the centre’s role as Camden’s hub for learning and development in sport and fitness, the redevelopment now accommodates more than twice as many students and includes a new purpose-built gymnasium with specialist equipment designed to support younger gymnasts and residents with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities).

During the event, attendees were treated to a performance from members of the Camden Gymnastics Club, who trained at Talacre from the age of 3 and previously qualified to compete at Women’s Artistic Gymnastics British Championships.

In attendance was Camden Council Leader Sagal Abdi-Wali and Cllr Pat Callaghan, Camden’s Cabinet Member for Community Resilience. Both gave speeches praising the renovations at Talacre Sports Community Centre as a major enhancement to local sport, leisure, and wellbeing for Camden’s residents and visitors.

Sustainability has also been a key component of the redevelopment, having been delivered in line with the Council’s carbon reduction programme – meaning the centre’s carbon emissions are now near net-zero.

Cllr James Slater, the new Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden, spoke to attendees about aspects of the project that were delivered through the Council’s Green Space Investment Programme, namely the refurbished play area and improved landscaping works connecting the Centre to Talacre Town Green.

Key improvements delivered

• A dedicated classroom for Sports Education and Training accommodating up to 45 young people
• A new gymnasium with a capacity of 15 designed to support younger gymnasts and residents with SEND
• A new exercise studio as large as 1.5 badminton courts for classes and community programmes
• A new play area catering for a wider range of ages and abilities
• A new park entrance and public realm that connects the Sports Centre and Talacre Town Green.
• New community room space
• A new, park facing cafe and public toilets, accessed by new doors opening onto Talacre Town Green.
• A new Changing Places facility
• Replacement of the sports hall floor and wider refurbishment works throughout the building

The redevelopment was made possible following a successful bid to the Government’s Local Regeneration Fund.

Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, joined the event and hailed the redeveloped Talacre Community Sports Centre as a milestone success of the Fund:

Additional funding contributions were provided by the Council, the London Marathon Foundation, and the HS2 Community and Business Funds, with the total project valued at £5.4million.

Further information

Located between Kentish Town and Chalk Farm, Talacre in Camden is a renowned community success story. The 2.5 acre site was transformed in the 1970s into a community park.

The park's Talacre Play Centre opened in 1975, founded by Jerry Williams, who became Camden's first Black mayor. In 2003, the area was redeveloped to accommodate Talacre Community Sports Centre.

Later this month, a very special mural will be unveiled outside Talacre Community Sports Centre. Artist Matt Small has created mixed-media artworks, presenting four stories or “Blossoms” from our Caribbean communities’ public service, activism, cultural identity and unity. “The Blossom of Service” artwork will highlight the work of Camden’s first Black mayor, Jerry Williams, who was instrumental in the development of Talacre Park to the remarkable space that it is today.

Camden is committed to promoting sustainable travel options but understands how inappropriate parking of dockless hire bikes can block access to footways for residents and businesses and in doing so cause unnecessary and inconvenient street clutter.

To this end the newly agreed procurement strategy places a greater emphasis on service quality to ensure the best possible dockless bike hire operation for our communities, and strengthens the obligations for monitoring, reporting and enforcing services from the companies involved.

Camden currently has contracts with two operators which started in June 2023 and end in June 2027. These new contracts are needed to ensure residents and visitors to Camden have continued access to dockless hire bikes. The duration of the contracts will be five years from June 2027, including a break clause after two years.

Camden continues to robustly enforce a no tolerance approach; our team have been busy enforcing the removal and storage of obstructive bikes as part of their regular inspections as well as issuing Fixed Penalty Notices if appropriate.

The primary aim of this enforcement approach is to encourage operators to take greater responsibility for how their bikes are parked and to respond quickly when bikes are reported as being parked irresponsibly. The new contracts provide an opportunity to strengthen and improve our dockless bike hire operations in the Borough.

• You can read more information regarding the procurement strategy online. This decision is subject to a call-in period.
• To date, the council have created a comprehensive network of 226 dedicated dockless hire bike parking bays, the majority of which are on the carriageway to protect valuable pedestrian space and are continuing to build out that network.
• To date 2,001 bikes have been impounded – using the council’s powers under Section 149 of the Highways Act 1980, which allow the council to remove items causing obstruction on the highway and to recover the costs of removal and storage from operators. Under this process, operators are charged £150 per bike removed and £25 per day for the storage of each bike. The council has also issued 57 Fixed Penalty Notices issued to operators since August 2025 under Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 for obstruction of the highway. Camden’s approach is to give operators at least two hours’ notice to remove a poorly parked bike before a FPN is issued. In most cases bikes are moved within that period.
• Dockless hire bikes contribute towards the Camden Transport Strategy Delivery Plan, Camden Clean Air Action Plan 2023-2026 and the latest Camden Climate Action Plan (2026-2030)

A public consultation earlier this year with residents, businesses, and visitors found that intimidating behaviour caused by street drinking is a concern for people in Camden.

The introduction of the PSPO gives the police and council enforcement officers increased powers to act against anyone irresponsibly drinking alcohol in public. The new restrictions come as part of the council’s continued work to tackle anti-social behaviour across the borough.

The PSPO requires anyone to stop drinking alcohol if requested to do so by an officer and to surrender any alcohol, or anything an officer believes to be alcohol, which will be disposed of. Any breach of these conditions is a criminal offence and would result in a fixed penalty notice of £100. A person committing the offence will have 28 days to pay the fixed penalty, otherwise they may be prosecuted.

Enforcement officers will also work closely with partner organisations to refer any vulnerable people to appropriate support services where needed, including alcohol and substance misuse teams, rough sleeping support, and safeguarding.

The new restrictions will cover all streets and public spaces in the borough apart from Hampstead Heath, which is managed by City of London Corporation.

The PSPO will be in place from July 2026. After three years it will require a review before any possible further extension.

Anyone concerned about anti-social behaviour is encouraged to report issues online or call 0207 974 4444. In an emergency, call 999.

The Camden Schools Art Biennale will return from 14 to 26 July 2026, following the success of its inaugural event in 2024.

The two-week exhibition will once again take place at the Lethaby Gallery at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London (UAL), showcasing the creativity of pupils from schools across the borough. Located in King’s Cross – one of London’s leading centres for creativity and innovation – the Biennale will bring together schools, artists and cultural organisations from across Camden.

