London Borough of Merton

Coordinates: 51°23′N 0°10′W / 51.383°N 0.167°W / 51.383; -0.167
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

London Borough of Merton
London borough
Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden
Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden
Police
Metropolitan Police
Websitehttp://www.merton.gov.uk

The London Borough of Merton (

London borough in London, England. The borough was formed under the London Government Act 1963 in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey
.

The main commercial centres in Merton are

Wimbledon tournament, one of tennis's Grand Slam
competitions.

The borough derives its name from the historic parish of Merton which was centred on the area now known as South Wimbledon. Merton was chosen as an acceptable compromise, following a dispute between Wimbledon and Mitcham over the new borough's name. The local authority is Merton London Borough Council, which is based in Morden.

Districts

History of the Borough

For detailed histories of the four historic parishes covered by the borough, see Merton, Mitcham, Morden, and Wimbledon. For history of the council's establishment, see Merton London Borough Council#History.

Governance

Merton London Borough Council

A map showing the wards of Merton since 2002
Merton Civic Centre
Main article: Merton London Borough Council

The May 2022 local government elections saw the Labour Party win an overall majority. The current council has a Labour majority and its composition is:

  • Labour: 31
  • Liberal Democrats: 17
  • Conservatives: 7
  • Merton Park Residents: 2

Greater London representation

For elections to the Greater London Council, the borough formed the Merton electoral division, electing two members. In 1973 it was divided into the single-member Mitcham and Morden and Wimbledon electoral divisions.[1] The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986.

Since 2000, for elections to the London Assembly, the borough forms part of the Merton and Wandsworth constituency.

Mayors

At the Annual Council Meeting, a ceremonial mayor is elected to serve for a year. At the same time, it elects a deputy mayor to serve alongside the mayor. The first female Mayor of Merton, Vera Maud Bonner, served from 1973 to 1974.[2] Since 1978, each Mayor must also be an elected councillor. Gill Manly who is a councillor for Cricket Green ward is currently the Mayor.[3]

Media

A lot of filming for former

Sun Hill police station was also located in the Borough. Ray Austin, born at 9 Abbey Rd Merton on the 5 December 1932, is an English television and film director, television writer, novelist and former stunt performer and actor who worked in both the United Kingdom and the United States. He filmed episodes of The Avengers and The Saint
in and around Merton. He served as director on episodes of some 150 programs between 1968 and 2010.

The main local newspaper in Merton is the Wimbledon Times (recently changed name from Wimbledon Guardian). This newspaper was founded in 1977 by a former Conservative councillor on Merton Council, but since then the paper has been sold on and it is now widely published in different editions across South London. The newspaper is available free, though there is a charge if bought from a newsagent. It is published each Friday.

Economy

Notable businesses with their headquarters in Merton including:

Education

Main article:
List of schools in Merton

London's Poverty Profile (a 2017 report by Trust for London and the New Policy Institute) found that 40% of Merton's 19-year-olds lack level 3 qualifications. This is the 5th worst figure out of 32 London boroughs.[5]

Transport

Merton is served by a wide range of National Rail stations across the borough, as well as the southern tip of London Underground's Northern line and the District line on the Wimbledon branch. The borough is also served by several Tramlink stops from Wimbledon, that goes to Croydon, New Addington, Elmers End and Beckenham. It is the only London Borough which has tube, rail and tram services.

London Underground stations

Tramlink stops

National Rail stations

In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were: driving a car or van, 19.2% of all residents aged 16–74; underground, metro, light rail, tram, 13.0%; train, 13.0%; bus, minibus or coach, 7.5%; on foot, 5.0%; work mainly at or from home, 3.4%; bicycle, 2.4%.[6]

Demographics and social conditions

Population pyramid of the Borough of Merton in 2021

In 2001, the

ethnic minority. The highest ethnic populations were recorded in wards in the east of the borough in Mitcham, Eastfields and Pollards Hill
. The percentage of population from ethnic minorities is predicted to rise across the borough within the next decade.

A report by Trust for London and the New Policy Institute found that Merton had a poverty rate of 14% in 2020, the 2nd lowest rate in London. It also found that the 2023 level of pay inequality in Merton is lower than in any other borough, except Kingston.[7][8]

According to the council's comparative assessment of wards made in 2004, the most deprived wards within the borough were in the south and east where unemployment rates, educational attainment and the quality of health were worst. The most affluent wards were in the north and west of the borough.

