1952 Neath Rural District Council election

An election to the Neath Rural District Council in West Glamorgan, Wales was held in May 1952. It was preceded by the 1949 election, and followed by the 1955 election. ^[1]

Overview of the results

The election resulted in relatively few changes in personnel as Labour comfortably upheld the majority it had held on the council since 1934.

Boundary changes

The Blaenrhonddan Ward, which had hitherto elected three members, was divided into three single-member wards. The total number of seats on the authority remained the same at 29.

Candidates

The profile of candidates was similar to three years previously with a number of long-serving Labour councillors returned unopposed. These included the joint 'fathers of the council', William Jones and J.T. Evans. At the new Cilfrew Ward, Albert Davies, who lost his seat three years previously, was returned unopposed. ^[2]

Outcome

Labour maintained in full control of the authority. ^[1] The Communists lost one of their two seats at Skewen, as Alun Thomas who had in 1946 been elected both to Neath Rural and the Glamorgan County Council lost his seat.

Ward results

Baglan Higher (one seat)

Baglan Higher 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Jones*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Blaengwrach (one seats)

Blaengwrach 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Albert Vowles*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Blaenrhonddan, Bryncoch Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Bryncoch Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J.T. Evans*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Blaenrhonddan, Cadoxton Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Cadoxton Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Albert John*	354
	Independent	Daniel Jones*	340
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Blaenrhonddan, Cilfrew Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Cilfrew Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Albert Mansel Davies	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Clyne (one seats)

Clyne 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas G. Allen*	347
	Independent	Wilfrid Rees	217
Majority			230
	Labour hold		Swing

Coedffranc (five seats)

Coedffranc 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William David*	2,342
	Labour	Thomas Rees*	2,284
	Labour	Ivor L. Evans	2,055
	Independent	George Frost*	1,975
	Labour	Thomas L. Thomas	1,785
	Independent	Amy Jones*	1,581
	Labour	Rees S. Davies	1,487
	Labour	Wilfred E. Jones	1,357
	Independent hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)

Dyffryn Clydach 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gwyn Thomas*	590
	Labour	William John Griffiths	590
	Communist	Alun C. Thomas*	536
	Labour	Charles C. Button	425
	Independent hold		Swing
	Labour gain from Communist		Swing

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward (one seat)

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John James*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward (one seat)

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Communist	William John Davies*	692
	Labour	Tom Llewellyn	579
Majority			113
	Communist hold		Swing

Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward (two seats)

Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Joseph Smith	1,029
	Labour	Edith Jones*	845
	Independent	William Morris	759
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Dulais Lower (one seat)

Dulais Lower 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J.S. George*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Michaelstone Higher (one seat)

Michaelstone Higher 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Patrick Boyle*	246
	Independent Labour	David Davies	230
	Independent	Sidney A. Williams	164
Majority			16
	Labour hold		Swing

Neath Higher (three seats)

Neath Higher 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Blodwen May Jones*	1,311
	Labour	Joseph James Lunn*	1,220
	Labour	Richard Arthur*	1,197
	Independent	Lewis Cynlais Adams	996
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Neath Lower (one seat)

Neath Lower 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Samuel Burnard*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Edward John Ateyo*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Resolven Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Richard Geary*	1,126
	Labour	David Hull*	716
	Independent	Richard V. Morgan	664
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Rhigos Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Iorwerth Williams*	579
	Labour	Thomas G. Powell	538
	Independent	Rees Morgan Smith*	535
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Resolven, Tonna Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Tonna Ward 1952

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David J. Daymond	636
	Independent	Howard P. Thomas	455
Majority			181
	Labour hold		Swing

References

1. "Neath Rural Surprises. Four Old Members Defeated". Neath Guardian. 16 May 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
2. "Neath Borough and Rural Election Contests. Fights in Eleven Wards". Neath Guardian. 25 April 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 17 January 2023.