The Biennale is a partnership between Camden Council, Central Saint Martins (UAL) and Camden Learning. It plays a key role in supporting the council’s ambition to strengthen arts education, broaden opportunities for children and young people, and raise standards in creative teaching and learning across schools. The programme is supported by John Lyon’s Charity, The King’s Cross Group, Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne and Camden STEAM.

Rathna Ramanathan, Provost of Central Saint Martins and Executive Dean of Global Affairs, said:

“Creativity shapes not only what we make, but how we live. The Camden Schools Art Biennale begins from that conviction, and from a simple belief: we all have a right to imagine. Central Saint Martins, working with Camden Council and Camden Learning, is helping every young person in our borough see art as a way of making sense of the world, and changing it. Come and meet Camden’s young artists.”

Dame Jane Roberts DBE, Chair of Camden Learning, said: 

“What a fabulous and joyful opportunity to celebrate the creativity of Camden students! In a borough rich with art, design and creative activity, the Biennale offers brilliant opportunities to deepen the partnership between its schools and creative organisations, opening up all sorts of possibilities for our young people. Not to be missed!”

The second edition has expanded opportunities for participation and outreach across Camden’s schools. Over 20 art organisations and artists have delivered arts programmes in the lead-up to the Biennale, enriching the curriculum and developing works for the exhibition itself.

The Biennale will feature hundreds of artworks - including sculpture, painting, drawing and film created by pupils across every key stage of learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage, primary and special education through to secondary and A-Level.

For 2026, a new 2D ‘sculpture park’ will extend across the Kings Cross estate, bringing young people’s work beyond the gallery for the first time. Alongside the exhibition, a free public events programme at the Lethaby Gallery will invite families, teachers and young people to take part in creative workshops, talks and activities exploring art and making across disciplines.

The programme includes hands-on workshops, artist-led sessions, youth-focused career pathways events and opportunities to engage directly with the exhibition and its makers, aiming to open access to creative learning beyond the classroom while strengthening connections between schools, practitioners and the wider public.

The 2026 Biennale will highlight how art connects Camden’s diverse communities, strengthening links between schools, artists, families and local cultural organisations.

Meg Jones, Headteacher at Kingsgate Primary School, said: 

“The Camden Art Biennale has been a phenomenal catalyst for creativity within our school, providing an exciting forum that has truly ignited a passion for the arts among our pupils. They see themselves as artists. By collaborating directly with professional artists, our staff have gained invaluable insights and a legacy of enhanced skills. This professional growth ensures that the impact of the Biennale will resonate throughout our classrooms, benefiting our pupils and enriching our curriculum for many years to come.”

Through its exhibition and outreach programme, the Biennale continues to raise the profile of art teaching across the borough, encouraging young people to see creative practice not only as a form of self-expression but as a viable pathway into future careers. This reflects Camden Council’s wider STEAM ambitions, strengthening connections between schools and the borough’s thriving creative and cultural industries.

Find out more at the website.

The Council served breach of condition notices requiring their removal in March this year. This follows the successful removal of 19 phone boxes on Tottenham Court Road in 2023.

With the growth in mobile phone ownership, use of public telephone boxes has declined. Seldom used, many are now largely redundant with low call numbers and in a poor condition which often attracts vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

We will continue to work proactively to identify unused or neglected telephone boxes and take appropriate action to seek their removal.

The six notices were issued to BT phone boxes, and the following five have now been removed

• EN25/0140 - pavement outside 18 Bayham Street
• EN25/0141 - pavement outside 88 Camden High Street
• EN25/0959 - pavement outside 88 Camden High Street
• EN25/0142 - pavement outside 99-101 Camden High Street
• EN25/0945 - pavement outside 99 -101 Camden High Street

The BT phone box on the pavement outside 10 Chalk Farm Road (EN25/0893) is expected to be removed in due course, following the removal of the other unauthorised phone boxes in the area. The Council continues to engage with BT regarding its removal.

Under Condition A.2 (2) of Part 24 Class A of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended), telecommunications apparatus must be removed as soon as reasonably practicable once it is no longer required for telecommunications purposes. The notices require BT to remove the public call boxes and repair the pavement.

Having also now received a request by two registered voters to hold a by-election for this one vacancy, this is now in the process of being arranged. The Returning Officer has indicated his desire to hold the poll on Thursday 9 July 2026.

Further details of the process will appear on our website over the coming weeks.

Councillor Abdi-Wali was first elected as a councillor in 2022 and was most recently Cabinet Member for Better Homes. In this role she drove forward the Council’s work to ensure people across Camden are living in safe, warm, well-maintained homes, while championing the role of Camden’s estates and neighbourhoods as places where people can connect, belong and thrive.  

Councillor Abdi-Wali is the borough’s first Black woman Leader. Sagal arrived in Camden as a child refugee and has since been a life-long resident of the borough. Sagal helped to lead Camden’s work towards achieving Borough of Sanctuary accreditation in 2024.

Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali, Leader of Camden Council, said: 

“Camden has been my home for 35 years. It is the place that gave my family sanctuary, that welcomed us, and that has shaped so much of who I am, what I stand for and what inspired my commitment to public service and to working for the community that welcomed us.

“Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with so many different communities across our borough and through this I have gained invaluable insights into what makes Camden such a unique place. I have seen not only the diversity, strength and resilience of our residents, but also the challenges and deep inequalities they continue to face.

 “And it is because of those experiences that I stand committed to working day and night to fight for social justice and to deliver meaningful change that will support our community’s access to the best opportunities, enabling them to have better and brighter futures.

“I want to build on the amazing work delivered in previous administrations, because despite great successes, there is more work to be done, and we know that our communities are facing unprecedented challenges.

“We continue to see rising demand for council services, families being deeply impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, and deepening inequalities in our communities, and we cannot allow this to continue and that is the reason why I choose to be a councillor. It is our duty to ensure that we improve the lives of our residents.

“That means continuing to invest in youth opportunities, welfare support, affordable and good quality housing, neighbourhood services, community safety, food security, and pathways into good employment. We will work to ensure that the council remains financially resilient so that we can continue delivering the highest quality services and support for our residents. 

“We must also work together to protect the social fabric of our borough tackle the rise in divisive politics and the attempted erosion of community cohesion and protect the social fabric of our borough.

“Camden is one of the most diverse places in the country and has always been shaped by migration, diversity, activism and solidarity. This is one of our greatest strengths, not something we merely tolerate, but something we will actively value and protect.”

The Leader as appointed her cabinet as follows:

• Councillor Patricia Callaghan as Cabinet Member for Community Resilience
• Councillor Adam Harrison as Cabinet Member for Safer Communities
• Councillor Camron Aref-Adib as Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living
• Councillor Anna Wright as Cabinet Member for Better Homes and Homelessness Prevention
• Councillor Kemi Atolagbe as Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Adult Social Care
• Councillor Marcus Boyland as Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families
• Councillor Sabrina Francis as Cabinet Member for Jobs, Young People and Culture
• Councillor Nasrine Djemai as Cabinet Member for New Homes and Community Investment
• Councillor James Slater as Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden

Councillor Abdi-Wali will lead the Council’s work to secure the best possible opportunities for a regenerated Euston, including new homes and jobs, from the Euston Station redevelopment that will be the terminus for High Speed 2, supported by Cllr Slater and Cllr Djemai.

Cllr Pat Callaghan and Cllr Adam Harrison will also provide support as Deputy Leaders.

Women at The Well provides practical support and advocacy for women, specialising in working with women whose lives have been affected by sexual exploitation. Donate to the Mayor's fundraiser for Women at The Well. 

The charity opened in King’s Cross in 2007 and is a women’s day centre and outreach service for women facing multiple disadvantages. It has a specialism in working with women whose lives are affected by prostitution, trafficking and related forms of sexual exploitation. They run a no appointment women only drop-in service with hot food, showers and laundry, and offer long-term one to one support and advocacy.

Councillor Tricia Leman, Mayor of Camden, said: 

“It is a privilege to be Mayor of Camden, a borough of sanctuary where all are welcomed and where we share a proud tradition of diversity and inclusion. In Camden, we actively tackle injustice and inequality, and work to create safe strong communities for everyone.

“Women at The Well is my chosen Mayor’s charity that provides practical support and advocacy for women who have been affected by sexual exploitation. In my mayoral year I want to raise awareness across the borough of the important ongoing work the Council and my chosen charity Women at The Well are doing. I want to ensure that we’re all aware of the signs of domestic abuse, and know where to go for support and advice, so we can guide and direct women who need help and help them access support or training if needed.

“During my mayoral year, I’ll champion the fight to end violence against women and girls and raise awareness of the work we are doing in Camden to challenge discrimination and misogyny wherever it occurs.”

Sarah Green, CEO Women at The Well, said: 

“Women at the Well is delighted to have been chosen as the Mayor’s Charity for her year in office. We feel this shows real solidarity with local women who have often faced difficulties since their childhoods. We will use this spotlight with the Mayor, Cllr Leman to show that dedicated, one-to-one support is the key to no woman being left behind in Camden, and we urge local businesses, employers and members of the community to reach out to us and share our hope for better, safer futures for women of all ages and backgrounds.”

Cllr Tricia Leman grew up in South Wales in a single parent family and experienced the impact of domestic abuse on family life. Her school was an important source of support and encouragement, and she became the first in her family to go to a university. She is a lifelong feminist and has served as a member of the Trade Union Congress National Women’s Committee campaigning to defend women’s rights in employment and to close the gender pay gap. Tricia has lived in Camden for over 36 years and raised her family here.

Before being elected as the Mayor of Camden, Cllr Leman held several roles within the Council including Deputy Mayor and served as a member of the Council Scrutiny Committees for Children, Schools and Families; and Health and Social Care. She was also a member of the Council’s Licensing Committee, where she has supported the “Ask for Angela” campaign.

“We believe in bringing people together and our focus will always be on strengthening the sense of community and belonging that makes Camden such a special place. We are proud to be a Borough of Sanctuary – we welcome those fleeing conflict, disaster and persecution and we help them to rebuild their lives with Camden as their home.

"This march will have a direct impact on neighbourhoods and businesses located on the route, but it will also bring concern all across our Borough. In Camden we stand together against hate, division and hostility.

“We witnessed violent scenes and deeply concerning rhetoric during a similar march in September - this goes against everything our Borough stands for. Along with our partners, we will be there for our communities, to protect them and support them. We will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our residents against all forms of hate and division.”

To report a hate crime

• If someone is in danger call the Police on 999. For non-emergencies call 101 or visit your local police station.
• For information on how to report online through the Police and trusted partner organisations, visit: www.camden.gov.uk/hate-crime
• Call the Council on 020 7974 4444.
• Even if you don’t report a hate crime straight away, please do report it.

Things you can do to support others in your community 

• Check in on each other: Even a small gesture like checking in on a neighbour can go a long way.
• Report your concerns: If you witness hateful behaviour, please report it and ask the affected person or people if they are ok if it’s safe to do so.
• Take care of yourself: If you experience hateful behaviour or a hate crime, please get support – see more information on this above.
• Stay connected: Camden is home to supportive voluntary and community sector organisations, faith buildings, libraries and other places where you can go to relax, meet up with others and get involved in free or low-cost activities. Find out more at: www.camden.gov.uk/WarmWelcome

We work closely with the police throughout the year to monitor events and protests and Council staff will be on duty throughout the day. The following arrangements are in place:

• Police presence throughout the Kings Cross and Euston Corridor, as well as the route of the demonstration and key sites along the route.
• Police and Camden licensing officers have visited establishments within the Kings Cross and Euston corridor to ensure steps are taking to keep people safe, including serving drinks in plastic cups and adhering to licensing legislation. Some establishments have decided to close.
• Camden’s environmental services will be cleaning streets along the route after the protest

The full results can now be read on our website. 

Follow @CamdenCouncil to view the results in the order they were declared.

The deadlines to register to vote, apply to vote by post or by proxy, or to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate have passed.

Eligibility

You can vote in the local elections if you registered to vote by the deadline (Monday 20 April, 23.59pm), you’re 18 or over on polling day and a British or an Irish citizen, or if you’re a qualifying Commonwealth or EU citizen living in Camden.

Check eligibility to vote in the local elections on the GOV.UK website

Photo ID

If you vote at a polling station, you will need to show original photo ID. You can use expired ID as long as you still look like the photo. Your name on your ID should be the same name you used to register.

Accepted forms of photo ID include:

• Passport
• Driving licence
• Blue Badge
• Oyster 60+ card
• Freedom Pass
• Proof of Age (PASS) card

Check the full list of accepted ID on the GOV.UK website

The elections

About the local elections
The London Borough of Camden is split into 20 areas called wards. Three councillors represent 15 wards, while two councillors represent Camden Square, Camden Town, Frognal, Hampstead Town and Kentish Town North due to size.

You can cast two or three votes depending on the number of councillors representing your ward. Follow the instructions on the top of your ballot paper to vote.

