# 1946 Neath Rural District Council election

An election to the Neath Rural District Council in West Glamorgan, Wales was held on 1 April 1946. It was preceded by the 1937 election, as no elections had been held in 1940 and 1943 due to the Second World War, and followed by the 1949 election.

## Overview of the results

Having won control of the authority for the first time in 1934, Labour consolidated their position by winning a number of additional seats across the area with the Independent group, which previously controlled the authority, reduced to only six members.

## Candidates

Labour, who had maintained a majority of seats on the Council since 1934, nominated almost a full slate of candidates; seven of whom were returned unpposed.
A smaller number of Independent candidates stood than in previous years, although their number was boosted by Mary Elizabeth Davies, originally a Labour councillor at Coedffranc who had been elected as Independent Labour in 1937. She now stood as a non-party candidate. British Legion candidates contested both Coedffranc and Resolven. There were also a number of Communist candidates, including Alun Thomas who had recently taken the Coedffranc county council seat from Labour.

## Outcome

The outcome of the election saw a mixed picture as Labour gained seats from the Independents, but the chairman of the Council Council, John James, was defeated at Onllwyn by a Communist candidate. Alun Thomas successfully defended his seat at Dyffryn Clydach, where Labour took the second seat an Independent. At Seven Sisters, Labour also gained a seat from the Independents, although Communist candidate Evan Lewis came within 64 votes of defeating the veteran Labour councillor, George Jones.
A notable feature was the success of British Legion candidates at Coedffranc and Resolven. Significantly, the result at Coedffranc echoed a precedent in 1919 when an ex-serviceman was elected in the same ward.

## Ward Results
### Baglan Higher (one seat)

Baglan Higher 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Jones* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blaengwrach (one seats)

Blaengwrach 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Albert Vowles* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blaenrhonddan (three seats)

Blaenrhonddan 1946 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | J.T. Evans* | 1,188 |
| Independent | Daniel Jones | 892 |
| Labour | Albert Mansel Davies | 877 |
| Labour | William James Down | 846 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Clyne (one seats)

Clyne 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas G. Allen | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Coedffranc (five seats)

Coedffranc 1946 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| British Legion | George Frost | 2,069 |
| Independent | Mary Elizabeth Davies* | 1,925 |
| Independent | Amy Jones* | 1,877 |
| Labour | Thomas Rees | 1,440 |
| Labour | William Davies* | 1,334 |
| Labour | David Jenkins* | 1,269 |
| Labour | D. Thomas | 943 |
| Trade Unionist | H. Benyon | 806 |
| Labour | H. Jones | 783 |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Independent gain from Independent Labour | Independent gain from Independent Labour | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)

Dyffryn Clydach 1946 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Communist | Alun C. Thomas* | 672 |
| Labour | Gwyn Davies | 497 |
| British Legion | Henry Phillips | 430 |
| Independent | David Williams* | 247 |
| Communist hold | Communist hold | Swing |
| Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing |

### Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward (one seat)

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | John James* | 505 |
| | Independent | Daniel C. Williams | 354 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 151 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward (one seat)

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Communist | William John Davies | 670 |
| | Labour | John James* | 540 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 |
| | Communist gain from Labour | Communist gain from Labour | Swing |

### Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward (two seats)

Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward 1946 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Edith Jones | 815 |
| Labour | George Jones* | 707 |
| Communist | Evan Lewis | 643 |
| Independent | William Morris | 434 |
| Independent | W.P. Harries* | 226 |
| Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Dulais Lower (one seat)

Dulais Lower 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J.S. George* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Michaelstone Higher (one seat)

Michaelstone Higher 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent Labour | David Davies | 279 |
| | Labour | Patrick Boyle* | 250 |
| | Communist | David H. Griffiths | 116 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 |
| | Independent Labour gain from Labour | Independent Labour gain from Labour | Swing |

### Neath Higher (three seats)

Neath Higher 1946 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Blodwen May Jones* | 946 |
| Independent | Richard Arthur | 935 |
| Labour | Joseph James Lunn* | 668 |
| Labour | Lewis Cynlais Adams | 594 |
| Independent | David Arthur* | 535 |
| Independent | William Morgan Davies | 497 |
| Independent | Ralph Vincent Morgan | 474 |
| Independent | Aubrey Jenkins | 438 |
| Independent | Clifford Harrett Harries | 387 |
| Communist | Evan G. Williams | 330 |
| Independent Labour | T. Challacombe | 266 |
| Independent | William Henry Morris | 126 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Neath Lower (one seat)

Neath Lower 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Burnard* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Edward John Ateyo* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Resolven Ward 1946 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Richard Geary* | 930 |
| British Legion | T. Roberts | 610 |
| Labour | Richard V. Morgan | 585 |
| Independent | Benjamin Jones | 430 |
| Independent | Griffith J. Thomas | 240 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |

### Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Rhigos Ward 1946 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | Rees Morgan Smith* | 509 |
| Labour | Iorwerth Williams | 301 |
| Labour | Richard George Norman* | 226 |
| Independent | Henry Walters | 209 |
| Independent | William David Evans | 196 |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Resolven, Tonna Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Tonna Ward 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Gethin Thomas* | 622 |
| | Independent | Rev D.J. Walters | 401 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 221 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |