Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali has been elected as the new Leader of Camden Council. A councillor for Camden Square since 2022, and formerly the Cabinet Member for Better Homes, Sagal was elected as the new Leader of the Council at the first meeting following the local elections.
Speaking in Camden Town Hall, Sagal said:
“It is a real honour to stand here tonight as the new Leader of Camden Council.
For over four decades, Camden has been the place I’ve proudly called home. It is the borough that gave my family sanctuary, welcomed us with compassion, and shaped so much of who I am today. That experience inspired my commitment to public service and to giving back to the place that gave us so much.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with and alongside 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 here this evening 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 strong foundations laid by previous administrations. Because as we know, despite achieving some great successes, many across our communities are facing unprecedented pressures: rising demand for services, the cost-of-living crisis, worsening inequality, and growing pressures on housing and social care. We cannot accept that as inevitable. Our responsibility, why each of us has chosen to be a councillor in this Chamber, is to ensure that we improve our residents’ lives.
That means continuing to invest in youth opportunities, welfare support, good quality and affordable homes, safer neighbourhoods, community wellbeing, and pathways into good jobs.
Together, and with support from across this chamber, we will work to keep Camden financially resilient while continuing to deliver high-quality services for our residents. This is a huge and incredibly important task that requires all our combined, cross-party efforts to deliver for Camden’s communities.
We must also protect the social fabric of our borough and tackle the rise in divisive politics and the attempted erosion of community cohesion. Camden has always been shaped by migration, diversity, activism and solidarity. It’s one of our greatest strengths, something we value, protect and celebrate.
I truly believe Camden can continue to show the rest of the country that a multifaith, multicultural society is not only possible, but powerful.
Diversity is a strength, but cohesion requires effort. At a time when division and fear are growing, we must bring people together and ensure every community feels safe, heard and valued. Because the dignity and safety of one community can never be separated from the dignity and safety of another.”
Cllr Sagal Abdi-Wali also confirmed her new Cabinet:
- Cllr 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