# 1949 Neath Rural District Council election

An election to the Neath Rural District Council in West Glamorgan, Wales was held in May 1949. It was preceded by the 1946 election, and followed by the 1952 election.

## Overview of the results

The election resulted in relatively few changes in personnel as Labour comfortably upheld its majority.

## Candidates

Seven Labour candidates were returned unopposed, including the father of the council, William Jones, who had represented Baglan Higher since 1919. Once again the party contested nearly all the seats on the authority.
The main opposition came from various Independent candidates and there were also a small number of Communist candidates in addition to David Davies who defended the seat he had won at the previous election.

## Outcome

The main focus of interest was in the Coedffranc (Skewen) ward where two sitting councillors were defeated, namely the outgoing Labour chairman William Davies and long-serving Independent Mary Elizabeth (Bessie) Davies. Bessie Davies had originally been elected as a Labour councillor, before being elected as Independent Labour in 1937. In 1946 she stood as an Independent and a few weeks earlier had unsuccessfully sought election to Glamorgan County Council.

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

Baglan Higher 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Jones* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blaengwrach (one seats)

Blaengwrach 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Albert Vowles* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blaenrhonddan (three seats)

Blaenrhonddan 1949 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | J.T. Evans* | 1,211 |
| Independent | Daniel Jones* | 995 |
| Labour | Albert John | 892 |
| Labour | Albert Mansel Davies | 862 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Clyne (one seats)

Clyne 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas G. Allen* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Coedffranc (five seats)

Coedffranc 1949 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | William David | 2,259 |
| Labour | Thomas Rees* | 1,933 |
| Independent | George Frost* | 1,684 |
| Independent | Amy Jones* | 1,387 |
| Labour | Isaac Evans | 1,366 |
| Labour | William Davies* | 1,301 |
| Independent | Mary Elizabeth Davies* | 1,293 |
| Labour | David J. Williams | 914 |
| Labour | Mary Cossins | 806 |
| Independent | Hedley Thomas | 591 |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)

Dyffryn Clydach 1949 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Communist | Alun C. Thomas* | 583 |
| Independent | Gwyn Thomas | 468 |
| Labour | William John Griffiths | 442 |
| Labour | John Evans | 402 |
| Communist hold | Communist hold | Swing |
| Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing |

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

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John James* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

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

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Communist | William John Davies* | 760 |
| | Labour | Emlyn Jones | 442 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 318 |
| | Communist hold | Communist hold | Swing |

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

Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward 1949 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | J. Joseph Smith | 1,042 |
| Labour | Edith Jones* | 854 |
| Independent | William Morris | 635 |
| Communist | David Davies | 254 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Dulais Lower (one seat)

Dulais Lower 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | J.S. George* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Michaelstone Higher (one seat)

Michaelstone Higher 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Patrick Boyle | 369 |
| | Independent Labour | David Davies* | 297 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 72 |
| | Labour gain from Independent Labour | Labour gain from Independent Labour | Swing |

### Neath Higher (three seats)

Neath Higher 1949 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Blodwen May Jones* | 1,679 |
| Labour | Richard Arthur* | 1,596 |
| Labour | Joseph James Lunn* | 1,196 |
| Independent | Lewis Cynlais Adams | 1,007 |
| Communist | Evan G. Williams | 409 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Neath Lower (one seat)

Neath Lower 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Burnard* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward 1949 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Edward John Ateyo* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Resolven Ward 1949 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | David Hull* | 937 |
| Labour | Richard Geary* | 775 |
| Independent | Richard V. Morgan | 738 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Rhigos Ward 1946 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Independent | Rees Morgan Smith* | 613 |
| Labour | Iorwerth Williams* | 491 |
| Labour | Herbert Stephens | 382 |
| Labour | Herbert Stephens | 382 |
| Communist | Howell Williams | 169 |
| 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* | 606 |
| | Independent | William George Johns | 498 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 108 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |