# 1961 Neath Rural District Council election

An election to the Neath Rural District Council in West Glamorgan, Wales was held on 11 May 1961. It was preceded by the 1958 election, and followed by the 1964 election.

## Overview of the results

Although Labour retained the vast majority of seats, three candidates captured seats previously held by Labour. As at the previous election, over half of the wards saw Labour candidates returned unopposed.

## Candidates

The profile of candidates was similar to three years previously with a number of long-serving Labour councillors returned unopposed.

## Outcome

Three Independent gains were recorded, including at Bryncoch where Labour lost the seat held by the late J.T. Evans for over forty years. At Coedffranc, Martin Thoms, unsuccessful three years previously, took second place behind long-serving Independent William David. The third Independent victory was at Glyn-neath, where Richard Arthur, a Labour councillor for twelve years until 1958, took a seat from his former party.

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

Baglan Higher 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Jones* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blaengwrach (one seats)

Blaengwrach 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Albert Vowles* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blaenrhonddan, Bryncoch Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Bryncoch Ward 1961 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | Royston Jones | 738 |
| Labour | Samuel Brynley Davies | 449 |
| Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing |

### Blaenrhonddan, Cadoxton Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Cadoxton Ward 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David John Davies* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blaenrhonddan, Cilfrew Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Cilfrew Ward 1961 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | John Evans | 216 |
| Independent | Thomas E. Rees | 206 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Clyne (one seats)

Clyne 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas G. Allen* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Coedffranc (five seats)

Coedffranc 1961 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | William David* | 2,757 |
| Independent | Martin Thomas | 2,085 |
| Labour | Thomas L. Thomas* | 1,878 |
| Labour | Ivor Llewellyn Evans* | 1,841 |
| Labour | Thomas Rees* | 1,596 |
| Labour | Clarence Gwyn Pope* | 1,505 |
| Labour | Wilfred Edgar Jones | 1,418 |
| Communist | Glaslyn Morgan | 904 |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)

Dyffryn Clydach 1961 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Charles H. Button* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Labour | William John Griffiths* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

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

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Emlyn Davies* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

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

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Daniel Lewis* | 585 |
| | Communist | William John Davies | 402 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 89 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

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

Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward 1961 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | J. Joseph Smith* | 1,050 |
| Labour | Richard Davies* | 942 |
| Communist | David Davies | 507 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Dulais Lower (one seat)

Dulais Lower 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J.S. George* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Michaelstone Higher (one seat)

Michaelstone Higher 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gwilym Thomas Morgan* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Neath Higher (three seats)

Neath Higher 1961 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | Lewis Cynlais Adams* | 1,359 |
| Independent | Richard Arthur* | 870 |
| Labour | Roy Llewellyn Crawley | 779 |
| Labour | Robert Henry Dyer | 631 |
| Labour | Thomas George Evans* | 547 |
| Communist | William Irwyn Davies | 316 |
| Independent | Arthur Robert Short | 182 |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Neath Lower (one seat)

Neath Lower 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Henry Evans* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Edward John Ateyo* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Resolven Ward 1961 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Hull* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Labour | William John Powell* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Rhigos Ward 1961 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Iorwerth Williams* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Labour | Thomas G. Powell* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Resolven, Tonna Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Tonna Ward 1961 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | David J. Daymond* | 540 |
| | Independent Labour | Nathaniel Thomas | 287 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 253 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |