1958 Carmarthenshire County Council election

An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held in April 1958.^[1] It was preceded by the 1955 election and followed, by the 1961 election.

Overview of the result

A close run election resulted in Labour narrowly regaining control of the authority. The Carmarthen Journal bemoaned the lack of organization amongst the Independents, compared with Labour and referred to the haphazard methods of nomination, particularly in rural areas.^[2] Labour took all nine aldermanic vacancies.^[3]

Boundary changes

There were no boundary changes at this election.

Retiring aldermen

A number of retiring councilors stood down to allow retiring aldermen to be returned unopposed. These included a Plaid Cymru councilor at Ammanford in favour of retiring Labour alderman, John Harries.^[4]

Unopposed returns

There were more unopposed returns than in any previous election, according to one local newspaper.^[2] In Llanelli, where many wards had been closely contested at previous county elections, Labour candidates were returned unopposed in all nine divisions. These included the No.1 Ward which had been held by an Independent in the previous council.

Contested elections

In the few contests that took place very few seats changed hands. In Carmarthen, an Independent councilor was defeated by a Ratepayer candidate.

Summary of results

59 councillors were elected.

Ward results

Abergwili

Abergwili 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William John Phillips*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Ammanford No.1

Ammanford No.1 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Frank Davies**	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Ammanford No.2

Ammanford No.2 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Harries**	unopposed
	Labour gain from Plaid Cymru		Swing

Berwick

Berwick 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Isaac Daniel*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Burry Port East

Burry Port East 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Edward Lewis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Burry Port West

Burry Port West 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Labor Dennis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Caio

Caio 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Thomas Davies	462
Independent	Thomas Rees Griffiths*	373
Independent hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 1

Carmarthen Division 1 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	George V. Davies*	1,635
Ratepayers	R. Turnham	700
Labour hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 2

Carmarthen Division 2 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Mansel Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 3

Carmarthen Division 3 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Ratepayers	Graham Jones	710
Independent	D. Denzil Harries*	508
Labour	Tom Hughes Griffiths	363
Ratepayers gain from Independent		Swing

Cenarth

Cenarth 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.G. James Jones*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cilycwm

Cilycwm 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.H. McQuire*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Conwil

Conwil 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.J. Richards*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cwmamman

Cwmamman 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Rev. Oswald Rees Davies*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Felinfoel

Felinfoel 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Arthur Cledwyn Francis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Hengoed

Hengoed 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	D.J. Stone**	786
Independent	J.G. Wilkins	451
Labour hold		Swing

Kidwelly

Kidwelly 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	G.O. Williams	870
Independent	Mrs G. Rees	568
Labour hold		Swing

Laugharne

Laugharne 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Tudor H. Fleming Williams*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanarthney

Llanarthney 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W. Edgar Lewis**	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanboidy

Llanboidy 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Joshua Phillips*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandebie North

Llandebie North 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Gwilym R. Thomas**	1,100
Independent	Clifford Phillips	717
Labour hold		Swing

Llandebie South

Llandebie South 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Evan Bevan**	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandilo Rural

Llandilo Rural 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	David Marlais Humphreys*	700
Independent	G.M. Morris	448
Labour	D.L. Small	394
Independent hold		Swing

Llandilo Urban

Llandilo Urban 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	Marie Ann Lewis*	569
Independent	John Oswald Elfryn Thomas	339
Independent hold		Swing

Llandovery

Llandovery 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William J. Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandyssilio

Llandyssilio 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	H.H. Harries*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanedy

Llanedy 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gwyn Howells*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanegwad

Llanegwad 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	M.I. Griffiths*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 1

Llanelly Division 1 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Dr H.D. Llewellyn	unopposed
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Llanelly Division 2

Llanelly Division 2 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William T. Griffiths*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 3

Llanelly Division 3 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mrs Claudia R. Rees*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 4

Llanelly Division 4 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mrs Loti Rees Hughes*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 5