Comparative crime rates appear to be unrelated to the deprivation ranking of wards. The wards containing Mitcham town centre and the St Helier Estate are ranked highest for crime within Merton with the wards containing the commercial shopping centres of Colliers Wood and Wimbledon also featuring high in the ranking.

The constituency area of

Mitcham and Morden
is relatively deprived by comparison, which explains the geographical split of political representation of the borough at both national and local elections.

Merton currently operates a Police Cadet scheme under the Metropolitan Police Service.

Population census
YearPop.±%
1801 4,831—    
1811 5,656+17.1%
1821 6,433+13.7%
1831 6,652+3.4%
1841 7,364+10.7%
1851 7,334−0.4%
1861 14,118+92.5%
1871 20,901+48.0%
1881 27,684+32.5%
1891 41,318+49.2%
1901 63,273+53.1%
1911 96,895+53.1%
1921 122,245+26.2%
1931 154,267+26.2%
1941 174,151+12.9%
1951 196,599+12.9%
1961 187,074−4.8%
1971 178,023−4.8%
1981 165,098−7.3%
1991 171,808+4.1%
2001 187,908+9.4%
2011 199,693+6.3%
Note:[9]

Ethnicity

Ethnic Group Year
1981 estimations[10] 1991[11] 2001[12] 2011[13] 2021[14]
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
White: Total 146,376 89.3% 141,093 83.7% 140,883 74.97% 129,606 64.8% 129,617 60.2%
White: British – – – – 120,378 64.1% 96,658 48.4% 88,673 41.2%
White: Irish – – – – 5,464 2.9 % 4,417 2.2% 4,337 2.0%
White:
Gypsy or Irish Traveller
 – – – – – – 216 0.1% 194 0.1%
White: Roma – – – – – – – – 813 0.4%
White: Other – – – – 15,041 8.0% 28,315 14.1% 35,600 16.5%
Asian or Asian British
: Total 		– – 14,688 8.7% 23,292 12.4% 36,143 17.9% 40,019 18.6%
Asian or Asian British: Indian – – 5751 8,043 % 8,106 4.0% 9,607 4.5%
Asian or Asian British: Pakistani – – 2241 4,504 % 7,337 3.6% 9,667 4.5%
Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi – – 882 1,702 % 2,216 1.1% 2,470 1.1%
Asian or Asian British: Chinese – – 1216 2,485 % 2,618 1.3% 3,615 1.7%
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian – – 4598 6,558 % 15,866 7.9% 14,660 6.8%
Black or Black British: Total – – 9,657 5.7% 14,626 7.7% 20,811 10.6% 22,887 10.6%
Black or Black British: African – – 3314 6,976 % 10,442 5.2% 12,218 5.7%
Black or Black British: Caribbean – – 4899 6,438 % 8,126 4.0% 7,632 3.5%
Black or Black British: Other Black – – 1444 1,212 % 2,243 1.1% 3,037 1.4%
Mixed or British Mixed: Total – – – – 5,869 3.1% 9,334 4.5% 12,765 5.9%
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean – – – – 1,630 % 2,579 1.2% 3,009 1.4%
Mixed: White and Black African – – – – 734 % 1,279 0.6% 1,722 0.8%
Mixed: White and Asian – – – – 1,918 % 2,829 1.4% 3,756 1.7%
Mixed: Other Mixed – – – – 1,587 % 2,647 1.3% 4,278 2.0%
Other: Total – – 3032 1.8% 3,238 % 3,799 1.8% 9,899 4.6%
Other: Arab – – – – – – 1,413 0.7% 1,923 0.9%
Other: Any other ethnic group – – 3032 3,238 % 2,386 1.1% 7,976 3.7%
Ethnic minority: Total 17,472 10.7% 27,377 16.2% 47,025 25.0% 70,033 35.2% 85,570 39.8%
Total 163,848 100% 168,470 100% 187,908 100.00% 199,693 100.00% 215,187 100%

Features of interest

Wimbledon tennis tournament

Each year

French and Australian Opens) is held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Church Road Wimbledon. The event takes place over a fortnight at the end of June and beginning of July and is the largest annual sporting event to take place in the United Kingdom
with over 200,000 visitors during the Wimbledon fortnight.

