Merton Council has rejected a motion to host a Youth Mental Health & Body Image Summit, despite concerns about the mental health challenges faced by young people in the borough.
The motion, put forward by Councillor Samantha MacArthur and seconded by Councillor Jil Hall at a Merton Council meeting on Wednesday, highlighted the impact of unrealistic body image ideals, driven by media and social media, on the mental well-being of young residents. The motion stated that an estimated 7,000 8–19-year-olds in Merton are believed to have a mental health condition, and that over a third of young people feel upset or ashamed about their body image.
The proposal called for a summit bringing together school leaders, psychologists, body image experts, mental health charities, and Merton's Youth Parliament. The aim was to explore how body image pressures, social media, and appearance-based comparisons are affecting young people's mental health.
The motion also requested a report from the summit to be submitted to the Cabinet within nine months. This report would outline 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 before it was put to a vote, but it ultimately failed, with 24 votes in favour and 27 votes against.
The full minutes of the meeting are available on the Merton Council website.