Sarah Hayward 

• AS I know from when I had the job in the 1970s, being leader of Camden Council is never easy.

But the difficulties we faced then pale into insignificance compared with the onslaught of underfunding and obstruction that the Cameron / Clegg and May governments have visited on Camden in recent times.

Throughout all these problems, Sarah Hayward and her colleagues have tried to protect the people of Camden and in particular to shield the worst off.

Sarah had been determined to fend off the general growth in inequality – in some areas, actually making up the loss in benefits, giving advice and practical help to families threatened with homelessness and paying the Living Wage.

Faced with people being priced out of our area, Camden has one of the biggest council house building programmes in England.

Sarah and her fellow councillors have been pressing to do more but have faced government obstruction and Boris Johnson as Mayor of London insisting on luxury developments on major sites rather than council homes for local people.

The success of Sarah’s determination to tackle inequality is nowhere better illustrated than in the fact that 98 per cent of Camden’s children attend primary schools rated “good” or “outstanding” and so get the good start in life that is so important.

These are just a few examples of the achievements of Camden Council while Sarah Hayward has been leader.

I don’t agree with every decision she has taken but overall she has done a commendable job in very difficult circumstances.

She leaves the leadership with Camden and its people in a lot better state than might have been. She sets a pretty good example to whoever succeeds her in this daunting role.

FRANK DOBSON (MP Holborn and St Pancras 1979-2015)