The fourth election to West Glamorgan County Council was held in May 1985.[1] It was preceded by the 1981 election and followed by the 1989 election.

Candidates

Once again, the Labour Party fielded candidates in every ward. In addition to the Conservative Party and Plaid Cymru, a significant number of seats were contested by the SDP/Liberal Alliance. There were fewer Ratepayer candidates than at previous elections.

In the Neath area, Labour contested all thirteen seats, with Plaid Cymru running nine candidates.[2]

Outcome

Labour retained their majority.

Results

Ward Results

Aberavon East and West (three seats)

Aberavon East and West 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Colin Crowley* 3,703
Labour Cyril Lewis* 3,389
Labour Pat Jones* 3,310
Alliance T. Johnston 1,090
Alliance E. Prescott 1,050
Alliance B. Makinson 783
Turnout 43.1
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Aberavon North (one seat)

Aberavon North 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Malcolm Harris 2,063
Ratepayers L. Griffiths 937
Alliance J. Larsen 419
Turnout
Labour hold Swing

Aberavon South (one seat)

Aberavon South 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W. Llewellyn 1,183
Alliance A. Taylor 641
Turnout
Labour hold Swing

Brynmelyn (two seats)

Brynmelyn 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Dowdle* 1,407
Labour J. Adams* 1,334
Conservative P. Morgan 382
Ratepayers M. John 348
Turnout 43.8
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Castle (two seats)

Castle 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Jones 945
Labour B. Ludlam* 893
Ratepayers I. Williams 558
Ratepayers B. Matthews 508
Conservative S. Patriarcia 358
Turnout 46.0
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Cwmafan (one seat)

Cwmafan 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mel John* 1,586
Alliance M. Harris 434
Turnout
Labour hold Swing

Fforest Fach (two seats)

Fforest Fach 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Bevan* 1,292
Labour Victor Cyril Alexander* 1,193
Ratepayers D. Jones 1,115
Ratepayers L. Evans 1,091
Conservative C. Andrews 767
Conservative E. Charles 750
Plaid Cymru A. Williams 319
Plaid Cymru D. Morton 305
Communist B. Lewis 92
Turnout 37.4
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Ffynone (two seats)

Ffynone 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Valerio* 1,840
Ratepayers J. Thomas 1,383
Conservative G. Ashmole 1,296
Plaid Cymru J. Thomas 456
Liberal S. Evans 441
Turnout 63.6
Conservative hold Swing
Ratepayers gain from Conservative Swing

Glyncorrwg (two seats)

Glyncorrwg 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Jones 1,699
Labour R. Eckett 1,180
Independent Labour D. Daniels* 1,068
Independent Mairwen Goodridge 872
Turnout 58.8
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Gower No.1 (one seat)

Gower No.1 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J. Bartlett Unopposed
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Gower No.2 (one seat)

Gower No.2 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ratepayers C. Sanders 1,660
Labour F. Lord* 1,407
Turnout 64.5
Ratepayers gain from Labour Swing

Gower No.3 (one seat)

Gower No.3 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P. Bevan 1,565
Ratepayers G. Beynon 1,166
Labour M. Thomas 273
Turnout 47.4
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Landore (two seats)

Landore 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Cox* 1,286
Labour S. John* 1,237
Ratepayers J. Lewis 921
Ratepayers C. Phillips 917
Communist R. Thomas 97
Turnout 43.4
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Llansamlet (two seats)

Llansamlet 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour L. Penhaligan* 2,471
Labour W. Davies 1,931
Plaid Cymru C. Phillips 1,181
Ratepayers E. James 845
Plaid Cymru W. Smith 779
Ratepayers C. Stevens 773
Conservative J. Edgecombe 661
Conservative J. Holmes 560
Turnout 42.6
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Llwchwr No.1 (one seat)

Llwchwr No.1 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Williams 1,410
Independent D. Thomas 829
Conservative R. Day 576
Turnout 62.9
Labour hold Swing

Llwchwr No.2 (two seats)

Llwchwr No.2 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Davies* 2,518
Labour J. Jones* 1,962
Plaid Cymru E. Thomas 1,780
Turnout 48.6
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Llwchwr No.3 (two seats)

Llwchwr No.3 1977
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Thomas* 1,835
Labour D. Turner* 1,697
Conservative W. Davies 1,301
Independent Cled Morgan 1,176
Conservative M. Bevan 1,167
Plaid Cymru H. Price 862
Turnout 64.6
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Margam Central (one seat)

