Llwydcoed (electoral ward)
# Llwydcoed (electoral ward)

The community of Llwydcoed, Rhondda Cynon Taf was, for much of the twentieth century, and electoral ward for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. Llwydcoed is no longer an electoral ward but forms part of Aberdare West/Llwydcoed electoral ward for the purposes of Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority elections

Llwydcoed first became an electoral ward in the late nineteenth century with the formation of Glamorgan County Council. Llwydcoed was also an electoral ward of the Aberdare Urban District Council from its formation in 1894.

## History 1889–1914

The first representative was the venerable Rees Hopkin Rhys who was succeeded by the Liberal industrialist Rees Llewellyn

### Glamorgan County Council

In 1889, Rees Hopkin Rhys was elected as member for Llwydcoed, defeating Griffith George.

Llwydcoed 1889 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Rees Hopkin Rhys | 317 |
| | Liberal | Griffith George | 258 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 59 |

Rhys was re-elected unopposed in 1892 and although described as a Liberal this was unlikely.

Llwydcoed :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal | Rees Hopkin Rhys | unopposed | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |

Boundary changes in 1895 saw Rhys, now 75 years of age opposed by Richard Morgan, whose Hirwaun seat had been abolished.

Llwydcoed 1895 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal | Rees Hopkin Rhys* | 577 | | |
| | Liberal | Rev Richard Morgan* | 561 | | |

Rhys was again elected unopposed in 1898

Llwydcoed 1898 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Unionist | Rees Hopkin Rhys | unopposed | | |

Rhys died in 1899 and was succeeded by Rees Llewellyn.

In 1901, Llewellyn was re-elected.

Llwydcoed 1901 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal | Rees Llewellyn | 759 | | |
| | | T. Lewis | 289 | | |

He was again re-elected in 1904.

Llwydcoed 1904 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal | Rees Llewellyn* | unopposed | | |

Llewellyn was again re-elected unopposed in 1907

Llwydcoed 1907 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal | Rees Llewellyn* | unopposed | | |

Despite occasional challenges by the Labour Party at district council level (see below), labour did not challenge for the county seat in this period.

### Aberdare Urban District Council

Llwydcoed was also an electoral ward of the Aberdare Urban District Council from its formation in 1894.

Llwydcoed Ward 1894 :

| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| - | - | - |
| | Rees Hopkin Rhys | 684 |
| | Rees Llewellyn | 640 |
| | Owen Harris | 623 |
| | John William Evans | 525 |
| Labour | David Morgan | 198 |

Llwydcoed Ward 1896 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | Owen Harries* | unopposed | | |

In 1899, Owen Harries was again returned unopposed.

Llwydcoed Ward 1899 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | Owen Harris* | unopposed | | |

In 1900, two members were elected owing to the vacant seat following the death of Rees Hopkin Rhys. John William Evans, whip had failed to be elected at the initial election in 1894 but who subsequently became a county councillor and a county alderman, was seventeen votes ahead of sitting councillor Rees Llewellyn.

Llwydcoed Ward 1900 :

| Candidate | Votes |
| - | - |
| John William Evans | 734 |
| Rees Llewellyn* | 717 |
| Thomas Lewis | 427 |

In 1901, Llewellyn was re-elected by a large majority.

Llwydcoed Ward 1901 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | Rees Llewellyn* | 825 | | |
| | | W. Williams | 291 | | |

In 1902, Owen Harris was once again returned unopposed.

Llwydcoed Ward 1902 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | Owen Harris* | unopposed | | |

In 1903, J.W. Evans was re-elected unopposed.

Llwydcoed Ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | John William Evans* | unopposed | | |

In 1904 an additional seat was created, allowing T. Walter Williams to be returned alongside Rees Llewellyn.

Llwydcoed Ward 1904 :

| Candidate | Votes |
| - | - |
| Rees Llewellyn* | 872 |
| T. Walter Williams | 866 |
| William Williams | 238 |
| Joseph Morgan | 177 |
| James Berry | 125 |

In 1905, following the death of Owen Harris, his son, Morgan J. Harris, was elected in his place after defeating a Labour candidate.

Llwydcoed Ward 1905 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | M.J. Harries | 852 | | |
| | Labour | John Teague | 424 | | |

In 1906, John William Evans stood down due to ill health and died shortly afterwards. He was succeeded by J.O. George who defeated a Labour candidate.

Llwydcoed Ward 1906 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | J.O. George | 746 | | |
| | Labour | Edward Davies | 484 | | |

1907 saw the return of the sitting members by a comfortable majority.

Llwydcoed Ward 1907 :

| Candidate | Votes |
| - | - |
| Rees Llewellyn* | 1,034 |
| T. Walter Williams* | 795 |
| D. Jenkins | 456 |

## Cynon Valley Borough Council

Between 1973 and 1996 Llwydcoed was a ward for Cynon Valley Borough Council. The ward elected six borough councillors, reducing to one councillor from 1986.

## 1995–

Llwydcoed is no longer an electoral ward but forms part of Aberdare West/Llwydcoed for the purposes of Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority elections. Since 1995 Aberdare West/Llwydcoed has been represented by Plaid Cymru and Labour councillors.

