50-913: Merton Park is a suburb in the London Borough of Merton . It is situated in Morden. Bordering areas are Colliers Wood , Morden , South Wimbledon and Raynes Park . It is 7.25 miles (11.67 km) southwest of Charing Cross . It lies 2.8 miles (4.5 km) east of Kingston upon Thames, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Mitcham and 4.5 miles (7.2 km) north of Sutton. Residential Roads in Merton Park include: Dorset Road (B285), Hartfield Road (B285), Mostyn Road (B2850), Kenley Road, Windermere Avenue, Sandbourne Avenue, Gladstone Road, Russell Road, Pelham Road, Merton Road (A219), The Broadway (A219), Poplar Road, Cannon Hill Lane (In SW20), Aylward Road (In SW20). Several of these are named after former Prime Ministers . Until
100-529: A 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. The first competitive game in front of fans was played on 14 August 2021,
150-462: A "super-council". Each would retain its own political identity, leadership and councillors but staff and budgets would be combined for cost savings. Lambeth and Southwark likewise expressed an interest in sharing services. The management thinker and inventor of the Vanguard Method , Professor John Seddon , claims that shared service projects based on attempts to achieve economies of scale are
200-430: 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
250-439: A London borough and its council to be changed. This was used by the London Borough of Hammersmith (changed to Hammersmith and Fulham) on 1 April 1979 and the London Borough of Barking (changed to Barking and Dagenham) on 1 January 1980. Borough names formed by combining two locality names had been discouraged when the boroughs were created. The London boroughs were created by combining whole existing units of local government and it
300-481: A football team in 1889 when Wimbledon Old Centrals were founded, and were soon a member of the local football leagues. The club later adopted the title Wimbledon FC and moved into a new stadium at Plough Lane in 1912, where it would spend the next 79 years. As the 20th century wore on, the club enjoyed considerable success in non-league football. The club was elected to the Football League in 1977 and enjoyed
350-682: A great run of success when began in 1983 with the Fourth Division title, and saw them reach the First Division in 1986 – a mere nine years after joining the Football League. They quickly established themselves in the highest division of English football, and as clear underdogs, pulled off a shock win in the 1988 FA Cup Final against Liverpool , England's most successful and dominant club side in Europe during that era. They were founder members of
400-420: A mix of a) the plausibly obvious and b) a little hard data , brought together to produce two broad assertions, for which there is little hard factual evidence. He argues that shared service projects fail (and often end up costing more than they hoped to save) because they cause a disruption to the service flow by moving the work to a central location, creating waste in hand-offs, rework and duplication, lengthening
450-417: A number of relatively small alterations in borough boundaries. London borough councils provide the majority of local government services (schools, waste management, social services, libraries), in contrast to the strategic Greater London Authority , which has limited authority over all of Greater London. The councils were first elected in 1964 , and acted as shadow authorities until 1 April 1965. Each borough
500-540: 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. 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
550-775: Is a 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 Mitcham , Morden and Wimbledon , of which Wimbledon is the largest. Other smaller centres include Raynes Park , Colliers Wood , South Wimbledon and Wimbledon Park . The borough
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#1732844498919600-601: Is a local education authority . Shared services are borough council services shared between two or more boroughs. Shared services were previously resisted due to councils guarding their authority. However, as the need for budget cuts in the late 2000s became apparent some councils have sought service mergers. Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham were due to merge their education services, including school admissions and transport, by 2011. In October 2010, Hammersmith & Fulham , Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster announced plans to merge all their services to create
650-470: Is a charity that promotes good design and area embellishment in Merton Park. The approximate boundaries of the Merton Park area can be considered to be The Broadway ( A219 ) to the north, Morden Road ( A24 ) to the east, Martin Way to the south and Cannon Hill Lane to the west. Additionally, the area north of Kingston Road between Merton Hall Road, Avebury Road and Kingswood Road is often included. This definition of
700-499: Is an affluent area of London with a high proportion of city workers, while 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. Each year The Championships, Wimbledon , better known as simply Wimbledon, one of
750-625: Is divided into electoral wards , subject to periodic review, for the purpose of electing councillors. Council elections take place every four years, with the most recent elections in 2022, and the next elections due in 2026. The political make-up of London borough councils is dominated by the Conservative , Labour and Liberal Democrat parties. Twenty-eight councils follow the leader and cabinet model of executive governance, while five have directly elected mayors ( Croydon , Hackney , Lewisham , Newham , and Tower Hamlets ). The City of London
800-880: Is instead governed by the City of London Corporation (and the Inner and Middle Temples, which are not governed by the City of London Corporation). There are four boroughs that do not have "London Borough" in their official names: the City of Westminster, and the Royal Boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, Kensington and Chelsea, and Greenwich. From the mid-1930s, the Greater London area comprised four types of local government authorities. There were county boroughs , municipal boroughs , urban districts and metropolitan boroughs . The large county boroughs provided all local government services and held
