At a meeting of Merton Council, councillors discussed community issues raised at local forums, debated motions on abortion law and youth mental health, and approved amendments to the capital programme. Councillor Martin Whelton, The Mayor, also recognised three local individuals and organisations as Merton Heroes. Councillors also approved a request for absence from Councillor James Williscroft.

Capital Programme Amendments

The council approved amendments to the capital programme as detailed in the Financial Outturn Report 2024/25. These amendments include:

• Temporary Accommodation: An addition of £20 million to the 2025-26 budget, funded by a £7,115,350 grant and £12,884,650 from Merton. This funding will be used to purchase temporary accommodation within Merton's boundaries, excluding one-bedroom properties unless otherwise approved.
• Play Zones: An addition of £1,624,960 to the 2025-26 budget, funded by £1,218,720 in contributions, £335,750 from Section 106[^1] agreements, and £70,490 from Merton. [^1]: Section 106 agreements are legal agreements between local planning authorities and developers, used to mitigate the impact of new developments on the community and infrastructure.
• Joseph Hood New Pavilion: An addition of £1,100,660 to the 2026-27 budget, fully funded by Section 106 agreements.
• Raynes Park High School Community Artificial Pitch: An addition of £1,200,000 to the 2026-27 budget, funded by £940,000 in contributions and £260,000 from Section 106 agreements.
• Replacement of Fleet Vehicles: An addition of £3,300,000 to the 2026-27 budget, funded by Merton. This is for the replacement of non-waste/street cleansing fleet vehicles at the end of their useful life.

Councillor Oliver spoke on the report before it was put to a vote and agreed.

Motions

Conservative Motion on Changes to Abortion Law

Councillor Nick McLean, Leader of the Conservative Group, moved a motion regarding changes to abortion law, which was seconded by Councillor Eleanor Cox. The motion concerned the New Clause One amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, which, if enacted, would disapply existing criminal law related to abortion from women acting in relation to their own pregnancy at any gestation. The motion stated that this would:

1. Create a legal backdoor for sex selective abortions.
2. Lead to more late term DIY abortions at home.
3. Lead to more babies' lives being ended after the current 24-week abortion legal limit and beyond the point where they can survive outside of the womb and up to full term.

The motion called upon the Cabinet to investigate the impact of the proposed changes and run a public information campaign on the dangers of DIY abortions and the health risks of terminations beyond 24 weeks. It also called upon the Leader of the Council to write to the borough's two MPs expressing the council's opposition to the changes.

Councillors Anthony Fairclough, Chessie Flack, Susie Hicks, Paul Kohler and Eleanor Stringer also spoke on the item.

Prior to the motion being moved, Councillor Gill Manly raised a point of order that the motion did not come under the scope of Merton's responsibility, but the Deputy Monitoring Officer responded that the motion did come within the scope of the constitution because changes of the law would affect Merton and the residents of Merton.

The motion was put to a vote and fell, with 7 votes in favour, 37 votes against, and 7 abstentions. Councillor Flack requested that her vote against the motion be recorded.

Liberal Democrat Motion on Youth Mental Health & Body Image Summit

Councillor Samantha MacArthur moved a motion, seconded by Councillor Jil Hall, calling on the Cabinet to consider hosting a Youth Mental Health & Body Image Summit. The motion highlighted the mental health challenges faced by young people, fuelled by unrealistic body image ideals driven by media and social media. The motion stated that 7,000 8–19-year-olds in Merton are estimated to have a mental health condition, and that over a third of young people feel upset or ashamed about their body image.

The motion called for a summit bringing together school leaders, psychologists, body image experts, mental health charities, and Merton's Youth Parliament, to explore how body image pressures, social media, and appearance-based comparisons are affecting young people's mental health. It also requested a report from the summit to Cabinet within nine months, setting out a co-designed programme of work to promote body confidence, challenge unrealistic beauty standards, encourage open conversations about mental and physical health, and build the knowledge and skills of school staff to support young people effectively.

Councillors Hina Bokhari and Usaama Kaweesa also spoke on the motion.

The motion was put to a vote and fell, with 24 votes in favour, and 27 votes against.

