An election to the Neath Rural District Council in Wales was held in March 1934. It was preceded by the 1931 election and was followed by the 1937 election.
Overview of the results Labour won control of the authority for the first time, winning sixteen seats as opposed to thirteen for the Independents.
Boundary changes Ystradfellte ward was tansferred to Breconshire, reducing the number of councillors from 31 to 29. This rural ward had long been represented by Independent councillors who were usually returned unopposed.
Candidates All seats were contested apart from Tonmawr, where the longest serving Labour member, William Jones, was returned unopposed, and Clyne, which was also taken without opposition by Labour. Most of the other seats saw Labour candidates face Independent nominees, with a small number of Independent Labour and Communist candidates.
Outcome Having won a majority for the first time, Labour councillors moved swiftly to impose their authority. Independent councillors had for the past six years denied Labour any significant roles within the council, so this was taken as a reason for Labour to reverse this position. William Jones, Tonmawr, the senior Labour councillor on the authority, who had been proposed many times as chairman, without success, was elected by fifteen votes to thirteen, with John James of Crynant elected vice-chairman by a similar margin.
Ward results
Baglan Higher (one seat)
Blaengwrach (one seat)
Blaenrhonddan (three seats)
Clyne (one seat)
Coedffranc (five seats)
Dyffryn Clydach (two seats)
Dulais Higher, Crynant Ward (one seat)
Dulais Higher, Onllwyn Ward (one seat)
Dulais Higher, Seven Sisters Ward (two seats)
Dulais Lower (one seat)
Michaelstone Higher (one seat)
Neath Higher (three seats)
Neath Lower (one seat)
Resolven, Cwmgwrach Ward (one seat)
Resolven, Resolven Ward (two seats)
Resolven, Rhigos Ward (two seats)
Resolven, Tonna Ward (one seat)
References