The eighteenth election to Glamorgan County Council, south Wales, took place in April 1949. It was preceded by the 1946 election and followed by the 1952 election.
Overview Labour's comfortable majority on the council, including the aldermanic bench, remained unchanged.
Boundary changes There were no boundary changes at this election.
Candidates Many candidates were returned unopposed.
Among the Labour candidates returned unopposed was John Shea (Briton Ferry) who had been selected in a 'referendum' to succeed George Gethin, who had died some months before the election.
Outcome Labour retained their majority as comfortably as in all previous elections, and captured both the Garw Valley ward and the Coedffranc ward from the Communists.
Results Aberaman
Aberavon
Abercynon
Aberdare Town
Bargoed
Barry Dudley Howe had previously represented Cadoxton and gained the neighbouring Barry ward from Labour. However, Labour won Cadoxton for the first time against the new candidate.
Barry Dock
Blaengwawr
Bridgend
Briton Ferry
Cadoxton
Caerphilly
Castell Coch
Cilfynydd
Coedffranc
Cowbridge
Cwm Aber
Cwmavon
Cymmer
Dinas Powys
Dulais Valley
Ferndale
Gadlys
Garw Valley
Glyncorrwg
Gower
Hengoed
Hopkinstown
Kibbor
Llandeilo Talybont
Llanfabon
Llwydcoed
Llwynypia
Loughor
Maesteg, Caerau and Nantyffyllon
Maesteg, East and West
Mountain Ash
Neath (North)
Neath (South)
Newcastle
Ogmore Valley
Penarth North
Penarth South
Pencoed
Penrhiwceiber
Pentre
Penygraig
Pontardawe
Pontlottyn
Pontyclun
Pontypridd Town
Port Talbot East
Port Talbot West
Porth
Porthcawl
Swansea Valley
Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch
Trealaw
Treforest
Treherbert
Treorchy
Tylorstown
Vale of Neath
Ynyshir
Ystalyfera
Ystrad
Election of Aldermen In addition to the 66 councillors the council consisted of 22 county aldermen. Aldermen were elected by the council, and served a six-year term. Following the 1928 election, there were eleven Aldermanic vacancies, all of which all of which were filled by Labour nominees despite the protestations of their opponents.
The following retiring aldermen were re-elected: Sidney Cadogan (Lab, Rhondda) W.H. Davies (Lab, Gower) Alfred Evans (Lab, Rhondda) Rhys Evans (Lab, Treorchy) Tom Evans (Lab, Pengam) Daniel T. Jones (Lab, Ystalyfera) W. Arthur Jones (Lab, Tonyrefail) Evan Phillips (Lab, Caerphilly) Rev W. Degwel Thomas (Lab, Neath)
The following new aldermen were elected: H.J. Cook (Lab, Penarth) Mervyn Payne (Lab, Pencoed)
By-elections Eleven vacancies were caused by the election of aldermen.
Aberaman by-election
Abercynon by-election
Barry Dock by-election Labour lost the by-election held following the re-election of Dorothy Rees to the aldermanic bench. The Labour candidate had been elected following Rees's original election as alderman three years previously and at the recent election had unsuccessfully contested the neighbouring Barry ward.
Glyncorrwg by-election
Hopkinstown by-election
Llandeilo Talybont by-election
Llanfabon by-election
Maesteg by-election
Pontardawe by-election
Port Talbot by-election
Tylorstown by-election
References
Bibliography