1964 Neath Rural District Council election

An election to the Neath Rural District Council in West Glamorgan, Wales was held on 7 May 1964. It was preceded by the 1961 election, and followed by the 1967 election. ^[1]

Boundary changes

The overall number of seats was increased from 29 to 30 by the creation of an additional seat at Tonna while the Coedffranc ward which had returned five members foe many decades was divided into five single-member wards.

Overview of the results

As at previous elections, Labour retained the vast majority of seats, but suffered some losses to the Independents.

Candidates

The profile of candidates was similar to three years previously with a number of long-serving Labour councillors returned unopposed. However, William Jones, the father of the Council was challenged for the first time in 30 years. ^[2]

Outcome

William Jones narrowly held on in Baglan Higher while Labour lost a seat at Coedffranc.

Ward results

Baglan Higher (one seat)

Baglan Higher 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Jones*	133
	Independent	Denys Trevelyn Brace	127
	Labour hold		Swing

Blaengwrach (two seats)

Blaengwrach 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Clifford Graham Jones*	414
	Independent	Ddavid Emanuel Thomas*	382
	Labour	Henry Abraham	323
	Labour	William Henry Rees	320
	Independent hold		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing

Blaenrhonddan, Bryncoch Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Bryncoch Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Royston Jones	Unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Blaenrhonddan, Cadoxton Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Cadoxton Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David John Davies*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Blaenrhonddan, Cilfrew Ward (one seat)

Blaenrhonddan, Cilfrew Ward 1964

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

Clyne (one seats)

Clyne 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Merfyn Jeffreys	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Coedffranc, South Ward (one seat)

Coedffranc, South Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas L. Thomas*	592
	Independent	Marshall Kelvin Abell	150
	Communist	Glaslyn Morgan	100
	Labour hold		Swing

Coedffranc, East Central (one seat)

Coedffranc East Central 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Martin Thomas*	431
	Labour	Ronald George Day*	414
	Independent hold		Swing

Coedffranc North Ward (one seat)

Coedffranc North Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Wilfred Edgar Jones	665
	Independent	Samuel Harold Howell Davies	166
	Communist	Mordecai Morgan	69
	Labour hold		Swing

Coedffranc West Ward (one seat)

Coedffranc West Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Henry Richards	283
	Labour	Ivor Llewellyn Evans*	166
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Coedffranc West Central (one seat)

Coedffranc West Central 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William David*	526
	Labour	Clarence Gwyn Pope	194
	Independent hold		Swing

Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)

Dyffryn Clydach 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Dewi Thomas*	692
	Labour	Charles H. Button*	639
	Independent	Edward Vernon James	385
	Communist	Iestyn John Jenkins	150
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward (one seat)

Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Emlyn Davies*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward (one seat)

Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Daniel Lewis*	621
	Communist	Brian Connick	145
Majority			476
	Labour hold		Swing

Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward (two seats)

Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Joseph Smith*	899
	Labour	Richard Davies*	735
	Communist	Chris Evans	476
	Communist	William Jones	222
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Dulais Lower (one seat)

Dulais Lower 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Myrddin Morris	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Michaelstone Higher (one seat)

Michaelstone Higher 1964

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

Neath Higher (three seats)

Neath Higher 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lewis Cynlais Adams*	1,096
	Independent	Richard Arthur*	934
	Labour	Roy Llewellyn Crawley*	894
	Labour	Thomas George Evans	536
	Independent	Benjamin Thomas	428
	Labour	Aubrey Jenkins	423
	Communist	William Irwyn Davies	200
	Independent hold		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Neath Lower (one seat)

Neath Lower 1964

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

Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Resolven Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William John Powell*	742
	Labour	Melvin Dilks	661
	Independent	Gwynne Morgan	446
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Rhigos Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Iorwerth Williams*	Unopposed
	Labour	Thomas G. Powell*	Unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing
	Labour hold		Swing

Resolven, Tonna Ward (two seats)

Resolven, Tonna Ward 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Catherine Hopkins	680
	Labour	David J. Daymond*	485
	Independent	Nathaniel Thomas	370
	Labour win (new seat)
	Labour hold		Swing

References

1. "RDC Chairman Loses Seat To Independent". Neath Guardian. 15 May 1964. p. 13. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
2. "'Father' of Council Faces First Fight in Thirty Years". Neath Guardian. 24 April 1964. p. 6. Retrieved 18 January 2023.