Read the lists of candidates and find your ward at whocanivotefor.co.uk 

Polling stations
Polls open between 7am and 10pm on polling day. As long as you are in the polling station queue by 10pm, you will still be allowed to vote. Find your polling station at wheredoivote.co.uk or on your poll card.

Please note that these polling stations have changed:

• The polling station at Acol Bridge Club for the South Hampstead ward has moved to St James' Church Hall, 2 Sherriff Road, NW6 2AP
• The polling station at RADA Studios for the Bloomsbury ward has moved to Chamber (entrance via Pied Bull Yard), 12 Bloomsbury Square, WC1A 2LP

Accessibility
We want to make sure that everyone in Camden can exercise their democratic right to vote. Our polling stations are accessible and there’s a range of support and tools available to help you vote independently.

Find out more about accessible voting

Lost poll card
You do not need your poll card to vote on polling day. As long as you registered to vote by the deadline, your name will be on the electoral register. Simply arrive at your polling station, let the staff know your name and address and show your photo ID.

Dogs in polling stations
Dogs are allowed into many of our polling stations. However, it is at the building owner’s discretion. If there is clear signage in place that states dogs are not allowed, then we ask that you respect these wishes. Guide and assistance dogs are exempt from these rules and are allowed into all polling stations.

Photo policy
We ask that you refrain from taking photos inside polling stations. This is to make sure that you do not break strict laws around the secrecy of the ballot. However, you are welcome to take photos outside our polling stations if you’re excited to share them with friends and family over social media.

Postal vote

The deadline to register to vote by post for these elections has passed. If you have registered to vote by post, your postal vote packs are being sent out.

Postal votes will only be counted if they are returned before 10pm on Thursday 7 May.

Find your nearest Royal Mail post box and collection times on the Royal Mail website

If you are concerned that your postal vote might not arrive in time, you can hand it in in person at any polling station in Camden or Camden Town Hall (Judd Street, WC1H 9JE) until 10pm on Thursday 7 May. You can also hand it in to Camden Town Hall from 9.30am to 5pm on other weekdays in the lead up to the election.

A form will need to be completed if you hand in a postal vote. Please do not put postal votes in any of the council offices letter boxes or they will be rejected.

If you have lost or damaged your postal vote, a replacement can be issued until 5pm on Thursday 7 May. Please email Electoral Services at electoral.services@camden.gov.uk or phone 020 7974 4444.

Proxy vote

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote has passed. There may be certain circumstances where you must attend to an emergency on polling day and cannot vote in person. Under these circumstances, an emergency proxy vote may be available to you. Please contact electoral.services@camden.gov.uk or call 020 974 4444 before 5pm on polling day.

Voter ID FAQs

What if my appearance has changed on my photo ID?
If you look totally different on your ID, we recommend that you apply for a Voter Authority Certificate before the deadline to prevent you from not being able to vote.

Can I use a poll card as ID?
No, it must be an accepted form of photo ID. Check the full list on the GOV.UK website

Can I get a Voter Authority Certificate on the day?
No, applications for Voter Authority Certificates will not be accepted after the deadline – 5pm on Tuesday 28 April.  

My name is different on my photo ID to the electoral register – what should I do?
If you are in any doubt about whether your identification will be accepted, please contact electoral.services@camden.gov.uk

What if I lose my Voter Authority Certificate?
We recommend you keep your Voter Authority Certificate as safe as you would any other form of official identification. However, if this happens, please contact electoral.services@camden.gov.uk 

Can I use an expired photo ID?
Yes, as long as you still look like the photo and it is an accepted form of ID.  

My passport or driving licence show the wrong address, will it be accepted?
Yes, as long as you still look like the photo. The photo ID is to check your identity, not your address.

I would like my identity checked in private, is this possible?
Yes, all polling stations will have procedures in place for voters who wish to have their identity checked in private.

Voter ID resources in accessible formats

Find information about voter ID in accessible formats including braille, audio, large print, BSL and easy read on the Electoral Commission website

View Voter Authority Certificate: an easy read guide on the GOV.UK website 

Jon Rowney, Chief Executive of Camden Council, said:

 “This appalling antisemitic attack on two innocent men in Golders Green is deeply distressing for all of us in Camden. Our thoughts are with the men who have been attacked and with everyone affected by this.

"We stand with all residents, particularly those in our Jewish communities who I know will be very fearful following this attack. We are committed to doing all we can to make sure you are safe and that you feel safe.

“Together with the police, we are carrying out high visibility patrols both around our synagogues and faith sites, and in the neighbourhoods close to the borough boundary with Barnet. We are also speaking to Jewish faith leaders and other faith organisations to understand their concerns and offer reassurance and support to communities.

“No one in our communities should face violence, intimidation or threats - whether physical or verbal. Camden is no place for hate and we are here to support you.

“If you or anyone you know has experienced intimidation, threats, violence or hate then please do report it.  We stand with you and we are here to help."

 To report a hate crime:

• If someone is in danger call the Police on 999. For non-emergencies call 101 or visit your local police station.
• For information on how to report online through the Police and trusted partner organisations, visit: www.camden.gov.uk/hate-crime
• Call the Council on 020 7974 4444
• Even if you don’t report a hate crime straight away, please do report

Councillor Richard Olszewski, Leader of Camden Council, said: “It is desperately sad and tragic that this young man has died in these circumstances. All our thoughts are with his family and friends grieving his loss.

“This incident happened at a busy point in the park, and I encourage anyone who may have seen it or has information about this incident to speak to the Police or anonymously to Crimestoppers.

“I know many residents living in this area will feel shaken by what has happened. We want you to be safe and feel safe.

“We have increased our community safety patrols in the area, and they are on the ground with the Neighbourhood Police teams to provide protection, support and reassurance to both residents and people visiting Primrose Hill, for the foreseeable future. We will also be joining with our local community organisations to offer support and reassurance.” 

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting CAD 6448/07Apr, or, to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

If you experience or see a hate crime, or any behaviour that’s hateful and harmful, we’re here for you.

To report a hate crime:

• If someone is in danger call the Police on 999. For non-emergencies call 101 or visit your local police station.
• For information on how to report online through the Police and trusted partner organisations, visit: www.camden.gov.uk/hate-crime
• Call the Council on 020 7974 4444
• Even if you don’t report a hate crime straight away, please do report it

Update 24 March 2026

We amended the first line of this message to make clear that Hatzola is an organisation providing support to all communities.

