1970 Carmarthenshire County Council election

An election to the Carmarthenshire County Council was held on 9 April 1970.[1] It was preceded by the 1967 election and was the last election prior to the reorganization of local government in Wales. Carmarthenshire County Council was merged with Cardiganshire and Pembrokeshire to form the new county of Dyfed and the first elections to the new authority were held in 1973.

Overview of the result

59 councillors were elected. The final elections to the council before dissolution saw the Independents retain control of the authority. The Plaid Cymru advance which was apparent in 1967 was halted and most candidates made little impact.

Boundary changes

There were no boundary changes at this election.

Unopposed returns

As in 1967, these were fewer in number than at most post-war elections.

Contested elections

Contests took place in the majority of wards, and Labour loast some further ground in the Llanelli area while at the same time winning back some seats lost three years previously. Labour also won two seats in Carmarthen town for the first time.

Ward results

Abergwili

Abergwili 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.H. Edwards*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Ammanford No.1

Ammanford No.1 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Haydn Lewis*	924
	Plaid Cymru	J.D. Davies	466
	Labour hold		Swing

Ammanford No.2

Ammanford No.2 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Myrddin Evans*	1,407
	Independent	M.G. Jenkins	324
	Labour hold		Swing

Berwick

Berwick 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Raglan Thomas	1,058
	Independent	D.W. Davies	436
	Labour hold		Swing

Burry Port East

Burry Port East 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.C. Thomas*	615
	Plaid Cymru	Leslie Thomas	210
	Labour	Labor Dennis**	230
	Independent hold		Swing

Burry Port West

Burry Port West 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Eirwen Jones Parry	460
	Labour	A.T. Wilkins*	450
	Plaid Cymru	G.T.G. Samuel	207
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Caio

Caio 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Trevor Wynne Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 1

Carmarthen Division 1 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T. Idwal Jones*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Carmarthen Division 2

Carmarthen Division 2 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ellis J. Powell	488
	Independent	R.B. Evans	365
	Plaid Cymru	J. Williams	283
	Independent	Mrs V.M. Chapman	80
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Carmarthen Division 3

Carmarthen Division 3 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	W.R. Nicholl	584
	Independent	T.J. Hurley	383
	Labour	G.B. Evans	137
	Independent hold		Swing

Cenarth

Cenarth 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	G.E. Howell	711
	Independent	L.G. Roberts	319
	Independent hold		Swing

Cilycwm

Cilycwm 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	James James*	297
	Independent	W.D.R. Davies	284
	Independent hold		Swing

Conwil

Conwil 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J.L. James	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Cwmamman

Cwmamman 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John Walters*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Felinfoel

Felinfoel 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Arthur Cledwyn Francis*	1,310
	Plaid Cymru	Mrs M.M. Cook	360
	Labour hold		Swing

Hengoed

Hengoed 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D.J. Stone**	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Kidwelly

Kidwelly 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	D. Leslie .W. Morris*	755
	Labour	W.H.D. Jones	683
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Laugharne

Laugharne 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.M. Jenkins	654
	Independent	Rev V.H. Jones*	583
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanarthney

Llanarthney 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Ratepayers	T. Austin Griffiths*	1,745
	Labour	Ryan Jones	845
	Others hold		Swing

Llanboidy

Llanboidy 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	C.D. Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandebie North

Llandebie North 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Morris*	991
	Plaid Cymru	D.O. Davies	678
	Independent	T.J. Thomas	184
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandebie South

Llandebie South 1967

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Idris Evans*	1,243
	Plaid Cymru	Andrew Williams	798
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandilo Rural

Llandilo Rural 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.A. James*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandilo Urban

Llandilo Urban 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Elfryn Thomas	530
	Independent	D.T. Jones	441
	Labour hold		Swing

Llandovery

Llandovery 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.T. Davies*	536
	Independent	David Hamilton Evans	473
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandyssilio

Llandyssilio 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Daniel Clodwyn Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanedy

Llanedy 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	T.E. Williams*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanegwad

Llanegwad 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.T. Price*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division.1

Llanelly Division.1 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Harry J. Richards*	879
	Labour	H. Morris	584
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 2

Llanelly Division 2 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Brinley Owen*	697
	Plaid Cymru	W.H. Davies	223
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 3

Llanelly Division 3 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Eric Griffiths	444
	Plaid Cymru	Mrs P.D. Bevan	114
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 4

Llanelly Division 4 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	A.C.H. Robertson*	630
	Labour	A.C. Hemment	379
	Plaid Cymru	P. Davies	145
	Liberal hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 5

Llanelly Division 5 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Grismond J. Williams	260
	Independent	Gwilym Gibby*	238
	Plaid Cymru	E.E. Jones	63
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Llanelly Division 6

Llanelly Division 6 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William J. Davies*	358
	Plaid Cymru	M.J. Evans	159
	Labour gain from Independent Labour		Swing

Llanelly Division 7

Llanelly Division 7 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	R.A. James*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 8

Llanelly Division 8 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	George M. McConkey*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanelly Division 9

Llanelly Division 8 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	S.I. Thomas**	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llanfihangel Aberbythych

Llanfihangel Aberbythych 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Ivor James Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Harry*	546
	Plaid Cymru	Gerallt Jones	301
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangadog

Llangadog 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.T. Williams*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llangeler

Llangeler 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	D.T. Enoch*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangendeirne

Llangendeirne 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Tom Evans*	unopposed
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangennech

Llangennech 1964

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	M.J. Thomas	538
	Independent	T.G. Lewis	456
	Plaid Cymru	Hywel Teifi Edwards	438
	Labour hold		Swing

Llangunnor

Llangunnor 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	J. Arthur J. Harries*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanon

Llanon 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	David William James*	1,389
	Plaid Cymru	E.D. Evans	615
	Labour hold		Swing

Llansawel

Llansawel 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D. Idris Davies*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanstephan

Llanstephan 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	R.H.F. John*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanybyther

Llanybyther 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Evans*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Myddfai

Myddfai 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	E.G. Morgan*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Pembrey

Pembrey 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	G.P. Evans	1,212
	Plaid Cymru	Mrs J. Lewis	329
	Labour gain from Plaid Cymru		Swing

Pontyberem

Pontyberem 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Howard Jones*	1,414
	Independent	T.M. Morris	769
	Democrat	T. Ieuan Edwards	346
	Labour hold		Swing

Quarter Bach

Quarter Bach 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Josiah Jones**	1,468
	Plaid Cymru	Elfyn Talfan Davies	494
	Labour hold		Swing

Rhydcymerau

Rhydcymerau 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	D.M. Thomas*	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

St Clears

St Clears 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rev H.D. Griffiths*	876
	Independent	W.E.V.J. Davies	709
	Independent hold		Swing

St Ishmaels

St Ishmaels 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	E.T. Davies	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Trelech

Trelech 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	T.S. Davies	536
	Independent	Mrs A.M. Thomas	285
	Independent hold		Swing

Trimsaran

Trimsaran 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Samuel T. Hughes*	932
	Plaid Cymru	M. Davies	262
	Labour hold		Swing

Westfa

Westfa 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	W.J. Franklyn Thomas*	571
	Plaid Cymru	Brinley Thomas	295
	Labour hold		Swing

Whitland

Whitland 1970

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	H.G. James*	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, the majority of the aldermanic seats were taken by Labour.

Retiring aldermen

A number of retiring councillors stood down to allow retiring aldermen to be returned unopposed.

References

1. "County Council Elections". Carmarthen Journal. 15 April 1970.