Update on Motions to Council 2024/25

Councillor Ross Garrod, Leader of the Council, formally moved a report providing an update on actions taken by the council resulting from motions passed at Council during the previous municipal year, which was formally seconded by Councillor Eleanor Stringer, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change. Councillor Fairclough also spoke.

The report noted that three motions were passed at ordinary meetings of the Council during the municipal year 2024-25:

• Social Media (September 2024): This motion resolved to advocate for greater accountability and transparency from social media companies, hold to the highest professional standard when using social media, avoid promoting anonymous social media accounts, avoid sharing content that may toxify the local political climate, and uphold the Social Media Guidance for Councillors. Social media training has been arranged for councillors in July 2025, and the Communications team are reviewing the social media guidance agreed in 2020.
• Tennis in Merton (January 2025): This motion resolved to send a letter to Tennis in Merton expressing unified support following the award of the contract. A letter was drafted and shared with the Leaders of all political parties represented on Merton Council for their signature. The Merton Park Independent Resident Group confirmed their signature, but the Liberal Democrat Group and the Conservative Group have not agreed to add their signature.
• Merton Academy Schools (April 2025): This motion resolved for a letter to be sent to the Secretary of State for Education to ask them to consider the implications of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill on Merton's local Academy Schools. This letter was sent in May 2025.

The council resolved to note the updates within the report.

Approval of Absence

Councillor Sally Kenny, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Education, moved a report to approve the reason for absence for Councillor James Williscroft from meetings of the Council up to and including 9 July 2025, which was formally seconded by Councillor Sheri-Ann Bhim.

The council resolved to approve the absence, noting that Councillor Williscroft will have until 9 January 2026 to attend a meeting of the Council or seek another dispensation prior to that time.

Public Questions

Members of the public submitted questions to cabinet members, with written responses circulated prior to the meeting. Some questioners asked supplementary questions.

• Craig van Eyk asked about e-bike safety. The Cabinet Member for Transport and Cleaner Streets responded that the council does not have the legal powers to enforce traffic offences, and so it is important that residents report dangerous riding to the police. However, the council has secured an agreement with Lime and Forest to introduce mandatory bay parking for e-bike users.
• Barry Smith asked why the council is not proceeding with trials of pavement cable crossing systems for electric vehicle charging. The Cabinet Member for Transport and Cleaner Streets responded that there are a number of legal, safety and maintenance concerns that remain unresolved, and that the council will continue to monitor trials taking place in other local authorities.
• George Hadjiyiannakis asked how much of the £12m allocated for St Helier & Epsom Hospital Trust will be spent on St Helier Hospital and how much money is needed to make it safe. The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care responded that £7.5 million has been allocated to St Helier Hospital, and that the current backlog of maintenance across the two sites is estimated to be £150 million.
• Sarah Golby asked how much Merton spent with Amazon/Amazon Business in 2024. The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services responded that the total spent was £52,520.00 in 2024/25.
• Kaweh Beheshtizadeh and Phil Ling asked how many new houses the Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development would support in a development at the land south of Britannia Point. The Cabinet Member responded that the site can develop up to 150-220 new homes, depending on the design of the building, and that 50% of these homes should be affordable.
• Sue Bucknall asked if Merton Council has had a meeting with AELTC to discuss the land covenants. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development responded that Merton Council has not had a meeting with AELTC to discuss the land covenants.
• Richard Poole asked if the council will respond to the government consultation on overhauling the funding rules for local authorities, and if they will commit to publishing their response. The Leader of the Council responded that the council will be responding to the consultation, and will be happy to publish their response.
• Nick Thomas asked how the council will increase street tree cover across the borough, and deal with the backlog of unfilled tree pits. The Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change responded that the council is committed to filling those vacant tree pits, and will be planting 1000 extra street trees over the next year.
• Joydev Nandi asked if the council can attract AI business to the borough and motivate young people and generate good monies for the authorities. The Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change responded that the council is committed to growing the local economy, and has a range of business-led opportunities to support young people and attract AI businesses to the borough.
• Julian Harding-Richardson asked about delays to tree surveys for the Trees for Streets scheme. The Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change apologised for the delay and confirmed that the requested tree is scheduled to be planted in the 2025/26 planting season.
• Edward Marsh asked about planning/approvals for HMOs in Ravensbury. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development responded that the same National Planning rules apply to Ravensbury as in the majority of other wards, and that if there is a HMO of seven or more occupants that has been created without the necessary planning permission, he will ask officers to investigate.