The measures agreed are:

• Offering a two-year waiver on parking permit fees for car club operators deploying vehicles at new car club locations, including non-electric vehicles.
• Adopting a standard Memorandum of Understanding that sets out the basis on which car club operators are permitted to operate.
• For residents who are members of our Permit2CarClub scheme, we will remove any restrictions applied to their council parking accounts that previously prevented them for applying for a residential parking permit due to scheme participation.

Launched in April 2025, the pilot provides a £500 unconditional grant to low-income families in their third trimester. Camden is the first place in the UK to offer this type of proactive pregnancy grant. It uses NHS and council data to identify eligible parents and reach out directly, removing the need for any application.

So far, more than 350 parents have received the £500 grant. Early evidence shows that the extra support is relieving financial pressure at a time when everyday costs are rising and helping parents prepare for a new baby. Parents who received the grant describe it as a “burden lifted”, helping them to buy essential baby items such as prams and cribs, meet the rising cost of nappies and clothing, or cover pressing household bills.

Following the positive early findings from the interim evaluation by Nesta, the innovation and research foundation, Camden has committed to extending the evaluated pilot until October 2026 and continuing the grant scheme until March 2027.

The pilot was set up in response to the high cost of living facing families, and the growing number of children living in low-income households both nationally and in Camden. Pregnancy can bring unexpected costs, and research shows unconditional financial support during this time can reduce health risks and improve longer term wellbeing.

The evaluation findings show that parents found the grant process smooth and valued the support of a Family Navigator, a friendly point of contact who helped connect them with free services through Camden’s Children’s Centres and Family Hubs. This includes midwifery and health visiting, baby feeding support, parenting classes, mental health and wellbeing support, benefits and money advice, nursery places and childcare, and drop-in sessions for under 5s. Parents said these conversations boosted their awareness of local services and made them more likely to engage with support during pregnancy and early parenthood.

This pilot shows the difference that early, proactive support can make at a key moment in parents’ lives. To help other areas learn from Camden’s experience, the Council and Nesta have published a toolkit explaining how the programme was developed. Visit the website to find out more.

This initiative forms part of Raise Camden, Camden Council’s partnership innovation programme to combat child health equity in Camden. More information is available here: camden.gov.uk/raise-camden

The first phase of potential blocks for this investment has been identified. These will undergo detailed assessment to confirm they are suitable ahead of solar panels and battery storage being fitted so that residents can benefit from lower bills. Future phases will consider other measures such as heat pumps.

We also launched our new Climate Action Plan for 2026 to 2030 in January. Building on our achievements of our previous action plan, we have set out a comprehensive framework for how we will work with our partners and communities to reduce emissions, build the borough’s climate resilience and at the same time improve the day-to-day lives of our residents.

The blocks identified for the initial investigation are:

Over the last five years, the council’s now-complete Green Space Investment Programme delivered over £12m of capital investment into Camden green spaces, including accessibility changes during that period. To achieve this, the council identified which parks needed the most investment and then matched available funding, including Section 106 secured by the council from local construction development, Local Community Infrastructure Levy, and other sources.

Our new Green Space Investment Programme continues our successful approach of identifying areas in Camden most at need and then matching funding sources to deliver the best possible outcomes for our communities.

Councillor Harrison continued:

“Through the Green Space Investment Programme, we have already delivered a wide range of projects that have directly addressed inclusivity and accessibility. These include step-free access to St Pancras Gardens, Waterlow Park and Harben Estate Multi Use Games Area; landscape improvements and a new accessible toilet at Talacre Town Green; and sensory and accessible play equipment at Hilgrove Estate and Antrim Gardens.

“Our extensive Green Space Survey, which we held last year, has helped us to better understand some of the barriers that can hinder access to our green spaces and the benefits they offer. These insights are guiding our planned improvements as an integral part of our investment programme, hand in hand with engaging with residents on specifically on each individual project.”

Forthcoming accessibility improvements to our green spaces include:

• Kilburn Grange play area – Accessible play equipment to be added to the junior playground, as well as sensory planting
• Cantelowes Gardens – Accessible play equipment to be added and refurbishing the playground
• Maygrove Peace Park – Accessible outdoor gym equipment to be installed and handrail fitted to steps
• Russell Nurseries – Improved access and handrails fitted
• Primrose Gardens – Introducing step-free access into the park with improved surfacing in the central area 

For more information on parks and green spaces in Camden visit: Parks and green spaces - Camden Council

With the growth in mobile phone ownership, use of public telephone kiosks has declined. Seldom used, many are now largely redundant with low call numbers and in a poor condition which often attracts vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

This follows the successful removal of 19 phone boxes on Tottenham Court Road in 2023.

We will continue to work proactively to identify unused or neglected call boxes and take appropriate action where necessary to improve the borough’s streets and public realm.

The six notices have been issued to the following BT phone boxes:

• EN25/0893 - pavement outside 10 Chalk Farm Road
• EN25/0140 - pavement outside 18 Bayham Street
• EN25/0141 - pavement outside 88 Camden High Street
• EN25/0959 - pavement outside 88 Camden High Street
• EN25/0142 - pavement outside 99-101 Camden High Street
• EN25/0945 - pavement outside 99 -101 Camden High Street

Under Condition A.2 (2) of Part 24 Class A of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended), telecommunications apparatus must be removed as soon as reasonably practicable once it is no longer required for telecommunications purposes. The notices require BT to remove the public call boxes and repair the pavement.

Cllr Camron Aref-Adib, Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living, has written why this approach would help London to retain its place as a world-class visitor destination and ensure that the communities who host millions of visitors each year see benefits from that success. 

Camden’s Food Mission is reshaping the local food system by helping residents access, enjoy, and make positive, empowered choices about food - from buying and preparing it to eating and disposing of waste. This year’s Camden Challenge Prize encouraged people to generate ideas to support this.

The winners were chosen following an exciting Pitch Day where finalists presented the prototypes they developed over three months and demonstrated how they used their £5,000 grants to advance their ideas to tackle food waste in Camden’s Hospitality and Food Service sector.

A panel of experts in innovation, sustainability and food systems assessed each project on impact, feasibility and benefits to residents. The judging panel included representatives from Google UK, Moree Limited, Nesta Challenge Works, The Sustainable Restaurant Association, the Camden Food Mission and even a pastry chef from Claridge’s.

