The 2002 Wandsworth London Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2002 to elect members of Wandsworth London Borough Council in London, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 1998 reducing the number of seats by 1. The Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.
The election saw an experiment in leaving polling stations open for a longer period. Along with neighbouring Westminster City Council polling stations were open from 7 am to 10 pm instead of the standard 8 am to 9 pm.
Background As part of a major redistricting, Wandsworth council along with every other London Council created new districts, eliminated some, and expanded others. The results of this redistricting were as follows:The London Borough of Wandsworth (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1977legislation.gov.uk - The London Borough of Wandsworth (Electoral Changes) Order 2000. Retrieved on 2 March 2015.
Wards Created
Wandsworth Common (3) - Created from parts of Earlsfield, Fairfield, Springfield and St John wards
Wards Eliminated
Parkside (2) - Absorbed by West Hill ward St John (3) - Land divided among Fairfield, Latchmere and St Mary's Park wards as well as part of the new Wandsworth Common ward Springfield (3) - Land divided between Earlsfield ward and the new Wandsworth Common ward
Wards Expanded
Earlsfield - increased from 2 to 3 seats Fairfield - increased from 2 seats to 3 Queenstown - Increased from 2 seats to 3 West Hill - Increased from 2 seats to 3
Wards Renamed
Southfield (3) - renamed to Southfields ward During the process of redistrictinng, the number of seats on Wandworth London Borough Council dropped from 61 to 60.
In the years between this election and the previous one there were 2 by-elections triggered by the resignation and deaths of their respective councillors, however neither of them resulted in the seats changing parties. In addition to this there was a single seat that became vacant without enough time to hold a by-election to fill it, which meant the composition of the council just before the election was as follows: +↓11491
Election result
After the election, the composition was as follows: +↓1050
Ward results (*) - Indicates an incumbent candidate
(†) - Indicates an incumbent candidate standing in a different ward
Balham
Bedford
Earlsfield
East Putney
Fairfield
Furzedown
Graveney
Latchmere
Nightingale
Northcote
Queenstown
Roehampton
St Mary's Park
Shaftesbury
Southfields
Thamesfield
Tooting
Wandsworth Common
West Hill
West Putney
Notes
References