Councillor Questions

Councillors also submitted questions to cabinet members, with written responses circulated prior to the meeting. Some councillors asked supplementary questions.

• Councillor Aidan Mundy asked about the progress made in expanding the pop-up tip programme across Merton's neighbourhoods since April. The Cabinet Member for Transport and Cleaner Streets responded that the scheme has been made permanent and expanded so that now every neighbourhood is visited at least four times a year.
• Councillor Samantha MacArthur asked if the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services agrees with the Disability Charity Consortium, that the Labour Government's personal independence payment (PIP) cuts proposed as of 24th June 2025 risk condemning more disabled people to a life of poverty . The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services responded that the upcoming review of the PIP assessment process will be co-produced with disabled people and organisations representing them.
• Councillor Nick McLean asked how much the three properties due to be used as resettlement homes for refugees are projected to cost and what are the future costs of acquiring homes for resettlement in the borough. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development responded that the grant conditions assume that the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) will cover 40% of the cost, with the Council funding the remaining 60%, based on the average lower quartile property price in Greater London.
• Councillor Laxmi Attawar asked about the key measures introduced under the new agreement with Lime and Forest to address the issue of badly parked e-bikes. The Cabinet Member for Transport and Cleaner Streets responded that the agreement introduces a compulsory bay-only parking model.
• Councillor Paul Kohler asked what the Cabinet Member makes of the news, published by the Office for National Statistics, that unemployment has risen by 14% in Merton over the last 12 months. The Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Education responded that the most recently published ONS figures show an unemployment rate of 3.8% in Merton for the 12 months ending December 2024, and that the 14% figure may relate to the claimant count or the proportion of people who are economically inactive.
• Councillor Daniel Holden asked for an update on the future of Wimbledon and Mitcham Police Stations. The Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety responded that no official decision has been made or released by MOPAC on the future of Wimbledon or Mitcham Police Station, but that the council has repeatedly raised the importance of keeping both stations open.
• Councillor Michael Brunt asked how Merton celebrated National Carers Week, and what support is currently provided by Merton to carers across the borough. The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care responded that Merton marked National Carers Week 2025 with a programme of events, and that carers in Merton can access a wide range of support, including Carers First, Carers Assessments, Peer Support Groups and Workshops, Respite Services, and key information and signposting.
• Councillor Jenifer Gould asked how much of St Helier's repair backlog will be dealt with by the £7.5m allocated for St Helier's crumbling infrastructure. The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care responded that the current backlog of maintenance across Epsom and St Helier Hospitals is estimated to be £150 million, and that the funding will help the hospital get started and move forwards with the important work of fixing the disrepair which exists.
• Councillor Michael Paterson asked how much the government's decision to increase employers' national insurance contributions will cost this council up to the end of the financial year in 2029/30. The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services responded that it isn't possible to give a five-year projection of the cost implications of the increase in employers' national insurance contributions (NICs).
• Councillor Franca Ofeimu asked for an update on any progress made in securing much needed funding for St. Helier hospital. The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care responded that the government recently agreed an additional £12 million in 2025/26 to begin the important work of tackling the backlog of maintenance across Epsom and St Helier hospitals.
• Councillor Hina Bokhari asked how many children are currently living in temporary accommodation in Merton, and what is the Council doing to reduce that number. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development responded that there are currently 1020 children living in temporary accommodation provided by the Council, and that the council always aims to prevent homelessness wherever possible.
• Councillor Michael Butcher asked what actions the Council are taking locally to support the Government's plans to crack down on antisocial behaviour in our towns. The Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community responded that the council is working closely with local Police teams to reduce Anti-social behaviour, with a particular focus on our town centres over the summer.
• Councillor Victoria Wilson asked how many young people in Merton were referred by CAMHS to Adult Mental Health Services in the past 12 months, and how many of them actually transitioned and attended at least one AMHS appointment. The Cabinet Member for Children's Services responded that both CAMHS and Adult Mental Health Services are provided by the NHS and so the Council is not able to provide the requested data.
• Councillor Linda Kirby asked what evidence there is for the impact that the Borough of Sport initiative has had on increasing activity levels in Merton since its inception. The Cabinet Member for Sport and Heritage responded that the most recent Active Lives survey has shown that around 6,800 more residents in the borough are now classified as 'Active' compared to 2022-23, and that the number of inactive adults has fallen by 7,200 between 2021/2022 and 2023/2024.
• Councillor Tony Reiss asked when public consultations for the Merton Legacy Fund and for the Walking and Cycling Strategy were launched, and when the feedback and strategy/spending plans for each will be published. The Cabinet Member for Finance & Corporate Services responded that the initial public consultation on suggestions for the use of the Merton Legacy Fund was undertaken towards the end of 2024, and that further engagement is planned for later in July and August. The plans for spending the fund will be set out with the budget plans for 2026/27.
• Councillor Slawek Szczepanski asked for an update on the celebrations that were held for Merton's 60th birthday, and what other events residents can look forward to as part of the Cultural Impact Award. The Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change responded that the 60th birthday celebrations were some of the most well-attended events the council has hosted, and that the 60th birthday celebrations were also the launch of the three-year Cultural Impact Award that will see almost £1.2 million in funding invested in cultural programmes across the borough.
• Councillor Dan Johnston asked what measures Merton Council are taking to mitigate the extreme weather we are experiencing and tackle the climate crisis locally. The Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change responded that Merton declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 and committed to being a net zero carbon council by 2030 and a net zero carbon borough by 2050, and that Merton's Climate Strategy & Action Plan aims to adapt and build resilience to the impacts of climate change in Merton.
• Councillor Joan Henry asked how Merton marked the recent Foster Care Fortnight to celebrate and promote fostering in our community. The Cabinet Member for Children's Services responded that a comprehensive programme of events and outreach activities took place during Foster Care Fortnight in May, including community engagement events at libraries, and Foster Carer Appreciation and Connection Events.
• Councillor Sheri-Ann Bhim asked what actions the Council are taking locally to support the Government's plans to break down barriers to opportunity, and invest in skills training and apprenticeships. The Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Education responded that the Employ Merton service supports residents in finding job opportunities and accessing tailored support.
• Councillor Billy Hayes asked how many Housing Improvement Notices have been issued following the introduction of selective licensing and additional licensing in September 2023 and what has been the impact on the properties affected. The Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development responded that the Council has served 397 notices in relation to selective, additional, and mandatory licencing schemes, and that 222 notices have been complied with so far.

