Maryam Eslamdoust becoming Camden’s first citizen last May

THE Mayor of Camden, Maryam Eslamdoust, is to carry on in the role after a year disrupted by the coronavirus crisis.

In normal circumstances, she would have passed on the ceremonial chain to her deputy, Sabrina Francis, back in May.

But with meetings and public events cancelled due to the Covid-19 health emergency, the annual handover was postponed.

Last night (Monday), it was officially confirmed that she will now remain in place until the 2021 annual general meeting of the council in May.

She told an all-member meeting held via videocall: “We cannot escape the fact that I would not be moving into a second term if it wasn’t for the deadly virus that has killed so many people in this borough and across the country. The virus which is threatening untold agony on millions of families who will likely lose their livelihoods over the coming months.”

Cllr Eslamdoust added: “At a far more parochial level, my first mayoral year has of course been hugely disrupted, hindering fundraising for my chosen charity, Solace Women’s Aid. This has been particularly hard to swallow.”

“As we know, lockdown has exacerbated domestic abuse for many and trapped them with abusers, no longer able to gain even temporary relief in daily life. For the incoming municipal year, my charity will be Camden Safety Net, again seeking to help survivors of domestic abuse, particularly given those in worsened circumstances.”

Cllr Eslamdoust said her son Xerxes will be one of her escorts.

“He started my mayoral year as a bump, and is now running around so much that he’ll be my consort in this new municipal year,” she said.