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 town 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 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, andat 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.
Summary of 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.
Carmarthesnhire County Council 1955: elected members |
Party |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net gain/loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/− |
|
Labour |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plaid Cymru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carmarthenshire County Council 1955 : following election of new aldermen |
Party |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net gain/loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/− |
|
Labour |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plaid Cymru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carmarthenshire County Council 1955 : following election of new aldermen and by-elections |
Party |
Seats |
Gains |
Losses |
Net gain/loss |
Seats % |
Votes % |
Votes |
+/− |
|
Labour |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plaid Cymru |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independent |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ward results
Abergwili
Ammanford No.1
Ammanford No.1 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Haydn Lewis* |
724 |
|
|
|
Ratepayers |
David Howard Cooke |
597 |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Ammanford No.2
Berwick
Berwick 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
William Isaac Daniel* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Burry Port East
Burry Port East 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Edward Lewis* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Burry Port West
Burry Port West 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Labor Dennis* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Caio
Carmarthen Division 1 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
G.V. Davies* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Carmarthen Division 2
Carmarthen Division 3
Cenarth
Cilycwm
Conwil
Cwmamman
Cwmamman 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
David Davies* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Felinfoel
Felinfoel 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Arthur Cledwyn Francis* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Hengoed
Hengoed 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Edgar S. Samuel* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Kidwelly
Kidwelly 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
J. Amos Jones** |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Laugharne
Llanarthney
Llanarthney 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
D.M. Davies* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanboidy
Llandebie North
Llandebie North 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
William Morris* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llandebie South
Llandebie South 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Samuel Roberts* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llandilo Rural
Llandilo Urban
Llandovery
Llandyssilio
Llanedy
Llanedy 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Gwyn Howells* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanegwad
Llanelly Division.1
Llanelly Division 2
Llanelly Division 2 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
William T. Griffiths** |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanelly Division 3
Llanelly Division 3 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Mrs Claudia R. Rees* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanelly Division 4
Llanelly Division 4 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Mrs Charlotte Hopkins* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanelly Division 5
Llanelly Division 5 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Sidney Lewis* |
381 |
|
|
|
Independent |
William Gilbert Edmunds |
328 |
|
|
Majority |
|
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanelly Division 6
Llanelly Division 6 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
William Douglas Hughes** |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanelly Division 7
Llanelly Division 7 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
J. Llewellyn Evans** |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanelly Division 8
Llanelly Division 8 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
George M. McConkey |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanelly Division 9
Llanfihangel Aberbythick
Llanfihangel-ar-Arth
Llangadog
Llangeler
Llangendeirne
Llangendeirne 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Rev R.G. James* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llangennech
Llangunnor
Llanon
Llanon 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Sidney Jones* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llansawel
Llanstephan
Llanybyther
Myddfai
Pembrey
Pembrey 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Simon John Elwyn Samuel* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Pontyberem
Quarter Bach
Quarter Bach 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Josiah Jones* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Rhydcymerau
St Clears
St Ishmaels
Trelech
Trimsaran
Westfa
Westfa 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Emrys Aubrey** |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Whitland
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
Carmarthen Division 2 by-election
Llandeilo Urban by-election
Llanegwad by-election
Llanelly Division 6 by-election
Llanelly Division 6 by-election 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
W.J. Davies* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Llanfihangel Aberbythych by-election
Llangadog by-election
Trelech by-election
Westfa by-election
Westfa by-election 1955 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
W.J.F. Thomas* |
unopposed |
|
|
|
Labour hold |
Swing |
|
|
Whitland by-election
References
- 1 2 "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 8 April 1955.
- 1 2 "Independents Get Aldermanic Majority". Carmarthen Journal. 22 April 1955.
- ↑ "County Council Nominations". Carmarthen Journal. 25 March 1955.
- ↑ "County Council by-elections". Carmarthen Journal. 24 June 1955.
Bibliography
Council elections in the preserved county of Dyfed |
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| Llanelli Borough Council | |
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| Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council | |
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| South Pembrokeshire District Council | |
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