Margam Central 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Rogers 1,642
Alliance W. Rees 334
Turnout
Labour hold Swing

Margam North (one seat)

Margam North 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Southall 735
Independent W. Charles 561
Turnout 75.1
Labour hold Swing

Margam West (one seat)

Margam West 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ratepayers Edward Miles* 1,079
Labour B. Davis 743
Turnout
Ratepayers hold Swing

Morriston (two seats)

Morriston 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour P. Evans 1,996
Labour S. Havard 1,977
Ratepayers C. Hadley 1,810
Ratepayers J. Howes 1,295
Turnout 35.8
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Mumbles (two seats)

Mumbles 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative A. Chilcot 3,180
Conservative M. Jones 3,072
Labour L. Neale 1,757
Turnout 38.2
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Neath No.1, South and Briton Ferry (four seats)

Neath No.1, South and Briton Ferry 1985
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dillwyn David* Unopposed
Labour David Jeffs* Unopposed
Labour Fred Kingdom* Unopposed
Labour David Roberts* Unopposed
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Neath No.2, North, Pontrhydyfen and Tonmawr (two seats)

Neath No.2, North, Pontrhydyfen and Tonmawr 1981
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Cecil Evans* 2,174
Labour M. Jones* 2,062
Conservative J. Lloyd 878
Turnout
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Neath Rural (six seats)

Neath Rural 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour R. Jones 2,905
Independent Martin Thomaso 2,534
Labour N. Thomas 2,385
Labour T. Thomas 2,131
Plaid Cymru H. Evans 1,919
Plaid Cymru O. Roberts 1,629
Labour W. Jones 1,575
Labour C. Jones 1,499
Independent T. Rees 1,346
Labour R. Davies 1,300
Independent L. Adams 1,191
Communist Glaslyn Morgan 734
Plaid Cymru T. Evans 346
Turnout 67.3
Labour win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Plaid Cymru win (new seat)
Plaid Cymru win (new seat)

Neath Rural No.5 (one seat)

Neath Rural No.5 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D. Hull 1,470
Independent R. Rees 1,277
Plaid Cymru G. Dawe 273
Turnout 63.2
Labour win (new seat)

Penderry (three seats)

Penderry 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Allison 3,152
Labour T. Jones 3,090
Labour G. Thomas 3,032
Plaid Cymru D. Reynon 972
Communist W. Jones 584
Communist B. Lewis 424
Communist H. Barrow 280
Turnout 29.4
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Pontardawe No.1 (one seat)

Pontardawe No.1 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent J. Williams 1,151 62.1
Labour G. Williams 703 37.9
Turnout 56.1
Independent win (new seat)

Pontardawe No.2 (two seats)

Pontardawe No.2 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J. Maunder 2,694
Independent M. Rees 1,948
Labour C. Jones 1,836
Plaid Cymru M. Mulcahy 1,507
Independent R. Jones 1,037
Turnout 78.9
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Pontardawe No.3 (three seats)

Pontardawe No.3 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G. Lake 4,702
Labour W. Rees 4,615
Labour B. Richards 4,464
Plaid Cymru R. Davies 3,305
Turnout 65.4
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

St Helens (two seats)

St Helens 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C. Dilley 1,741
Conservative M. Hinds 1,545
Labour D. Davies 1,067
Turnout 49.1
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Sketty (two seats)

Sketty 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative M. Vaughan 5,270
Conservative S. Perry 4,819
Conservative R. Massey-Shaw 4,477
Labour J. Dalton 2,372
Turnout 47.2
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

St Johns (two seats)

St Johns 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A, Morris Unopposed
Labour H. Tabram Unopposed
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

St Thomas (two seats)

St Thamas 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A. Hare Unopposed
Labour I. Morgan Unopposed
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Townhill (two seats)

Townhill 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour T. Wignall 1,848
Labour T. Evans 1,748
Conservative C. McPherson 429
Turnout 34.4
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Victoria (two seats)

Victoria 1973
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ratepayers D. Jenkins 1,390
Ratepayers S. Jenkins 1,132
Labour A. Taylor 1,051
Labour R. Lloyd 852
Conservative T. Morgan 477
Conservative E. Burrington 329
Turnout 57.5
Ratepayers win (new seat)
Ratepayers win (new seat)

References

  1. ^ "West Glamorgan County Council Election Results 1973-1993" (PDF). The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  2. ^ Thomas, Wally (13 April 1981). "It's a Fight All the Way". Neath Guardian. p. 1. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
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