1955 Neath Rural District Council election

An election to the Neath Rural District Council in West Glamorgan, Wales was held in May 1955. It was preceded by the 1952 election, and followed by the 1958 election. ^[1]

Overview of the results

The election resulted in relatively few changes in personnel as Labour comfortably upheld its majority. ^[2] Around half of the wards saw Labour candidates returned unopposed. ^[3]

Candidates

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

Outcome

Labour maintained in full control of the authority, gaining an additional three seats at the expense of the Independents. One of these was the seat at Crynant, lost at a by-election the previous year following the death of John James.

Ward results

Baglan Higher (one seat)

Baglan Higher 1955

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

Blaengwrach (one seats)

Blaengwrach 1955

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

Blaenrhonddan, Bryncoch Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Bryncoch Ward 1955

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

Blaenrhonddan, Cadoxton Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Cadoxton Ward 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David John Davies*	386
	Independent	Daniel Jones	294
	Labour hold		Swing

Blaenrhonddan, Cilfrew Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Cilfrew Ward 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Albert Mansel Davies*	274
	Independent	Thomas Edward Rees	185
	Labour hold		Swing

Clyne (one seats)

Clyne 1955

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

Coedffranc (five seats)

Coedffranc 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William David*	2,717
	Labour	Thomas Lewis Thomas*	1,820
	Labour	Thomas Rees*	1,747
	Labour	Clarence Gwyn Pope	1,721
	Labour	Ivor L. Evans	1,684
	Labour	Wilfred Edgar Jones	1,355
	Communist	Glaslyn Morgan	954
	Independent hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)

Dyffryn Clydach 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Charles H. Button	Unopposed
	Labour	William John Griffiths*	Unopposed
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward (one seat)

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Emlyn Davies	704
	Independent	Daniel Crynant Williams*	291
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward (one seat)

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Communist	William John Davies*	660
	Independent Labour	Tom Llewellyn	582
Majority			78
	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 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J.S. George*	462
	Independent	Richard Davies Douglas Rees	289
	Labour hold		Swing

Michaelstone Higher (one seat)

Michaelstone Higher 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwilym Thomas Morgan
	Labour hold		Swing

Neath Higher (three seats)

Neath Higher 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Richard Arthur*	Unopposed
	Labour	Blodwen May Jones*	Unopposed
	Labour	Joseph James Lunn*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Neath Lower (one seat)

Neath Lower 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Henry Evans	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward (one seat)

Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward 1955

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

Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Resolven Ward 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David Hull*	Unopposed
	Labour	William John Powell	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Rhigos Ward 1955

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas G. Powell*	705
	Labour	Iorwerth Williams*	568
	Independent	Clifford Lionel Smith	439
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		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. "Labour Lose One and Gain Three Seats". Neath Guardian. 20 May 1955. p. 11. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
2. "Skewen Provides Election Surprises. Two Old Members Defeated". Neath Guardian. 13 May 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
3. "Five will not seek new seats on RDC". Neath Guardian. 29 April 1955. p. 13. Retrieved 11 January 2023.