# 1990 Merton London Borough Council election

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.

## Background

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. 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.

## Results

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.
Merton Local Election Result 1990 :
| Party | Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| | Labour | 29 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 50.88 | 42.22 | 76,583 |
| | Conservative | 22 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 38.60 | 41.27 | 74,857 |
| | Merton Park Residents | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5.26 | 3.07 | 5,567 |
| | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents | 3 | 0 | 0 | | 5.26 | 2.11 | 3,822 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 6.47 | 11,741 |
| | Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 2.82 | 5,106 |
| | West Barnes Independent Residents | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 1.53 | 2,781 |
| | Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.00 | 0.51 | 932 |
| Total | Total | 57 | | | | | | 181,389 |
In Durnsford, incumbent Conservative councillor and future Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May topped the poll. This was the last election she contested in Merton.

## Ward Results
### Abbey

Abbey (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Marie-Louise de Villiers* | 1,769 | 46.92 |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Martin* | 1,665 | |
| | Labour | Ian Scott* | 1,620 | |
| | Conservative | Diana Harris | 1,216 | 32.75 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Butt | 1,195 | |
| | Conservative | Philip Thorley | 1,116 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pauline Barry | 391 | 9.39 |
| | Green | Wendy Flood | 320 | 8.91 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Leonard Harvey | 315 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jean Spencer-Phillips | 304 | |
| | Independent | Grace Giddins | 73 | 2.03 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,914 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,556 | 51.43 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 5 | 0.14 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Cannon Hill

Cannon Hill (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Thelma Earnshaw* | 1,900 | 49.03 |
| | Conservative | Joan Pethen* | 1,880 | |
| | Conservative | Colin McCaul | 1,834 | |
| | Labour | David Chapman | 1,448 | 37.37 |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Lightfoot | 1,447 | |
| | Labour | Brian White | 1,382 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Larkin | 563 | 13.60 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Pearce | 504 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen van Dulken | 490 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,688 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,990 | 59.66 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 7 | 0.18 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Colliers Wood

Colliers Wood (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Siobhain McDonagh* | 2,079 | 54.91 |
| | Labour | Sheila Knight* | 1,834 | |
| | Labour | Reginald Flegg | 1,694 | |
| | Conservative | Maureen Petty | 922 | 24.65 |
| | Conservative | Marcus Money-Chappelle | 871 | |
| | Conservative | Babubhai Patel | 725 | |
| | Green | Thomas Walsh | 696 | 20.45 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,449 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,410 | 45.78 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 9 | 0.26 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Dundonald

Dundonald (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Sandra Cowling* | 1,649 | 39.16 |
| | Labour | Michael Brunt | 1,516 | |
| | Conservative | John Elvidge* | 1,424 | 34.96 |
| | Labour | Charles Lucas | 1,373 | |
| | Conservative | Christopher Grayling | 1,354 | |
| | Conservative | Julian Samways | 1,275 | |
| | Green | David Bezkorowajny | 643 | 16.64 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Ladmore | 363 | 9.24 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Houlihan | 355 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Katz | 353 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,115 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,653 | 59.74 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 7 | 0.19 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Durnsford

Durnsford (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Theresa May* | 1,063 | 43.87 |
| | Conservative | Barry Edwards | 1,049 | |
| | Labour | Arthur Kennedy | 913 | 36.64 |
| | Labour | Nina Scowen | 852 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Knibbs | 317 | 11.72 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Rumney | 246 | |
| | Green | Keith Parke | 187 | 7.77 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,065 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,424 | 59.63 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 3 | 0.12 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Figge's Marsh

Figge's Marsh (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Proctor | 1,930 | 51.28 |
| | Labour | Daniel Connellan* | 1,892 | |
| | Labour | Geraldine Stanford | 1,864 | |
| | Conservative | David Lincoln | 1,470 | 38.19 |
| | Conservative | Lisa Preuveneers | 1,424 | |
| | Conservative | Gladys Viola | 1,338 | |
| | Green | Julie Gates | 389 | 10.53 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,191 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,903 | 54.28 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 6 | 0.15 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Graveney