850-538: Is relatively rich in public transport, being served by National Rail , London Underground , and London Trams . The area is served by Wimbledon Railway Station with access to the District Line, South Western Railway, Thameslink and Southern Services, Wimbledon Chase Railway Station, (located just outside the area), and South Merton Railway Station , both providing a 2 t.p.h. Thameslink service towards Central London or Sutton. Morden tube station provides access to
900-587: 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. Notable businesses with their headquarters in Merton including: London's Poverty Profile (a 2017 report by Trust for London and
950-569: Is the host of the 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 . The local authority is Merton London Borough Council , which is based in Morden . The area of the modern borough broadly corresponds to the four ancient parishes of Merton , Mitcham , Morden , and Wimbledon , all of which were historically in
1000-449: 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%. In 2001,
1050-665: The FA Premier League in 1992 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
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#17328444989191100-432: The Merton and Morden Urban District . Mitcham was made an urban district in 1915, which was incorporated to become the municipal borough of Mitcham in 1934. The modern borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 , covering the combined area of the former boroughs of Mitcham and Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District. The area was transferred from Surrey to Greater London to become one of
1150-662: 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. 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
1200-726: The Northern Line . Wimbledon station provides access to London Waterloo and the District line. The London Trams also serve the area from Merton Park tram stop . The area is centred on the historic parish church, St Mary's. The church was founded in the 12th century by the Augustinian order of the nearby Merton Priory of which only the Western Gate remains. Parks in the area include: London Borough of Merton The London Borough of Merton ( / ˈ m ɜːr t ə n / )
1250-474: The census recorded that 25% of the population of the borough was from an 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
1300-478: The 32 local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London , England; each is governed by a London borough council. The present London boroughs were all created at the same time as Greater London on 1 April 1965 by the London Government Act 1963 (c. 33) and are a type of local government district. Twelve were designated as Inner London boroughs and twenty as Outer London boroughs. The City of London ,
1350-559: The 32 London Boroughs. The name Merton for the borough was chosen as a compromise, following a dispute between Wimbledon and Mitcham over the new borough's name. Areas in the borough include: The local authority is Merton Council, based at Merton Civic Centre in Morden. Since 2000, for elections to the London Assembly , the borough forms part of the Merton and Wandsworth constituency. A lot of filming for former ITV police drama The Bill took place in Merton, particularly in
1400-750: The City of Westminster"). In 2000 the Greater London Authority was created, comprising the Mayor of London and the London Assembly . As a strategic authority, it absorbed only limited powers, such as major highways and planning strategy, from the borough councils. Sadiq Khan ( L ) Statutory Deputy Mayor Joanne McCartney ( L/Co ) London Assembly Lord Mayor Peter Estlin London boroughs ( list ) Vacant The London boroughs are administered by London borough councils (sometimes abbreviated LBCs), which are elected every four years. They are
1450-518: The Greater London Council was responsible for "wide area" services such as fire, ambulance, flood prevention, and refuse disposal; with the London borough councils responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. Several London borough councils and the GLC were involved in the rate-capping rebellion of 1985. On 1 April 1986 the GLC was abolished and
1500-667: The UK without charge for small UK charities. 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. The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Merton. 51°23′N 0°10′W / 51.383°N 0.167°W / 51.383; -0.167 London borough The London boroughs are
1550-623: The area does not correspond directly with the Local Government ward of the same name which for administrative convenience includes areas as far south as Morden South railway station . The area contains two state schools: Merton Park Primary and Rutlish School (boys) and is almost entirely residential in character without shops or pubs except a bar at the Old Rutlishians ('Old Ruts') playing field and clubhouse in Poplar Road. Merton Park
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1600-457: The borough councils gained responsibility for some services that had been provided by the Greater London Council, such as waste disposal . The Inner London Education Authority continued to exist as an ad hoc authority. In 1990 it was abolished and the Inner London borough councils also became local education authorities. The Local Government Act 1972 provided a mechanism for the name of
1650-483: The county of Surrey . The parish of Wimbledon was made a local government district in 1866. Such districts were converted into urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894 . The Wimbledon Urban District was subsequently incorporated to become the municipal borough of Wimbledon in 1905. Merton was made an urban district in 1907, which was enlarged in 1913 to take in neighbouring Morden, becoming
1700-656: The districts of Mitcham and Colliers Wood . The set of 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
1750-438: The existence of an Inner London Education Authority , praised by official Opposition and government who further noted that unusually the former County of London's many small local authorities had no history of providing education. The City of London continued to be administered by the City of London Corporation , and the Inner and Middle Temples continued to govern their own areas. Elections were held on 7 May 1964 , with
