1946 Carmarthenshire County Council election

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An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in March 1946. [1] The 1940 and 1943 elections were postponed due to the Second World War, therefore the election was preceded by the 1937 election and followed, by the 1949 election.

Contents

Overview of the result

The Independents retained their majority despite a strong Labour challenge, which saw an increase in the number of candidates contesting wards outside of the industrial south and east of the county. Retiring aldermen were also obliged to face the electorate before being re-elected to the bench.

Boundary changes

There were no boundary changes.

Unopposed returns

There were a number of unopposed returns, notably in Labour-held seats.

Contested elections

Many wards were keenly contested following the reinstatement of electoral politics after nine years.

In the Llanelli and Ammanford areas, Labour won ground, particularly in Llanelli town where three wards were gained from the Independents. Labour also defeated the sitting Independent at Llangeler (a rural ward where the party had been successful once before largely due to the prevalence of the woolen industry). Labour also won the St Ishmaels ward for the first time.

Another feature was that long-serving aldermen faced the electorate. A notable contest took place in Cwmamman where Alderman John Phillips, a member of the Council since 1922 narrowly defeated the sitting Labour councillor David Davies. In Carmarthen Town, Alderman William Price Williams was defeated by the retiring Independent, as was Alderman Evan Harris at Llansawel.

Summary of results

This section summarises the detailed results which are noted in the following sections. In some cases there is an ambiguity in the sources over the party affiliations and this is explained below where relevant.

This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 53 councillors were elected.

Carmarthesnhire County Council 1946: elected members
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour
  Independent
Carmarthenshire County Council 1946 : following election of new aldermen
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour
  Independent
Carmarthenshire County Council 1946 : following election of new aldermen and by-elections
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour
  Independent

Ward results

Abergwili

Abergwili 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent G.P. Philipps667
Independent D.J. Williams*351
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Ammanford No.1

Boundary Change.

Ammanford No.1 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Harriesunopposed
Labour win (new seat)

Ammanford No.2

Boundary Change.

Ammanford No.2 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frank Davies*708
Independent David Jones487
Labour win (new seat)

Berwick

Berwick 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour T.S. Bowen*1,150
Independent Labour Elvet Pugh396
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Burry Port

Boundary Change.

Burry Port 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour W.D. Jenkins993
Independent F.J. Morgan672
Labour win (new seat)

Caio

Caio 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Thomas Davies*486
Independent Isaac Williams418
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Carmarthen Division 1

Carmarthen Division 1 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent William Jones*701
Labour J.E. Hughes625
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Carmarthen Division 2

Carmarthen Division 2 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent J.O. Morgans*1,003
Labour G.G. Richards461
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Carmarthen Division 3

Carmarthen Division 3 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent J. Ithel P. Thomas*516
Labour W.C. Ferman482
Independent William Price Williams**396
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Cenarth

Cenarth 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent D.J. James Jones576
Independent Ellenora James*313
Independent J. Clement Davies278
Majority263
Independent hold Swing

Cilycwm

Cilycwm 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Ivor Elystan Campbell Davys*unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Conwil

Conwil 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent W.A. Phillips523
Independent E.J. Evans472
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Cwmamman

Cwmamman 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Phillips**1,091
Labour David Davies*1,030
Majority
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Hengoed

Hengoed 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Joseph Howells*unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Kidwelly

Kidwelly 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Amos Jones708
Independent H.J. Owen378
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Laugharne

Laugharne 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent S.B. Williams*542
Independent W.G. John404
Labour H.G. Taylor203
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Llanarthney

Llanarthney 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour W. Edgar Lewis*unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Llanboidy

Llanboidy 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Benjamin Salmon*unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Llandebie North

Llandebie North 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David O. Davies702
Labour Gwilym R. Thomas*666
Majority
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Llandebie South

Llandebie South 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D.B. Lewis*unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Llandilo Rural

Llandilo Rural 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Evan Davies*708
Independent J.W. Nicholas660
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Llandilo Urban