Football

The borough gained a football team in 1889 when

FA Premier League in 1992[19] and survived at that level until 2000, before relocating to Milton Keynes, some 70 miles away in Buckinghamshire, in a controversial move in 2003, being rebranded as Milton Keynes Dons in 2004. The club had left its Plough Lane stadium in 1991 to ground-share with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, with numerous plans to build a new stadium in a number of different locations (including back in London and even in Dublin or Cardiff
) being considered over the following decade before the club's owners chose Milton Keynes as their destination.

However, a new Wimbledon club –

new stadium back on Plough Lane, using the former Greyhound Stadium around a hundred yards from its old stadium site and still within the London Borough of Merton. In 2018 the final agreements were signed off and demolition work started on the site (for both stadium and 600 flats) in April 2018. Building was completed for the 2020–21 season.[21][22][23] The first competitive game in front of fans was played on 14 August 2021, a 3–3 draw against Bolton Wanderers
.

The borough also has five non-League football clubs: Colliers Wood United F.C. who play at Wibbandune Sports Ground; Raynes Park Vale F.C. who play at Prince George's Fields; Tooting & Mitcham United F.C. who play at Imperial Fields, Morden; and Merton Forest F.C who also play at Prince George's Fields and a Celebrity Fundraising Football team – Celeb FC who play all over the UK without charge for small UK charities.

Television

The Talkback Thames television studio on Deer Park Road was used as Sun Hill Police Station in the ITV police drama The Bill from its inception in 1984 until it was axed in 2010.[citation needed]

Sister cities

Freedom of the Borough

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Merton.

Individuals

References

  1. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Greater London Council Election results: Merton". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Merton pays tribute to borough's first woman Mayor". 23 February 2017.
  3. ^ "The Mayor of Merton". Merton London Borough Council.
  4. ^
    Square Enix Europe
    .
  5. ^ "London's Poverty Profile". Trust for London. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  6. ^ "2011 Census: QS701EW Method of travel to work, local authorities in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 23 November 2013. Percentages are of all residents aged 16–74 including those not in employment. Respondents could only pick one mode, specified as the journey’s longest part by distance.
  7. ^ "Merton borough factsheet" (PDF). Trust for London. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Merton borough poverty rates". Trust for London. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Merton: Total Population". A Vision of Britain Through Time. Great Britain Historical GIS Project. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  10. ^ "Ethnic minorities in Britain: statistical information on the pattern of settlement". Commission for Racial Equality: Table 2.2. 1985.
  11. ^ "1991 census – theme tables". NOMIS. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  12. ^ "KS006 – Ethnic group". NOMIS. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Ethnic Group by measures". NOMIS. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  14. ^ "Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  15. ^ "1889 to 1899". Memories of The Dons. historicaldons.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012.
  16. ^ "Plough Lane – Wimbledon". Wayback Machine. Old Football Grounds. 13 February 2020.[dead link]
  17. ^ "1970 to 1979". Memories of The Dons. historicaldons.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012.
  18. ^ "1980 to 1989". Memories of The Dons. historicaldons.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011.
  19. ^ "The second coming of Wimbledon". BBC Sport – Football. 25 November 2010.
  20. ^ "AFC Wimbledon 0-0 Luton Town (4-3 on pens)". BBC Sport – Football. 21 May 2011.
  21. ^ "New stadium update featured on the agenda".
  22. ^ "New stadium update".
  23. ^ "Home Sweet Home". AFC Wimbledon. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  24. ^ "Interactive City Directory". Sister Cities International. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  25. ^ "Andy Murray given Freedom of Merton | Merton Council News Room". News.merton.gov.uk. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  26. ^ a b c "Freedom of The Borough". London Borough of Merton. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  27. ^ a b c Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Former Wimbledon Champions awarded Freedom of Merton". YouTube. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  28. ^ Charsley, Monica (16 July 2021). "AFC Wimbledon president to be granted the Freedom of Merton". Wimbledon Times. Retrieved 21 July 2021.

External links

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