| Election Name: | 1990 Merton London Borough Council election |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1986 Merton London Borough Council election |
| Previous Year: | 1986 |
| Next Election: | 1994 Merton London Borough Council election |
| Next Year: | 1994 |
| Seats For Election: | All 57 council seats up for election to Merton London Borough Council |
| Turnout: | 67,764, 53.66% |
| Party1: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Seats1: | 29[1] |
| Seat Change1: | 4 |
| Popular Vote1: | 76,583 |
| Percentage1: | 42.22% |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Seats2: | 22 |
| Seat Change2: | 7 |
| Popular Vote2: | 74,857 |
| Percentage2: | 41.27% |
| Party4: | Merton Park Ward Residents Association |
| Seats4: | 3 |
| Seat Change4: | 3 |
| Popular Vote4: | 5,567 |
| Percentage4: | 3.07% |
| Party5: | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents Association |
| Seats5: | 3 |
| Popular Vote5: | 3,822 |
| Percentage5: | 2.11% |
| Council leader | |
| Posttitle: | Council leader after election |
| Before Election: | John Elvidge |
| Before Party: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| After Election: | Geoff Smith |
| After Party: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Majority Seats: | 29 |
| Seats Before5: | 3 |
| Party7: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Seats Before1: | 25 |
| Seats Before2: | 27 |
| Seats Before4: | 0 |
| Seats7: | 0 |
| Seats Before7: | 0 |
| Popular Vote7: | 11,741 |
| Percentage7: | 6.47% |
| Country: | London |
| Registered: | 126,284[2] |
Elections for the London Borough of Merton were held on 3 May 1990 to elect members of Merton London Borough Council in London, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England and Scotland.
The whole council was up for election and the Labour Party gained overall control of the council from the Conservatives with a majority of one seat.[3] [4]
At the last election, the Conservatives had gained a majority of one seat. In October 1989, they lost a by-election in Merton Park to Bridget Smith of the Merton Park Ward Residents Association, which had contested the by-election in opposition to the proposed extension of the A24 relief road.[5] [6] This by-election result hung the council, but the Conservatives continued to govern Merton as a minority administration.
This was the first whole council election which was contested by the MPWRA.
The Conservatives lost their one-seat overall majority of the council to Labour, who themselves gained a one-seat overall majority of the council. The Merton Park Ward Residents Association won all three seats in Merton Park from the Conservatives; they have since maintained these seats in subsequent elections.
In Durnsford, incumbent Conservative councillor and future Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May topped the poll. This was the last election she contested in Merton.
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