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Camden New Journal - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 17 May 2007

New mayor Dawn Somper

Mace-gate: Hunt in its eighth week

First Tory mayor in 35 years sworn in

DETECTIVES have spent their eighth week searching for the culprit who broke Camden’s historic ceremonial mace during a “riot” over cuts in council spending.
The failure to crack the case means new mayor Councillor Dawn Somper, a long-serving Conservative member, was sworn in last Wednesday night with a substitute mace.
Although violent crime and drug dealing are higher on the police priority list, they confirmed on Monday that they are nevertheless still collecting witness statements in a bid to solve the two-month-old case.
The Town Hall is understood to have asked to be kept up to date on the progress of the investigation amid pressure from former mayors and current councillors.
The mace – a golden staff passed through the generations by Camden mayors – would normally have been used in the annual mayor-making ceremony, but Cllr Somper was elected in its absence.
The crown of the mace is being repaired at a cost thought to be about £3,000. It was bent during angry scenes at the full council meeting on February 28 as protesters – upset at budget cuts to services, including Kilburn Grange Nursery – burst through a row of security guards and onto the chamber floor.
Although the Town Hall chamber is covered by CCTV and several councillors have given witness statements, detectives have yet to make any arrests and, apparently short of leads, have been desperate to interview as many people as possible.
Cllr Somper, originally from Glasgow, is the first Conservative councillor in more than 35 years to become mayor. She has named her son, Jason Swerling, as her consort.
In a rotation system, Labour councillor Nurul Islam has been made deputy mayor.
A police spokesman confirmed the mace investigation was continuing but no arrests had been made.

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