Llandilo Urban 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Benjamin Hughes*unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Llandovery

Llandovery 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Anthony H. Gower485
Labour James James307
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Llandyssilio

Llandyssilio 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Henry Morris*unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Llanedy

Llanedy 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Thomas William Morgan*unopposed
Labour hold Swing

Llanegwad

Llanegwad 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Griffith Evans*694
Independent W.D. Davies352
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Llanelly Division.1

Llanelly Division.1 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour D. Penry Jones567
Communist Enoch Collins245
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Llanelly Division 2

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 2 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour W.T. Griffiths565
Independent Brinley R. Jones*486
Labour win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 3

Llanelly Division 3 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour C.R. Rees600
Independent James Jones*332
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Llanelly Division 4

Llanelly Division 4 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour C. Hopkins997
Independent Martin L. Edwards*612
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Llanelly Division 5

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 5 1934
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Gwen Trubshaw*666
Communist E.F. Seaward25
Majority
Independent win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 6

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 6 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour W. Douglas Hughes*unopposed
Labour win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 7

Boundary Change

Llanelly Division 6 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour J. Llewellyn Evansunopposed
Labour win (new seat)

Llanelly Division 8

Llanelly Division 7 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Fred Howells642
Labour A. Palmer532
Independent hold Swing

Llanelly Division 9

Llanelly Division 8 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent A.H. Olive*843
Labour J.M. Davies764
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Llanfihangel Aberbythick

Llanfihangel Aberbythick 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent T.J. Williams680
Labour Stephen Griffiths393
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Davies658
Independent William Harry256
Independent Thomas Richard Evans72
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Llangadog

Llangadog 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent T. Jones406
Plaid Cymru Gwynfor Evans 405
Independent W. Jones299
Majority1
Independent hold Swing

Llangeler

Llangeler 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour S.R. Thomas808
Independent R.G. Owen*792
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Llangendeirne

Llangendeirne 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent James Jenkins*unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Llangennech

Llangennech 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Thomas Bowen731
Independent Luther Rolfe361
Independent Labour S. Morlais J. Lloyd278
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Llangunnor

Llangunnor 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent William Edwards*513
Independent W.P. Thomas482
Independent David Jenkins186
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Llanon

Llanon 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sidney Jones1,629
Independent Eva M. Harris661
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Llansawel

Llansawel 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Morgan*282
Independent Evan Harris**279
Majority3
Independent hold Swing

Llanstephan

Llanstephan 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent T.Ll. Haries*unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Llanybyther

Llanybyther 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Benjamin Edward Davies*877
Independent Thomas Morgan574
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Myddfai

Myddfai 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent W.R. Clement*unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Pembrey

Boundary Change

Pembrey 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Stepney799
Labour J.J. Davies586
Independent win (new seat)

Pontyberem

Boundary Change

Pontyberem 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour David John Jonesunopposed
Labour win (new seat)

Quarter Bach

Quarter Bach 1934
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour William Watkin Daviesunopposed
Labour hold Swing

Rhydcymmerai

Rhydcymmerai 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent David Thomas*320
Independent T.H. Lewis217
Majority
Independent hold Swing

St Clears

St Clears 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Joseph David Rees*1,005
Independent Buckley333
Majority
Independent hold Swing

St Ishmaels

St Ishmaels 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Trevor Rhys Morris577
Independent David Jones363
Independent John W. Jones Cremlyn284
Majority
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Trelech

Trelech 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent S.O. Thomas*741
Independent Stephen Davies282
Majority
Independent hold Swing

Trimsaran

Boundary Change

Trimsaran 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Gomer Evans*unopposed
Labour win (new seat)

Westfa

Westfa 1946
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Emrys Aubrey*1,601
Independent W.D. Ford626
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Whitland

Whitland 1937
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Thomas Lewis Phillips*unopposed
Independent hold Swing

Election of aldermen

In addition to the 57 councillors the council consisted of 19 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections the following nine aldermen were elected (with the number of votes in each case).

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References

  1. "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 15 March 1946.