1955 Carmarthenshire County Council election
Welsh local election
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An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in April 1955.[1] It was preceded by the 1952 election and followed, by the 1958 election.
Overview of the result
After six years under Labour control, the election produced a very close result with 29 Labour candidates, 28 Independents and 2 Plaid Cymru candidates being returned after the contested elections.[1] With the support of the two Plaid Cymru members, the Independents then proceeded to take seven of the eight aldermanic vacancies and to offer the other to the President of Plaid Cymru, Gwynfor Evans with the result that the Independent group regained control of the authority.[2]
Boundary changes
There were no boundary changes at this election.
Retiring aldermen
The aldermen who retired at the election were ...
A number of retiring councilors stood down to allow retiring aldermen to be returned unopposed. These included the members for Kidwelly, Llanelly Division 2, 6 and 7, Pontyberem and Westfa. Four of these members would not be returned to the new council as the aldermen were not re-elected. At Llansawel, Alderman David Thomas withdrew rather than face a contest.[3]
Unopposed returns
39 members were returned unopposed, an increase of five compared with 1955.
Contested elections
20 seats were contested. Labour defeats at St Ishmaels and one of the Llanelli wards, to Independents, and at Ammanford, to Plaid Cymru, led to their losing their majority of elected councillors.
A number of retiring aldermen stood as candidates and were returned unopposed.
Results
This section summarises the detailed results which are noted in the following sections.
This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 59 councillors were elected.
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | |||||||||
| Plaid Cymru | |||||||||
| Independent | |||||||||
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | |||||||||
| Plaid Cymru | |||||||||
| Independent | |||||||||
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | |||||||||
| Plaid Cymru | |||||||||
| Independent | |||||||||
Ward results
Abergwili
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | William John Phillips | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Ammanford No.1
Ammanford No.2
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | David Samuel Gwynfor Evans | 715 | |||
| Labour | Thomas Elias Evans* | 684 | |||
| Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
Berwick
Burry Port East
Burry Port West
Caio
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Thomas Davies* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Carmarthen Division 1
Carmarthen Division 2
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | J.O. Morgans* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Carmarthen Division 3
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | D. Denzil Harries | 962 | |||
| Labour | Ellis J. Powell | 531 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Cenarth
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | D.G. James Jones* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Cilycwm
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | D.I. Lewis* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Conwil
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | W.A. Phillips* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Cwmamman
Felinfoel
Hengoed
Kidwelly
Laugharne
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Tudor H. Fleming Williams | 768 | |||
| Independent | W.G. John* | 636 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanarthney
Llanboidy
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | William Joshua Phillips* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandebie North
Llandebie South
Llandilo Rural
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | David Marlais Humphreys* | 866 | |||
| Independent | John Oswald Elfryn Thomas | 468 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandilo Urban
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | James Morgan Davies* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandovery
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | William J. Davies* | ||||
| Independent | James James | 247 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandyssilio
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | H.H. Harries* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanedy
Llanegwad
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Griffith Evans* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanelly Division 1
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | John Zammit | 1,521 | |||
| Labour | Rev David Penry Jones* | 888 | |||
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
Llanelly Division 2
Llanelly Division 3
Llanelly Division 4
Llanelly Division 5
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Sidney Lewis* | 381 | |||
| Independent | William Gilbert Edmunds | 328 | |||
| Majority | |||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Llanelly Division 6
Llanelly Division 7
Llanelly Division 8
Llanelly Division 9
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Sidney Ivor Thomas* | 789 | |||
| Independent | Frederick Howells | 724 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Llanfihangel Aberbythick
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Thomas John Williams* | 620 | |||
| Labour | David Ivor James Evans | 528 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanfihangel-ar-Arth
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Ivor Thomas Davies | 463 | |||
| Independent | William Harry | 229 | |||
| Independent | William Morgan Davies | 227 | |||
| Independent | Evan Philip Richards | 175 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llangadog
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | Gwynfor Richard Evans* | 585 | |||
| Independent | William Jones | 484 | |||
| Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | ||||
Llangeler
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | John Evans | unopposed | |||
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
Llangendeirne
Llangennech
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | John William Boyles* | 911 | |||
| Plaid Cymru | Trefor Beasley | 352 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Llangunnor
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | John Dobson Phelps | 916 | |||
| Independent | Thomas Griffiths | 155 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanon
Llansawel
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | John Morgan | 312 | |||
| Independent | Daniel Williams* | 267 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanstephan
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | J.H. Davies* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanybyther
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | John Evans | 829 | |||
| Independent | Benjamin Edward Davies* | 661 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Myddfai
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Morgan Lewis Jones* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Pembrey
Pontyberem
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | David John Jones** | 1,895 | |||
| Plaid Cymru | David Eirwyn Morgan | 407 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Quarter Bach
Rhydcymerau
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | David Arthur Evans* | 362 | |||
| Independent | Vincent Roy James | 228 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
St Clears
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | T.E. Williams* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
St Ishmaels
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Morgan Thomas Evans | 763 | |||
| Labour | Trevor Rhys Morris* | 689 | |||
| Independent gain from Labour | Swing | ||||
Trelech
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Simon Owen Thomas* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Trimsaran
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Samuel T. Hughes* | 533 | |||
| Independent Labour | William Daniel Evans | 415 | |||
| Independent Labour | William Williams | 256 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
Westfa
Whitland
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | William Hughes Mathias* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Election of aldermen
In addition to the 59 councillors the council consisted of 19 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the elections, seven of the ten aldermanic vacancies were taken by the Independents and an eighth by Gwynfor Evans of Plaid Cymru, whose two representatives aligned with the Independents to guarantee their majority.[2]
- J.M. Davies, Independent
- Thomas Davies, Independent
- Griffith Evans, Independent
- Gwynfor R. Evans, Plaid Cymru
- W.H. Mathias, Independent
- J.O. Morgans, Independent
- S.O. Thomas, Independent
- T.J. Williams, Independent
- Emrys Aubrey, Labour
- W. Douglas Hughes, Labour
By-elections
Following the selection of aldermen the following by-elections were held.[4]
Caio by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Thomas Rees Griffiths | 302 | |||
| Independent | Thomas Davies | 301 | |||
| Labour | David John Jenkins | 245 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Carmarthen Division 2 by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | David Mansel Thomas | 762 | |||
| Labour | John Brynmor Jones | 530 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llandeilo Urban by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Marie Ann Lewis | 590 | |||
| Labour | John Oswald Elfryn Thomas | 358 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanegwad by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Thomas Llewellyn Griffiths | 534 | |||
| Independent | Henry Thomas | 501 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llanelly Division 6 by-election
Llanfihangel Aberbythych by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | David Ivor James Evans | 638 | |||
| Labour | Thomas Peregrine | 438 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Llangadog by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | David Thomas Williams | 561 | |||
| Independent | William Jones | 534 | |||
| Independent gain from Plaid Cymru | Swing | ||||
Trelech by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Stephen Davies | 377 | |||
| Independent | David Trevor Davies | 356 | |||
| Independent | John William Bowen | 286 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Westfa by-election
Whitland by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | John Ivor Davies | 494 | |||
| Independent | William Sandbrook Cole | 492 | |||
| Independent | William Stephen Richards | 168 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||