Community Forums

Councillor Matthew Willis presented the report from the Raynes Park Community Forum 18 March 2025, and Councillor Shuile Syeda presented the report from the Morden Community Forum 20 March 2025. The council received both reports.

Changes to Membership of Committees

Councillor Sheri-Ann Bhim formally moved a report on changes to membership of committees and related matters, which was formally seconded by Councillor Garrod. Councillor Bhim advised that the Lee Valley Regional Park Act 1966 appointment would now be Councillor Stephen Alambritis, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services.

The council resolved to note the changes to the membership of Committees that were approved under delegated authority since the last meeting of Council, and to note the appointment of Councillor Alambritis to the Lee Valley Regional Park Act 1966. The Memberships Report July 2025 noted the following changes:

• Councillor Michael Paterson replaced Councillor Thomas Barlow on the Development and Planning Applications Committee on 10 April 2025.
• Councillor Jil Hall replaced Councillor Victoria Wilson on the Sustainable Communities Overview & Scrutiny Panel on 3 June 2025.
• Councillor Aidan Mundy replaced Councillor Sheri-Ann Bhim on the Children and Young People Overview & Scrutiny Panel on 25 June 2025.
• Councillor Matthew Willis replaced Councillor Tony Reiss on the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 27 June 2025.

Petition

The council accepted receipt of a petition presented by Councillor John Oliver entitled Shannon Corner Service Centre Ltd.