1946 Neath Rural District Council election

Having won control of the authority for the first time in 1934, Labour consolidated their position by winning a number of additional seats across the area with the Independent group, which previously controlled the authority, reduced to only six members.[1]

Labour, who had maintained a majority of seats on the Council since 1934, nominated almost a full slate of candidates; seven of whom were returned unpposed.[2]

A smaller number of Independent candidates stood than in previous years, although their number was boosted by Mary Elizabeth Davies, originally a Labour councillor at Coedffranc who had been elected as Independent Labour in 1937. She now stood as a non-party candidate. British Legion candidates contested both Coedffranc and Resolven. There were also a number of Communist candidates, including Alun Thomas who had recently taken the Coedffranc county council seat from Labour.

The outcome of the election saw a mixed picture as Labour gained seats from the Independents, but the chairman of the Council Council, John James, was defeated at Onllwyn by a Communist candidate. Alun Thomas successfully defended his seat at Dyffryn Clydach, where Labour took the second seat an Independent. At Seven Sisters, Labour also gained a seat from the Independents, although Communist candidate Evan Lewis came within 64 votes of defeating the veteran Labour councillor, George Jones.[1]

A notable feature was the success of British Legion candidates at Coedffranc and Resolven. Significantly, the result at Coedffranc echoed a precedent in 1919 when an ex-serviceman was elected in the same ward.