Llanelly Division 5 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sidney Lewis*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 6

Llanelly Division 6 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William J. Davies*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 7

Llanelly Division 7 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	J. Llewellyn Evans*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 8

Llanelly Division 8 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George M. McConkey*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 9

Llanelly Division 9 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sidney Ivor Thomas*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanfihangel Aberbythych

Llanfihangel Aberbythych 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	David Ivor James Evans*	690
Labour	Thomas Peregrine	347
Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ivor Thomas Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangadog

Llangadog 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	D.T. Williams*	689
Independent	William Jones	379
Independent hold		Swing

Llangeler

Llangeler 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Evans	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangendeirne

Llangendeirne 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Rev R.G. James*	981
Independent	R.O. Williams	513
Labour hold		Swing

Llangennech

Llangennech 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	John William Boyles*	859
Plaid Cymru	Mrs C.E. Beasley	147
Labour hold		Swing

Llangunnor

Llangunnor 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Dobson Phelps*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanon

Llanon 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sidney Jones*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llansawel

Llansawel 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Morgan*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanstephan

Llanstephan 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.H. Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanybyther

Llanybyther 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Benjamin Edward Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Myddfai

Myddfai 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Morgan Lewis Jones*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Pembrey

Pembrey 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Simon John Elwyn Samuel*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Pontyberem

Pontyberem 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David John Jones*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Quarter Bach

Quarter Bach 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Josiah Jones*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Rhydcymerau

Rhydcymerau 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Arthur Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Clears

St Clears 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.E. Williams*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Ishmaels

St Ishmaels 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Morgan Thomas Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Trelech

Trelech 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Stephen Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Trimsaran

Trimsaran 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Samuel T. Hughes*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Westfa

Westfa 1958
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour		unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Whitland

Whitland 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Independent	W.S. Cole	650
Independent	J.I. Davies*	373
Labour	R.S. Webb	223
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, the majority of the aldermanic vacancies were taken by Labour.

By-elections

Following the selection of aldermen the following by-elections were held.^[5]

Ammanford No.1 by-election

Ammanford No.1 by-election 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Haydn Lewis*	983
Ratepayers	David Howard Cooke	910
Labour hold		Swing

Ammanford No.2 by-election

Ammanford No.2 by-election 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Thomas Elias Evans	983
Plaid Cymru	D.S. Gwynfor Evans*	742
Labour hold		Swing

Hengoed by-election

Hengoed by-election 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Edgar S. Samuel*	615
Independent	J.G. Wilkins	472
Labour hold		Swing

Llandybie North by-election

Llandybie North by-election 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	William Morris*	1,124
Independent	Clifford Phillips	650
Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly No.2 by-election

Llanelly No.2 by-election 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	Brinley Owen	620
Communist	R.E. Hitchon	37
Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly No.7 by-election

Llanelly No.7 by-election 1958
	Candidate	Votes
Labour	David J. Williams	822
Communist	Brinley Jones	28
Labour hold		Swing

References

^ "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 18 April 1958.
^ ^a ^b "Editorial". Carmarthen Journal. 11 April 1958.
^ "Election of Aldermen". Carmarthen Journal. 2 May 1958.
^ "Socialists may regain control". Carmarthen Journal. 28 March 1958.
^ "County Council by-elections". Carmarthen Journal. 20 May 1958.

[CJ_18-4-58_CarmsRes-1] "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 18 April 1958.

[CJ_11-4-58_edit-2] "Editorial". Carmarthen Journal. 11 April 1958.

[CJ_2-5-58_CarmsAldermen-3] "Election of Aldermen". Carmarthen Journal. 2 May 1958.

[CJ_28-3-58_Carms_noms-4] "Socialists may regain control". Carmarthen Journal. 28 March 1958.

[CJ_20-5-58_Carms_by-els-5] "County Council by-elections". Carmarthen Journal. 20 May 1958.

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