Camden's new leader has confirmed her reshuffled cabinet after the recent local elections, making history as the first Black woman to lead the borough. At the first full council meeting post-election on Wednesday (May 20), Cllr Sagal Abdi-Wali (Labour) officially became the Leader of the Council.
New Leadership and Deputies
Cllr Abdi-Wali has appointed two deputies: Cllr Pat Callaghan and Cllr Adam Harrison. Cllr Callaghan continues in her role after serving under former leader Richard Olszewski, who lost his seat to the Green Party. She will also take on the new Community Resilience brief. Cllr Harrison, who also ran for the leadership, will now head up Safer Communities, previously held by Callaghan.
Tribute to Predecessor and Vision
In the chamber, the leader paid tribute to Olszewski and said she wanted to build on previous Labour administrations. She noted that despite “great successes,” the borough’s communities still face “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,” she said. “It is our duty to ensure that we improve the lives of our residents.”
Cllr Abdi-Wali added: “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.”
Cabinet Changes
The new leader has shrunk the cabinet by scrapping the voluntary sector, equalities, and cohesion portfolio held by Cllr Nadia Shah since 2022. Cllr Shah lost her Regent's Park seat to the Green Party in May's elections. Cabinet members staying in post include Camron Aref-Adib for Finance and Cost of Living, Sabrina Francis for Jobs, Young People and Culture, Nasrine Djemai for New Homes and Community Investment, and Marcus Boyland for Best Start for Children and Families.
Cllr Anna Wright has been moved from Health and Social Care to take on Better Homes and Homelessness Prevention, previously held by Cllr Abdi-Wali. Camden’s new health chief is Cllr Kemi Atolagbe, joining the cabinet for the first time. Cllr James Slater, who held a supporting cabinet role, has taken over from Cllr Harrison as Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainable Camden.
Salaries and Opposition
As of April 1, each cabinet member receives £28,200.95, except the leader who receives £45,120.46. On Wednesday, Green councillor Lorna Jane Russell was confirmed as Leader of the Opposition after her party gained 10 seats, bringing its total to 11 and supplanting the Liberal Democrats as the main opposition. The Greens have partnered with councillor Shah Bakth from the Camden People’s Alliance, bringing the opposition group to 12. Newly-elected Cllr James White (Green) said the parties were “brought together by a shared commitment to progressive values.”
New Civic Mayor
Camden also has a new civic mayor, Labour’s Tricia Leman, who takes over from Cllr Eddie Hanson.