Throughout the prototyping phase, Soil Systems showcased an ambitious and community-rooted model for transforming food waste into nutrient-rich soil pellets, ‘Earth Shots’, through a fast, odour-free fermentation process, creating a circular link between restaurants and local growers. Judges praised the team’s passion and commitment to working with local businesses and growers, noting that their model would not only reduce food waste but also provide a more sustainable alternative to peat for farms, allotments and gardens.

Soil Systems founder Amy Agnew said:

“The whole team at Soil Systems is so proud and excited to be continuing our work in partnership with Camden Council. We have had incredible support from the Camden community - the brilliant hospitality businesses who have given us their food waste, the enthusiastic growers who will be testing our food waster fertiliser this Spring, and the local garden centres helping us bring our product to market. We can't wait to build our first showcase model in Camden, before scaling the system across London and beyond.”

Limetrack impressed the panel with their waste tracking platform designed to reduce commercial and community food waste. Their SMART wheelie bins automatically and cost-effectively record valuable food-waste data, providing hospitality businesses with precise, actionable insights by integrating food-waste data with Electronic Point of Sale systems. Judges noted the clarity of the intervention, which fits seamlessly into existing kitchen and front-of-house systems and provides useful data with minimal effort from busy staff.

Limetrack founder Andy King said:

“We are very excited to be selected as one of the Camden Challenge Prize Winners. Making it easy for any organisation to reduce food waste is Limetrack’s goal, and this grant award is a massive boost to that journey. Thanks to the Camden team for helping shape a future with less food waste.”

Camden will work with the winners over the next year as they scale and continue to develop their work.

For more information on the Camden Challenge Prize, visit wemakecamden.org.uk/camden-challenge-prize

The Fund is aimed at businesses that support and empower young people in Camden to thrive by ensuring equitable access to jobs, training, and other economic opportunities.  

OneHive is a London-based ‘tech for good’ Community Investment Company. They run an online platform that supports charities and not-for-profit organisations – helping to cut down admin tasks, improve efficiency and save money so they can focus their resources on creating greater impact and helping more people. 

The Youth Fund has invested in OneHive to support 10 Camden organisations which actively support young people. OneHive will support the organisations onto their platform, improving efficiency and helping them scale up support for young Camden residents. 

Camden Community Wealth Fund’s Youth Panel, a diverse group of 15 young Camden residents, helped the council shape the fund and to decide the investment. 

One of 15 youth panellists who helped make the decision to invest in OneHive said: “As a young Camden resident, I know how important it is for businesses to take care of young peoples’ mental health and wellbeing, to help upskill young people and to deliver meaningful and impactful diversity and inclusion initiatives. That’s why, along with Camden Council, we decided to invest in OneHive so they can partner with Camden-based businesses who are already doing this. I’m very appreciative to have been involved in the Youth Fund and I’m excited to see how many young people this helps!”   

Rushab Shah, CEO at OneHive, said: “We are proud to receive investment from Camden Community Wealth Fund’s Youth Fund – especially because young Camden residents were so involved in decision-making. If you’re a Camden organisation that is helping young people through confidence building, mental health support or diversity and inclusion initiatives, I’d love to hear from you and help you scale your impact ‘one hive at a time’. Email info@onehive.ai.” 

The Euston Housing Pact is the first of its kind produced by Camden Council and has been introduced to set clear commitments between the Council, local communities and developers on how new homes will be delivered in Euston - including affordable homes and new community infrastructure.

The Pact will also require future developers to demonstrate how local communities have acted as a key partner throughout the development process, shaping and informing housing proposals. 

It will ensure residents remain active partners in shaping regeneration in their neighbourhood as plans for new development come forward. Key areas of commitments within the Pact include:

Engagement and participation - structured and ongoing resident influence

• The Council will establish a Euston-wide Residents’ Housing Panel, along with site-specific panels, to shape housing and regeneration decisions and developers will be encouraged to work in partnership with the panels.
• An Engagement Strategy will also be developed with residents to ensure meaningful, consistent and long-term community involvement is effectively enacted.

Housing delivery – affordable, sustainable homes that support existing communities

• The Pact reinforces Camden’s commitment to delivering affordable, sustainable homes and improving existing housing wherever possible.
• The Council will also develop a Euston re-housing and local lettings policy in partnership with local residents to support existing communities to remain part of the area as new homes are delivered.

Neighbourhood quality - opportunities and investment for communities

• The Council will continue to secure social value outcomes from development, including new jobs, skills and training opportunities for local residents and young people.
• It will also work with communities to develop a Public Realm and Open Space Strategy to create greener, healthier streets with better air quality - ensuring that streets and spaces are playable, safe and well designed, and setting clear expectations for developers to follow suit.

The Pact sets clear commitments for development on Council-owned sites, where Camden can directly embed its principles into regeneration, procurement and planning decisions.

For land owned by others, the Council will use its role as the Local Planning Authority - alongside its wider influence - to shape development proposals in line with the Pact.

Progress will be publicly tracked through a Pact Action Plan, which sets out how the commitments will be delivered, and the Council has committed to update the community at a public meeting in autumn 2026.

Camden Council is working with the Euston Housing Delivery Group and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to explore how thousands of new homes, including affordable homes, could be delivered in and around Euston in the years ahead. A key priority has been ensuring that future housing development reflects the needs and priorities of the local community in Euston.

The Euston Housing Pact is the result of a collaborative and feedback-led community process designed to give residents meaningful opportunities to shape its development.

A group of local organisations, led by Old Diorama Arts Centre (ODAC) in collaboration with Fitzrovia Youth in Action (FYA), Hopscotch Women’s Centre and Somers Town Community Association (STCA), were commissioned to carry out independent community research to inform the Pact.

In total, more than 300 local people attended this series of research workshops and festival events. More than 150 Euston residents took part in 14 creative workshops in a research phase between September and November2025. The findings from this work then shaped a further series of resident workshops, where residents co-created the commitments that now form the Euston Housing Pact.

A Building Block for a Future Locally Led Urban Development Corporation

The launch of the Housing Pact comes as Camden continues plans to establish a Locally Led Urban Development Corporation (LLUDC) for Euston – working closely with the Mayor of London to create a new body that would coordinate planning, investment and regeneration across Euston - supporting the delivery of thousands of jobs, new homes and economic growth for the UK alongside the development of the new HS2 terminal by the government’s Euston Delivery Company.

Subject to legislation and public consultation in 2026, the LLUDC could begin operating in 2027. The Council intends for the Pact to act as a framework guiding how the Corporation, future developers and partners work with communities in Euston to ensure the Development Corporation embeds a local focus into decision making.

