The Standards and Ethics Sub Committee - Hearings Panel of Cardiff Council was scheduled to convene on Wednesday 10 June 2026. The primary item on the agenda was an Ombudsman referral concerning a complaint against Councillor Latif. The meeting also included the approval of minutes from a previous meeting and the consideration of apologies for absence and declarations of interest.

Ombudsman Referral of a Complaint Against Councillor Latif

The most significant item scheduled for discussion was an Ombudsman referral of a complaint against Councillor Latif. The report pack indicated that appendices to this item were exempt from publication due to their confidential nature, as permitted by the Local Government Act 1972 and the Standards Committee (Wales) Regulations 2001. The public may have been excluded from this part of the meeting, and recording of the proceedings was likely prohibited.

The report pack also included a document outlining the Procedure for Hearings (Ombudsman Referrals) for Cardiff County Council's Standards and Ethics Committee. This procedure details the process for dealing with allegations that a councillor has failed to comply with their Code of Conduct. It outlines the role of the Hearings Panel, which is a sub-committee composed of at least two independent members, in considering investigation reports, conducting hearings, and making determinations. The procedure covers stages from initial determination and pre-hearing arrangements to the formal findings of fact, consideration of whether the Code of Conduct has been breached, and potential sanctions. Sanctions available to the Panel, if a breach is found, include no action, censure, or suspension for a period not exceeding six months. The procedure also details the process for recommendations to the Authority, written decisions, and appeals to the Adjudication Panel for Wales.

The meeting was scheduled to be chaired by Jason Bartlett, an independent member, with Rashpal Singh and Louise Evans also serving as independent members of the Hearings Panel. Andrea Redmond from the Governance & Legal Services department was listed as a contact for the meeting.