1800-454: The following decade before the club's owners chose Milton Keynes as their destination. However, a new Wimbledon club – AFC Wimbledon – was formed to represent the local area in 2002 by fans of the original club after the move to Milton Keynes was given the go-ahead. The new Wimbledon club's progress was rapid, and after just nine years in existence they won promotion to the Football League in 2011. The club gained permission in 2016 it to build
1850-649: The four tennis Grand Slam tournaments (along with the US , 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. The borough gained
1900-760: The historic centre, is a separate ceremonial county and sui generis local government district that functions quite differently from a London borough. However, the two counties together comprise the administrative area of Greater London as well as the London Region , all of which is also governed by the Greater London Authority , under the Mayor of London . The London boroughs have populations of between 150,000 and 400,000. Inner London boroughs tend to be smaller, in both population and area, and more densely populated than Outer London boroughs. The London boroughs were created by combining groups of former local government units. A review undertaken between 1987 and 1992 led to
1950-449: The last quarter of the 19th century, the parish of Merton was mainly rural. The area now known as Merton Park was farm land owned by City merchant John Innes who was the local " lord of the manor ". The rapid development of Wimbledon to the north encouraged Innes to develop his land for housing. He took as his model the garden suburbs (particularly Bedford Park in Chiswick ) and developed
2000-507: The new councils acting as shadow authorities before coming into their powers the following year. The boroughs were created as follows. Some relatively minor changes have been made to the boundaries of boroughs since 1965, and two have changed their names. Between 1965 and 1986 the boroughs were part of a two-tier system of government and shared power with the Greater London Council (GLC). The split of powers and functions meant that
2050-458: 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 Wimbledon
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2100-473: The powers usually invested in county councils. The municipal borough and urban district authorities had fewer powers. The situation was made more complex because county councils could delegate functions such as elementary education and library provision to the municipal borough and district councils, and this was implemented piecemeal. Reform of London local government sought to regularise this arrangement. The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London
2150-571: The principal local authorities in London and are responsible for running most local services, such as schools, social services, waste collection and roads. Some London-wide services are run by the Greater London Authority , and some services and lobbying of government are pooled within London Councils . Some councils group together for services such as waste collection and disposal . The boroughs are local government districts and have similar functions to metropolitan boroughs . Each borough council
2200-568: The provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act 1882 . In the London boroughs the legal entity is not the council, as elsewhere in the country, but the inhabitants incorporated as a legal entity by royal charter (a process abolished elsewhere in England and Wales under the Local Government Act 1972 ). Thus, a London authority's official legal title is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of X" (or "The Lord Mayor and Citizens of
2250-513: The review a series of relatively minor adjustments were made to borough boundaries, for example uniting the whole of the Becontree estate in Barking and Dagenham . The commission noted that many of its recommendations were strongly opposed and were not implemented. The boundary of the City of London with adjacent boroughs was adjusted to remove some anomalies. The London boroughs were incorporated using
2300-678: The tree-lined roads of detached and semi-detached houses for which the area is known. The northern section of Merton Park each side of Kingston Road (A238) and Below Dorset Road to the B286 are now conservation areas . A notable feature of the Merton Park ward is that it regularly returns Merton Park Ward Independent Residents to Merton London Borough Council . Five MPWRA have also been Deputy Mayor of Merton: Peter Southgate in 2005/06, Krysia Williams in 2008/09, Karin Forbes in 2009/10, John Sargeant in 2013/14 and Edward Foley 2019/20. The John Innes Society
2350-626: Was consensus for the change between all the relevant local authorities. This provision was used to exchange two islands on the River Thames between Richmond upon Thames and Surrey. (See List of Greater London boundary changes .) The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established by the Local Government Act 1972 to review periodically the boundaries of Greater London and the London boroughs. The first review of boundaries commenced on 1 April 1987 and reported in 1992. Following
2400-437: Was established in 1957 and the report was published on 19 October 1960. It proposed 52 "Greater London Boroughs" with a population range of 100,000 to 250,000. This was made up of a mixture of whole existing units, mergers of two or three areas, and two boroughs formed as the result of a split. In December 1961 the government proposed that there would be 34 boroughs rather than 52, and detailed their boundaries. The proposed number
2450-503: Was further reduced to 32 in 1962. On 1 April 1965, the 32 London boroughs and Greater London were created by the London Government Act 1963 . Twelve boroughs in the former County of London area were designated Inner London boroughs and the 20 others were designated Outer London boroughs. Outer London borough councils were local education authorities , but Inner London borough councils were so designated primarily to continue
2500-578: Was realised that this might provide arbitrary boundaries in some places. The London Government Act 1963 provided a mechanism for communities on the edge of Greater London to petition for transfer from London boroughs to a neighbouring county district. This was used in 1969 in the transfers of Knockholt in Bromley to Kent, and of Farleigh and Hooley in Croydon to Surrey. The Act also provided for transfers between London boroughs and neighbouring counties where there
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