Graveney (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Linda Kirby* | 1,399 | 69.91 |
| | Labour | Joseph Abrams* | 1,328 | |
| | Conservative | David Woodhouse | 607 | 30.09 |
| | Conservative | Angela Scantlebury | 567 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,266 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,157 | 50.56 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 13 | 0.60 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Hillside

Hillside (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Stephen Ashcroft* | 1,875 | 51.44 |
| | Conservative | Ralph Kenber | 1,799 | |
| | Conservative | David Williams | 1,788 | |
| | Labour | Christine Bickerstaff | 771 | 20.28 |
| | Labour | William Bailey | 718 | |
| | Labour | Laurence North | 666 | |
| | Green | Richard Miller | 533 | 15.06 |
| | Liberal Democrats | George Greene | 518 | 13.22 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Maja Katz | 455 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Watson | 430 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,452 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,339 | 51.75 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 0 | 0.00 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Lavender

Lavender (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Anthony Colman | 1,327 | 71.95 |
| | Labour | Nathan Lee | 1,324 | |
| | Conservative | John Ratcliffe | 561 | 28.05 |
| | Conservative | Keith Whipp | 472 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,986 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,015 | 50.55 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 2 | 0.10 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Longthornton

Longthornton (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents | Robert Elgin* | 1,315 | 39.18 |
| | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents | Malcolm Searle* | 1,260 | |
| | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents | Gillian Elgin | 1,247 | |
| | Labour | Cyril Gallant | 1,101 | 32.72 |
| | Labour | Ronald Spurway | 1,080 | |
| | Labour | Sheila Spurway | 1,010 | |
| | Conservative | Pauline Blythe | 981 | 28.10 |
| | Conservative | Douglas Grahame | 881 | |
| | Conservative | Renee Donnelly | 880 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,296 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,540 | 48.52 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 5 | 0.14 |
| | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold |
| | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold |
| | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold | Longthornton and Tamworth Residents hold |

### Lower Morden

Lower Morden (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | William Welsh | 1,967 | 51.28 |
| | Conservative | Janet Jones* | 1,945 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Morss | 1,864 | |
| | Labour | Eric Blackmore | 1,447 | 36.76 |
| | Labour | John Holland | 1,390 | |
| | Labour | William Maguire | 1,303 | |
| | Green | Robert Burrows | 449 | 11.96 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,712 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,867 | 57.61 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 11 | 0.28 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Merton Park

Merton Park (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Merton Park Residents | Bridget Smith* | 1,947 | 51.07 |
| | Merton Park Residents | Desmonde Child | 1,815 | |
| | Merton Park Residents | Neville Beddoe | 1,805 | |
| | Conservative | Harold Turner* | 1,181 | 32.06 |
| | Conservative | Anne Sparrow | 1,174 | |
| | Conservative | John Day | 1,141 | |
| | Labour | Patrick O'Sullivan | 625 | 16.87 |
| | Labour | Edmond Ceci | 619 | |
| | Labour | Nicholas Morgan | 594 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,365 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,777 | 59.34 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 2 | 0.05 |
| | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative |
| | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative |
| | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative | Merton Park Residents gain from Conservative |

### Phipps Bridge

Phipps Bridge (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Paul Harper* | 1,798 | 50.58 |
| | Labour | Keith Harris | 1,778 | |
| | Labour | Gerard Harkin | 1,671 | |
| | Conservative | Paul Nash | 1,124 | 30.48 |
| | Conservative | Michael Miles | 1,071 | |
| | Conservative | Barry Theobald-Hicks | 966 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephan Brocklesby | 375 | 9.72 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Snelling | 352 | |
| | Independent | Richard Law | 319 | 9.22 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marek Siemaszko | 281 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,681 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,619 | 47.12 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 7 | 0.19 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Pollards Hill

