Merton London Borough Council elections explained

Merton London Borough Council in London, England is elected every four years; it has administrative control over the London Borough of Merton.

Since the last boundary changes in 2022, 57 councillors have been elected from 20 wards.

Local political parties

Longthornton and Tamworth Residents Association

Country:the United Kingdom
Longthornton and Tamworth Residents Association
Colorcode:
  1. 000000

Longthornton and Tamworth Residents Association is a residents association in the Longthornton area, which lies in the triangle between Pollards Hill, Streatham Vale and Mitcham Eastfields.[1] Between 1964 and 1994, LTRA contested elections in Merton, initially in the Mitcham Central ward. After the borough's wards were redrawn in 1978 and the Mitcham Central ward abolished, the LTRA contested elections in the Longthornton ward.[2]

LTRA won between three and four seats in the elections between 1964 and 1978.[3] At the 1982 election, it was defeated by the Conservatives, who took all three seats in Longthornton. It subsequently regained a seat at a by-election in March 1984 and retook all three seats in the 1986 election. At the 1994 election, LTRA lost two seats to Labour. This was the last election that was contested by LTRA. By the time of the 1998 election, its last councillor no longer sat for the party.[4] [5]

Merton Park Ward Residents Association

Country:the United Kingdom
Merton Park Ward Residents Association
Native Name:Merton Park Ward Independent Residents
Leader:Edward Foley
Colorcode:
  1. 9400D3
Seats1 Title:Merton London Borough Council

Merton Park Ward Residents Association is a residents association in the Merton Park ward. The MPWRA has two councillors on Merton London Borough Council, and for this purpose is registered as the political party Merton Park Ward Independent Residents.[6]

The MPWRA was formed in 1989 in order to contest a by-election that October in the Merton Park ward, caused by the resignation of a Conservative councillor. The MPWRA opposed the proposed extension of the A24 relief road across a corner of the Merton Park Conservation Area, which required the demolition of several Victorian houses.[7] At the by-election, Bridget Smith was elected for the MPWRA; this hung the council. In the following year's local elections, the MPWRA gained all three council seats of the Merton Park ward, becoming the third-largest party on the council. The A24 relief road was not extended.

The MPWRA held every seat in the ward in all subsequent elections, although the number of seats for the ward was reduced to two ahead of the 2022 elections. After the 2010 elections, the MPWRA provided support for a minority Labour administration until Labour regained a majority at the 2014 elections.[8] [9] Following seat gains for the Liberal Democrats on other wards at the 2018 elections, the MPWRA became the fourth-largest party on the council.

Since its founding, the MPWRA has campaigned for the redevelopment of Nelson Hospital and the regeneration of Morden's town centre. The MPWRA publishes a quarterly local publication known as Forum.

ElectionSeatsVotesBorough-wide resultCouncillors
% in ward+/-% in boroughPositionAdministration123
199035,56751.1%n/a3.1% 3rdBridget SmithDese ChildNeville Beddoe
1994[10] 35,86059.3%8.2%3.6% 3rd
1998[11] 34,41552.4%6.9%3.4% 3rdJohn Nelson Jones
200234,33454.1%1.7%3.4% 3rdJillian AstonPeter Southgate
2006[12] 34,81550.0%4.1%3.0% 3rdKarin ForbesKrysia Williams
2010[13] 37,57253.0%3.0%2.9% 3rdJohn Sargeant
2014[14] 36,22263.7%10.7%3.7% 3rdEdward Foley
2018[15] 35,89856.7%7.0%3.3% 4thDickie Wilkinson
2022[16] 25,89859.9%3.2%2.1% 4thStephen Mercer

Borough result maps

List of council elections

By-election results

1964-1968

There were no by-elections.[21]

1978-1982

The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. George Watt.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. William A. Hillhouse.

1982-1986

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Peter J. Glasspool.

The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. Michael L. Page.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Nancy Bone.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Robert A. Dilley.

1986-1990

The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. James B. Garwood.