Independent research has found that coordinated regeneration of Euston by a LLUDC could deliver:

• At least 2,000 new homes, including affordable homes
• 34,000 new jobs, including in the Knowledge Quarter - London’s global cluster for cutting-edge innovation that is shaping the future of life science, healthcare, technology and AI
• £41 billion to the national economy by 2053

The funding will help to grow initiatives which support households to rebuild their lives after fleeing conflict, helping to remove barriers so they can integrate within local neighbourhoods and become part of Camden’s story.

It’s part of Camden’s long-standing and proud commitment to welcoming and supporting refugees, working closely with voluntary and community sector partners to create a culture of welcome and compassion for displaced people. The council was officially awarded Borough of Sanctuary status in July 2024.

This support includes access to health, education, state benefits and employment options, as well as trauma-informed wellbeing support and helping individuals adapt to life in a new country.

The council is continuing the grant scheme from the previous year to 2026/27, allocating a total of £370,000 to lead partners supporting Afghan and Ukranian refugees and to smaller organisations looking to grow projects and initiatives which promote journeys from refugee to resident.

The free service is the first of its kind in London, offered in Camden and Hackney by charity The Loop.

The service is aimed at dependent drug users, giving them clear and accurate information about substances they may be consuming. This comes with non-judgemental support from health professionals and advice on reducing harm.

It will also enable public health professionals and police to better understand substances in circulation and inform approaches to sharing harm reduction messages at an early stage.

It will be operated by The Loop’s specialist team of chemists and health professionals, working in partnership with Change Grow Live Camden - the council’s drug and alcohol service provider.

This forms part of Camden’s multi-agency approach to reduce drug-related deaths and harm, and supporting anyone struggling with drug dependency through their journey to recovery. Other interventions available include drop-in sessions, prescribing, one-to-one support with key workers, group work in community venues, dedicated services for women, and specialist support for anyone who is sleeping rough.

Patrycja Fila, Deputy Services Manager at Change Grow Live Camden, said: “Change Grow Live is proud to collaborate with our partners on this important initiative. Drug checking offers a crucial opportunity to engage individuals in open, non-judgemental conversations about their substance use, helping to reduce harm and connecting people to support when they need it. Our priority is ensuring people have clear information and access to the right services so they can make informed choices and stay safe”

Katy Porter, CEO of The Loop, said: “This marks a major step for harm reduction in the UK. Following the introduction of The Loop’s Bristol-based service in 2024, crucially more people will now have access to regular drug checking. Hackney and Camden are the first of several London boroughs we are working with, alongside further cities. This launch represents another important shift toward evidence-based health interventions at a time when drug deaths in England are at an all-time high.”

The drop-in service is available at Change Grow Live Camden's hub in Camden Town (Kings Studio, 43-45 Kings Terrace, London, NW1 0JR) on the first Saturday of every month from 12pm-7pm.

This is the first festival of its kind in North London, and is a free event aimed at celebrating the rich diversity of Kilburn. This year the festival was held in Kilburn Grange Park, with artists highlighting themes of biodiversity, sustainability, and women’s safety at night.

Each artwork transformed the park after dark, along with immersive activities – from fire performers to a glowing maypole for all to dance around.

Residents left glowing reviews, with one stating:

“It made me see the space through new eyes, highlighting its natural beauty and reminding us of the incredible access to nature we have right here in our neighbourhood”.

Light Up Kilburn 2026 also coincided with the launch of the Council’s first Cultural Strategy, a visionary plan that sets out the future of culture in the borough.

The Council’s key focus for the strategy is to increase participation in culture for all residents, in their own neighbourhoods and through the borough’s internationally renowned institutions.

In the afterglow of Light Up Kilburn’s success, Councillor Sabrina Francis, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Culture and Young People, shared her insight of the cultural strategy in her speech during the launch event – to an audience of Camden artists, educators, community leaders and arts organisations.

Further information:

Find out more about the Cultural Strategy 2026-2031

Artists who lit up Kilburn

Light Projections

• Sara Choudhrey – Samara
• Amy Jackson – (in)visible Network
• Auda Sakho – Spectral Wardrobe

Light Installations

• Linett Kamala – Basstone Maypole
• Hannah Whitaker – Bioluminescent Garden UV Edition
• t o y S t u d i o – In Bloom
• Amber Stefani – Seed of Life
• Chila Burman – Firework Girl
• Daisy Doig – Windows

Live performance

• The Fireworks Collective
• Spectral Wardrobe Activation – Auda Sakho
• Basstone Maypole – Linett Kamala

Cllr Richard Olszewski, Leader of Camden Council  - Cllr Nadia Shah, Co-Chair of Camden Interfaith Network – Cllr Rebecca Filler, Co-Chair of Camden Interfaith Network 

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Further information from Camden Council:

 To report a hate crime:

• If someone is in danger call the Police on 999. For non-emergencies call 101 or visit your local police station. 

• For information on how to report online through the Police and trusted partner organisations, visit: www.camden.gov.uk/hate-crime 

• Call the Council on 020 7974 4444 

• Even if you don’t report a hate crime straight away, please do report it 

Things you can do to support others in your community  

• Check in on each other: Even a small gesture like checking in on a neighbour can go a long way.  

• Report your concerns: If you witness hateful behaviour, please report it and ask the affected person or people if they are ok if it’s safe to do so  

• Take care of yourself: If you experience hateful behaviour or a hate crime, please get support – see more information on this below.

• Stay connected: Camden is home to supportive voluntary and community sector organisations, faith buildings, libraries and other places where you can go to relax, meet up with others and get involved in free or low-cost activities. Find out more at Camden.gov.uk/WarmWelcome  

• Volunteer: there are lots of opportunities to get involved in your local community. Find out more about how you can get involved.   

Mental health support  

• Find out what is available near you at camden.gov.uk/mental-health  

• Call the Samaritans for free on 116 123 – they're always open and are there to listen. You can also email jo@samaritans.org and receive a response within 24 hours.  

• Camden Crisis Sanctuary offers face-to-face, telephone, and online support to Camden residents every evening and weekend, 5pm to 10.30pm. No referral is required. You can also call 07825 165 464 between 5pm and 11pm, or leave a message for staff to call you back.  

• Phone the 24-hour mental health crisis line on 020 3317 6333 to access specialist support. In an emergency, always call 999.  

Partnered with national animal charity StreetVet, the three hostels in Kings Cross, Kentish Town, and Camden Town are officially accredited and equipped to be pet inclusive.

The hostels provide people with a temporary place to stay while they are being supported to re-build their lives away from the streets and into longer-term accommodation.

Dogs, cats, a ferret, and a bearded dragon have already resided in the hostels which are set up with pet-friendly rooms and through the StreetVet accredited Hostel Scheme, the pets are provided with food, beds, and toys for animals.

The animals receive free veterinary checks and treatment, and staff receive training on how best to accommodate them – making it a welcoming and safe environment for those with or without pets.

It comes as pets are identified as a common barrier to people accessing temporary accommodation, as highlighted in Camden’s latest Rough Sleeping Strategy.

StreetVet also supports people any registered pets when they move into longer-term accommodation with their owners, including getting set up in their new home, and help with veterinary treatment and pet food.

Laura Sayer, Hostel Manager at StreetVet, said: "We are proud to welcome Camden Council as the first London local authority to join the StreetVet Accredited Hostel Scheme. This milestone highlights Camden Council's commitment to championing pet‑inclusive temporary accommodation for those experiencing homelessness with their pet, and sets new benchmarks for homelessness services in the capital. 

“Our hostel and day centre scheme provides wraparound support for both staff and pet owners. Everything from pet‑inclusive policies and staff training to free accessible veterinary care, food, daily pet essentials, behaviour support and pet boarding options when needed. By working together, we can help reduce homelessness by enabling more people to stay together with their beloved companions when they need support the most."

Camden STEAM, a partnership between Camden Council and Camden Learning, connects young people with meaningful employer encounters, ensuring they benefit from local innovation and investment that defines the borough.

Over the last three years, the programme has engaged over 13,000 children and young people and mobilised over 75 STEAM Pledge partners spanning creative, digital and scientific industries. Together, they have delivered work experience placements, mentoring, industry encounters and vocational pathways to support young people to build skills, confidence and awareness of career routes.

The funding extension will deepen Camden’s collaboration with leading institutions across the borough, which include Google, UCL, Arup and the Francis Crick Institute. It will also enable the scaling up of the annual Camden Primary Careers Day, increase work experience opportunities and strengthen support for young people most affected by barriers to employment through the Camden Youth Mission.

The announcement was made at a reception at the London AI Campus, bringing together local employers, school leaders, students and partners to celebrate the achievements of the Camden STEAM programme since 2022 and launch its refreshed Camden STEAM Strategic Priorities for 2026–2027.

Tristen, a LaSWAP student who takes part in lessons at the London AI Campus, reflected on his experience by saying:

“The AI Campus has been great – especially the robotics course! I think spaces like this are so important not just for us students, but also future employers. You’re able to gain good insights and first-hand experiences from professionals in the field that you’re interested in.”

Hannah, a student at Regent High School, spoke about her experience working with a mentor:

“My mentor has helped me because her job in neuroscience aligns with my interests. By getting to see what she does, she’s made me love science even more and it’s helped me broaden my knowledge of what science can do.”

The next phase of the Camden STEAM Strategy sets out the partnership’s shared priorities for 2026–2027, by sharpening focus and deepening impact at a time when national and regional policy changes, including the National Curriculum and Assessment Review, present significant opportunities for schools. Camden’s strong school-employer engagement model means the borough is uniquely positioned to help schools and young people benefit from these changes.

Camden’s bold and ambitious culture of innovation has built strong links between schools and industry, supporting young people to broaden their aspirations, understand routes and pursue the futures they want.

This investment ensures this work will continue to grow, supporting more young people, deepening employer partnerships and building a system where every young person in Camden can access the skills, networks and opportunities they need to thrive in the jobs of today and the future.

The officers will form dedicated town centre teams based in Holborn & Bloomsbury, Camden Town, and Kilburn. They will also be rapidly deployed to other areas across the borough as required.

With additional officers and uniformed patrols seven days a week in these areas, they will continue the council’s drive to clamp down on a wide range of issues including retail crime, anti-social behaviour, drug activity, and environmental crimes such as fly-tipping.

This investment brings the total number of officers up to 50, providing increased visibility across the rest of the borough and more resources to support residents in areas where issues may persist, including our estates.

Community Safety Enforcement Officers have a wide range of powers and can issue fines for offences such as illegal street trading, littering, fly-tipping, and public urination. They may have increased powers in areas with Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).

The teams work in partnership with the police to gather intelligence and reduce crime. They also provide a uniformed presence to deter criminals and reassure communities.

The investment will also go towards more CCTV cameras and a new Camden Safety Bus.

The funding was agreed at Camden’s annual budget meeting on Monday 2 March, alongside other announcements to make every pound count and deliver the best possible services. Read the full budget details on our website.

The rise includes separate funding protected specifically to maintain the Council’s “Outstanding” adult social care services at a time of a national social care funding emergency. 

The budget will boost investment in tackling anti-social behaviour, reducing energy bills by retrofitting council homes, making streets cleaner and safer, and investing in outstanding services.

The budget will focus on:  

Investing in safer streets 

Introducing more CCTV cameras and deploying a new team of community safety officers to target crime and anti-social behaviour hotspots. 

Investing in cost-of-living support for people who need it most 

Continuing to prioritise support through our Council Tax Support Scheme, which ensures that around 16,000 households pay nothing and many more receive reduced bills – and our £2.1m Cost of Living Fund, which provides payments of up to £500 to help people pay for the essentials, like food and household bills. 

Investing in council homes to reduce bills 

Investing £29.9m to retrofit around 3,000 council homes – cutting energy bills for residents and reducing carbon emissions. 

Investing in a cleaner borough 

Taking further action to keep our borough clean by investing in new high-performance equipment to ensure our busiest high streets stay accessible, and are clean and welcoming for everyone. 

Investing in outstanding services 

Setting the standard nationally as the only council in the country to have received ‘outstanding’ ratings for our most recent Children’s, Adult Social Care and Youth Justice Service inspections. 

What is Council Tax spent on? 

The 4.99% rise in council tax consists of a 2.99% increase to support general council funding and a 2% rise ring-fenced for adult social care. 

Council tax directly funds frontline services such as libraries, youth centres, family centres, street cleaning, keeping our communities safe and looking after adults and children who need extra support. The Greater London Authority also issues its own precept which is included in council tax bills. This helps to fund Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police and the London Fire Brigade. This levy has increased by 4.1%. 

Additionally, as announced recently, Camden’s Council Tax reductions scheme now specifically includes a discount of up to 100% eligible for households experiencing financial hardship with a terminally ill resident.