Pollards Hill (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Frederick Flatt | 1,651 | 45.77 |
| | Labour | Maria Dingwall | 1,582 | |
| | Conservative | Barbara Mansfield* | 1,352 | 38.04 |
| | Labour | Mohammad Syed | 1,349 | |
| | Conservative | William Hall | 1,290 | |
| | Conservative | David Justice | 1,166 | |
| | Independent | John Cole* | 540 | 16.19 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,434 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,438 | 53.43 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 9 | 0.26 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Ravensbury

Ravensbury (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Cowling | 1,982 | 57.97 |
| | Labour | Philip Jones* | 1,941 | |
| | Labour | Peter McCabe* | 1,914 | |
| | Conservative | Alfred Atkins | 990 | 28.77 |
| | Conservative | Janette Williams | 964 | |
| | Conservative | Keith Guy | 945 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Knight | 268 | 7.60 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Simmonds | 254 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Dix | 242 | |
| | Green | Helen Willis | 190 | 5.66 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,586 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,539 | 53.74 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 4 | 0.11 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Raynes Park

Raynes Park (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Richard Aitken-Davies* | 2,062 | 51.09 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Chamberlain* | 2,010 | |
| | Conservative | Kathleen Lewis | 1,973 | |
| | Labour | David Herbert | 1,087 | 25.71 |
| | Labour | David Heaton | 980 | |
| | Labour | Alison Morgan | 975 | |
| | Green | Ian Funnell | 496 | 12.58 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Tibbetts | 429 | 10.62 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Whiting | 422 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samantha Vanes | 407 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,976 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,784 | 54.24 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 2 | 0.05 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### St. Helier

St Helier (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Alec Leaver* | 1,980 | 56.41 |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Smith* | 1,879 | |
| | Labour | Andrew Vail | 1,831 | |
| | Conservative | Donald Carr | 1,123 | 32.80 |
| | Conservative | Gordon Mackay | 1,100 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Reid | 1,086 | |
| | Green | Stephen Boulding | 363 | 10.79 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,525 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,528 | 54.07 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 6 | 0.17 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Trinity

Trinity (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Kingsley Abrams* | 1,254 | 37.41 |
| | Labour | Mazhar-Ul Khan | 1,165 | |
| | Labour | Christopher Watson | 1,157 | |
| | Conservative | Ian Mortimer | 1,009 | 30.48 |
| | Conservative | Hugh Treseder | 954 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Terrett | 951 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Rennie | 658 | 19.90 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deborah Richardson | 649 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alison Willott | 594 | |
| | Green | Keith O'Neill | 389 | 12.21 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,732 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,105 | 54.17 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1 | 0.03 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Village

Village (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Dirk Hazell* | 1,958 | 58.48 |
| | Conservative | Allan Jones* | 1,915 | |
| | Conservative | John Watson* | 1,888 | |
| | Labour | Nicholas Draper | 522 | 15.54 |
| | Labour | Denise Leggett | 520 | |
| | Labour | John Gumbley | 489 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Robins | 479 | 12.24 |
| | Green | Vaughan Flood | 451 | 13.74 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Field | 378 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marilyn Rumney | 349 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,910 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,130 | 52.96 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 4 | 0.07 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### West Barnes

West Barnes (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Dorothy Truman* | 1,792 | 45.58 |
| | Conservative | Percy Marchant | 1,731 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Menhinick | 1,698 | |
| | Labour | Nigel Duncan | 1,217 | 30.13 |
| | Labour | Barry Edwards | 1,144 | |
| | Labour | Laurence Naylor | 1,088 | |
| | West Barnes Independent Residents | Roger Logan | 961 | 24.29 |
| | West Barnes Independent Residents | Brian Parkin | 918 | |
| | West Barnes Independent Residents | John Nicholson | 902 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,941 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,990 | 57.49 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 3 | 0.08 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |