An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held on 5 April 1949.[1] It was preceded by the 1946 election and followed, by the 1952 election.
After steadily increasing their representation throughout the inter-war period, the Labour Party finally won a majority on the Council, and strengthened their hold by taking nine of the ten vacancies on the aldermanic bench. Labour victories included taking a seat in the Borough of Carmarthen for the first time.
Boundary changes
There were no boundary changes.
Candidates
There were a number of unopposed returns, both in Labour held seats and in the western part of the county, which was described as still being 'traditionally Liberal in character'.[2]Gwynfor Evans, President of Plaid Cymru, was returned for the Llangadog ward, having been defeated by one vote in 1946.
This was the second election held since a new ruling requiring retiring aldermen to face the electorate was introduced. Much attention focused on the contest in the Llangendeirne ward where Alderman James Jenkins, leader of the Independent group, faced the sitting Labour member, the Rev. R.G. James. In Llanelli, Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw, a member of the council since 1919, faced Labour opposition. Her fellow Independent, Daniel Roberts, retired and the decision of two Indepednent candidates to contest Ward One was described as 'unfortunate'.[3] Three other Independent aldermen stood down. At Llanarthney, David Stephens, who had last contested an election in 1931, did not challenge Labour member Edgar Lewis who was returned unopposed. David Davies (Abergwili) and Lewis Bowen (Trelech) chose not to opposed the sitting Independents in their former wards.[4]
Outcome
While there were more unopposed returns than in 1946, many wards were keenly contested and the result was a narrow Labour majority amongst the elected members. Electioneering reached a peak in Llanelli where an Independent association was formed to fight the elections as a united front against Labour. However, Labour won all but two seats in Llanelli town. The exceptions were Ward One, where the intervention of former councillor James Jones split the Independent vote and Ward Five, where Dame Gwendolone Trubshaw withstood a Labour challenge.
Retiring aldermen faced the electorate for the first time since 1937. In Llangyndeyrn, Alderman Rev. James Jenkins, a member of the Council since 1925, was defeated by the retiring Labour councillor. In Carmarthen, George V. Davies, a former borough councillor, narrowly defeated 82 year-old William Jones to secure the first Labour victory in the town.[5]
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.
W. Douglas Hughes,Labour
Emrys Aubrey,Labour
T.S. Bowen,Labour
T.W. Morgan,Labour
D.J. Jones,Labour
W.W. Davies,Labour
J. Amos Jones,Labour
W.T. Griffiths,Labour
J. Llewellyn Evans,Labour
Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw,Independent
Apart from Dame Gwendoline,whose seat in Llanelli would be targeted by Labour at the by-election,the elevation of Labour councillors potentially strengthened the party's overall majority on the council. Two Independent aldermen who had been returned at the election,namely J.D. Rees (St Clears) and T.Ll. Harries (Llanstephan) were not re-elected.[6]
By-elections
Following the selection of aldermen the following by-elections were held.[7] In Llanelli,the Independents gained two seats but Labour won the seat vacated by Dame Gwendoline Trubshaw.
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