The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. David Mason.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. David T. Williams.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Kathryn E. Nicholls. The result meant that the Conservatives lost their one-seat majority on the council, placing the council under no overall control until the next election. Since this by-election, the Conservatives have yet to win back majority control of the council. This was the first election ever contested by the Merton Park Ward Residents Association, which had run in opposition to the council's proposed extension of the A24 relief road.[22]

1990-1994

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Michael J. G. Menhinick.

1994-1998

The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. David R. Proctor.The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. Arthur M. Kennedy.

1998-2002

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Terence J. Daniels.The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Jennifer Willott.

2002-2006

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Tony Giles.The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Leslie D. Mutch.

2006-2010

There were no by-elections.[23]

2010-2014

The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Tariq M. Ahmad.The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. Gam Gurung.

2014-2018

The by-election was triggered by the death of Cllr. Maxi Martin of the Labour Party.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Cllr. Imran Uddin of the Labour Party.

2018-2022

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Cllr. Mark Kenny of the Labour Party.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Cllr. Kelly Braund of the Labour Party.

References

NotesReferences

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Group Details - Longthornton & Tamworth Residents' Association. Merton Voluntary Service Council. en. 28 June 2018.
  2. Book: London Borough of Merton Election Results 1964-2010. Rallings. Colin. Thrasher. Michael. 28 June 2018.
  3. Web site: London Borough of Merton - Results Summary following Full Council Elections 1964-2012. Merton Electoral Services. 28 June 2018.
  4. Web site: London Borough of Merton Election Results - May 1998. May 1998. Merton Council. 8 June 2018.
  5. Web site: London Borough of Merton Election Results - May 2002. May 2002. Merton Council. 9 June 2018.
  6. Web site: Merton Park Ward Residents Association. mertonpark.org.uk. 31 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220618/http://mertonpark.org.uk/pages/history.htm. 3 March 2016. dead.
  7. Web site: Forum Issue No. 40. Autumn 2009. 31 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001853/http://www.mertonpark.org.uk/PDFfiles/FORUM%20Autumn%202009%20FINAL%202.pdf. 4 March 2016. dead.
  8. Web site: 18 May 2014 . The particularities of Merton | Dave Hill . TheGuardian.com.
  9. Web site: The Home Page .
  10. Web site: London Borough of Merton Election Results 1964-2010. Rallings. Colin. Thrasher. Michael. 14 June 2018.
  11. Web site: Merton Council Elections 1998. Merton Electoral Services. 8 June 2018.
  12. Web site: Merton Council Elections 2006. 7 May 2010. Merton Electoral Services. 8 June 2018.
  13. Web site: Merton Council Election Results 2010. Local Elections Archive Project. 14 June 2018.
  14. Web site: Merton Council Election Results 2014. Local Elections Archive Project. 14 June 2018.
  15. Web site: Merton Park Ward Election Results 2018. 3 May 2018. Merton Council. 14 June 2018.
  16. Web site: Merton Park Ward Election Results 2022. 3 May 2018. Merton Council. 3 January 2022.
  17. Web site: London Borough Council Elections 4 May 1978. London Datastore. Greater London Council. 25 February 2015.
  18. News: Merton . 2009-09-11 . BBC News Online.
  19. Web site: London Borough Council Elections 2 May 2002. London Datastore. Greater London Authority. 25 February 2015.
  20. Web site: LGBCE Merton LGBCE Site . 2021-10-20 . www.lgbce.org.uk . en.
  21. Web site: London Borough Council Elections 9 May 1968. London Datastore. Greater London Council. 24 February 2015.
  22. Web site: Forum Issue No. 40. Autumn 2009. 31 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001853/http://www.mertonpark.org.uk/PDFfiles/FORUM%20Autumn%202009%20FINAL%202.pdf. 4 March 2016. dead.
  23. Web site: London Borough Council Elections 6 May 2010. London Datastore. Greater London Authority. 7 March 2015.