The Standards Committee of Carmarthenshire Council met on Tuesday 2 June 2026, re-electing Daphne Evans as Chair until September and Frank Phillips as Vice-Chair. The committee reviewed the annual reports of the council's political group leaders, confirming their compliance with statutory duties, and adopted the draft annual report for 2025-2026.

Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair

The committee unanimously appointed Councillor Daphne Evans as Chair until September 2026 and Frank Phillips as Vice-Chair for the municipal year 2026-27.

Review of Political Group Leaders' Annual Reports

The committee reviewed the annual reports submitted by Councillor Linda Evans (Plaid Cymru Group), Councillor Deryk Cundy (Labour Group), and Councillor Jane Tremlett (Independent Group). These reports detailed their compliance with the duties outlined in the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, which include promoting high standards of conduct within their groups and cooperating with the Standards Committee. Key discussions focused on maintaining mutual respect among members, the provision of Code of Conduct training, monitoring unaffiliated members, and sharing Ombudsman case learnings. The committee unanimously accepted that the reports submitted by the group leaders complied with their duties under the Act.

Review of the Standards Committee Action Log

A report detailing the progress of actions from previous meetings was received. While some actions were completed, others remained outstanding due to unforeseen circumstances. The committee was informed that the protocol for dealing with low-level complaints between members would be presented to the full Council in July 2026.

Draft Standards Committee Annual Report for 2025-2026

The committee considered and unanimously adopted its draft annual report for 2025-2026. This report, which will be presented to the full Council, details the committee's work over the past year, including Code of Conduct training for councillors and the fact that no referrals were received from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) during this period.

Recent Adjudication Panel and Ombudsman Decisions

The committee received a report detailing the findings of the Adjudication Panel for Wales (APW) concerning a published code of conduct complaint. Although the individual involved was no longer a serving councillor, the APW imposed a three-year disqualification from 26 February 2026. The committee noted this as a point of learning for future training.

Standards Committee Chairs Forum

The committee received and noted the minutes from the National Standards Committee Chairs Forum held on 26 January 2026. The minutes highlighted the benefits of sharing best practices and maintaining consistency across Wales regarding standards of conduct. Discussions at the forum included the effectiveness of Local Resolution Protocols, the duty of political group leaders to promote standards, and updates from the PSOW.

Initial Consideration of Report Issued by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales in Respect of Town Councillor Wayne Erasmus

The committee considered a report from the PSOW concerning an alleged breach of the Members' Code of Conduct by Town Councillor Wayne Erasmus. Following discussion, the committee determined that there was sufficient evidence to warrant further consideration. It was noted that the matter would proceed to a full hearing, with written representations to be sought from the councillor and arrangements to be made for a future hearing. The committee resolved to receive the initial report and make arrangements for a future hearing.