Councillor Martin Whelton has been elected to be Mayor of Merton for the coming year and intends to dedicate his year in office to bringing communities together.
At the London Borough of Merton’s annual council meeting on Wednesday 21 May, Councillor Martin Whelton was only the second councillor in Merton’s history to serve as Mayor twice.
The first time was in 2008/9, when he was the youngest person to be Mayor – a record which he still holds. Councillor Whelton also served as Deputy Mayor of Merton in 2023/24.
Councillor Whelton has represented Pollards Hill Ward as a councillor since 2002 and served in the Cabinet between 2010-2022. Most recently he has been Chair of the Licensing Committee and Chair of the Governance, Standards and Audit Committee.
Councillor Whelton said: “It’s an honour to be nominated to serve a second term as Mayor of the London Borough of Merton. To have this privilege during Merton’s 60th anniversary year makes it even more special.
“During my second mayoral year, I will be working to bring communities from across the borough together to support one another and to ensure that Merton is a welcoming place for everyone. This theme is reflected in my choice of charities, whose work in the community has supported many people from across Merton, including those who need it most.”
Councillor Whelton’s three chosen charities are the Wimbledon Guild, Merton and Morden Guild and the Commonside Community Development Trust. His consort will be his mother, Veronica Whelton.
The Deputy Mayor is Councillor Shuile Syeda, who represents St Helier Ward.