Sagal Abdi-Wali with her Camden Square ward colleague Tricia Leman

SAGAL Abdi-Wali has been selected as the next leader of Camden Council after a vote by the Labour councillors elected at the Town Hall elections.

She will fill the vacancy left by Richard Olszewski, who dramatically lost his seat to the Greens at Thursday’s boroughwide ballot. Those who kept their seats or won for the first time met tonight (Monday) to choose who should take charge, and Cllr Abdi-Wali came through by the tightest of margins.

A first round of voting was a dead heat with the other contender, Adam Harrison. When the group voted again, one councillor switched and handed the crown to Cllr Abdi-Wali. She will make history as the first black woman to lead Camden Council when the choice is confirmed at the Town Hall next week.

Cllr Abdi-Wali was in charge of the housing portfolio during the last council term, while Cllr Harrison was in charge of environmental policies.