Nadia Shah passes on the mayoral chain to Richard Cotton

CAMDEN’S new mayor has vowed to stand up for the homeless during his year as the borough’s first citizen, warning that anybody can be just one step from a crisis.

Councillor Richard Cotton told Camden Council’s annual meeting – the mayor-making ceremony – on Wednesday that he wanted to “live in a borough in which everybody feels part of the community including those who are currently homeless.”

He told the Town Hall chamber: “If you came here on foot this evening you are likely to have passed people sleeping rough in the streets. If you walk late at night along the canal towpath near to my home, you will see people sleeping there. That could be any one of us because we are all one marital breakdown, one mental illness, one bereavement, one redundancy or even one pay cheque away from being homeless.”

The Primrose Hill Choir sing Glory Glory Hallelujah in Cllr Cotton’s honour at last week’s mayor-making ceremony

Mr Cotton will raise money for the C4WS charity – the Community of Camden Churches Cold Weather Shelter – during his year wearing the mayoral chain. He was confirmed in the role at the meeting last Wednesday, taking over from Nadia Shah.

“Working with rough sleepers is not just about people giving money – though that’s obviously important – it is also about people giving their time,” he said. “One of the reasons I chose C4WS is their commitment to using volunteers. I hope their example will encourage other people to volunteer to help address rough sleeping in Camden.”

Churches across Camden have taken it in turns to provide space for people to sleep, with bedding put down in crypts and halls.

Mr Cotton, a retired housing officer, said: “Everybody deserves to sleep safely at night. One of the ways in which you can help is to support fund raising events during the course of the year and I am delighted to announce that local celebrities Alan Bennett, Andrew Marr, Jon Snow and Alastair Campbell have already agreed to do fund raising events later in the year.”

Jenny Headlam-Wells will serve as Mr Cotton’s deputy mayor.