# 1934 Neath Rural District Council election

An election to the Neath Rural District Council in Wales was held in March 1934. It was preceded by the 1931 election and was followed by the 1937 election.

## Overview of the results

Labour won control of the authority for the first time, winning sixteen seats as opposed to thirteen for the Independents.

## Boundary changes

Ystradfellte ward was removed to Breconshire, reducing the number of councillors from 31 to 29. This rural ward had long been represented by Independent councillors who were usually returned unopposed.

## Candidates

All seats were contested apart from Tonmawr, where the longest serving Labour member, William Jones, was returned unopposed, and Clyne, which was also taken without opposition by Labour. Most of the other seats saw Labour candidates face Independent nominees, with a small number of Independent Labour and Communist candidates.

## Outcome

Having won a majority for the first time, Labour councillors moved swiftly to impose their authority. Independent councillors had for the past six years denied Labour any significant roles within the council, so this was taken as a reason for Labour to reverse this position. William Jones, Tonmawr, the senior Labour councillor on the authority, who had been proposed many times as chairman, without success, was elected by fifteen votes to thirteen, with John James of Crynant elected vice-chairman by a similar margin.

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

Baglan Higher 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Jones* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blaengwrach (one seat)

Blaengwrach 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Albert Vowles | 226 |
| | Independent | Rosser Jenkins* | 134 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing |

### Blaenrhonddan (three seats)

Blaenrhonddan 1934 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | J.T. Evans* | 975 |
| Independent | Edward Bowen | 641 |
| Independent | Llew Jones* | 514 |
| Labour | William R. Griffiths | 472 |
| Labour | Albert John | 374 |
| Independent | John Morgan | 349 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |

### Clyne (one seat)

Clyne 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charles R. Kimber | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Coedffranc (five seats)

Coedffranc 1934 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | Ogley Lewis David* | 1,881 |
| Independent | Isaac David | 1,831 |
| Independent | Amy Jones* | 1,830 |
| Labour | David Jenkins* | 1,739 |
| Labour | Mary Elizabeth Davies* | 1,378 |
| Independent | Thomas Lloyd* | 1,239 |
| Independent | W.T.A. Macamara | 906 |
| Labour | David Thomas | 891 |
| Labour | Thomas Lovering | 802 |
| Labour | Isaac William Evans | 599 |
| Independent | Mary Jane Reid | 593 |
| Independent Labour | Philip Evans | 393 |
| Independent | John Harris Evans | 359 |
| Independent Labour | Christopher Jones | 328 |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)

Dyffryn Clydach 1934 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Joseph Thomas* | 353 |
| Independent | David Williams | 330 |
| Independent Labour | Percy Cantle | 285 |
| Labour | A.T. Rogers | 237 |
| Independent Labour | Ben Jones | 233 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |

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

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | David Jeffreys* | 367 |
| | Labour | Jenkin Morgan | 263 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |

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

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | John James* | 605 |
| | Independent | J.T. Lewis | 293 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

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

Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward 1934 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | George Jones* | 697 |
| Independent | W.P. Harries | 539 |
| Labour | George Adams | 436 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |

### Dulais Lower (one seat)

Dulais Lower 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | J.S. George | 169 |
| | Independent | Morgan Thomas Richards | 109 |
| | Independent | Llewellyn Davies | 104 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing |

### Michaelstone Higher (one seat)

Michaelstone Higher 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | W.J. Lewis* | 305 |
| | Independent | H.W. Crouch | 147 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Neath Higher (three seats)

Neath Higher 1934 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Morgan Morgan* | 925 |
| Independent | David Arthur* | 878 |
| Labour | Cliff Protheroe* | 863 |
| Labour | R.H. Taylor | 654 |
| Communist | E. Williams | 247 |
| Communist | W.J. Jones | 90 |
| Communist | T. Williams | 89 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Neath Lower (one seat)

Neath Lower 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Samuel Burnard* | 174 |
| | Independent | T.D. Herbert | 90 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Trevor Lewis* | 351 |
| | Independent | R.H. Snook | 52 |
| | Communist | Edward Sherlock | 23 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Resolven Ward 1934 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | D.J.Evans* | 657 |
| Labour | Fred Thomas* | 651 |
| Independent | Benjamin Jones | 474 |
| Labour | R. Geary | 349 |
| Independent | A. Howell | 121 |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Rhigos Ward 1934 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | R.M. Smith* | 348 |
| Independent | James Evans* | 338 |
| Labour | T. Williams | 268 |
| Communist | R.J. Douglas | 66 |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |

### Resolven, Tonna Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Tonna Ward 1934 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | W.G. Harrington* | 386 |
| | Labour | William Thomas | 301 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |