The Standards and Ethics Committee met on 14 October 2026 to discuss a range of issues including a proposed member survey, updates on code of conduct complaints, and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales' annual report. The committee also reviewed its work programme and discussed amendments to its hearings panel procedure.

The Combined Member Survey

The committee considered proposals to continue the collaboration between the Democratic Services Committee and the Standards and Ethics Committee to provide a combined survey for elected, independent, and co-opted members. Gary Jones, Head of Democratic Services, introduced the report, explaining that the survey would cover four sections: an introduction, Democratic Services questions, a behaviours section for the Standards and Ethics Committee, and monitoring questions on diversity. The survey is planned to be issued in February 2027 and will be conducted online using MS Forms, with hard copies available for those who prefer them.

Several amendments and suggestions were made by committee members. Councillor David Mills raised concerns about the routing of questions and suggested wording changes for clarity in the discrimination section. Councillor Ashley Wood suggested explicitly mentioning data anonymisation in the introduction and noted a minor formatting issue. He also queried the ranking system for question 53, suggesting the possibility of co-ranking options. Gary Jones confirmed that these points would be addressed, and the wording for question 53 would be clarified to allow for multiple choices. Councillor Julia Charles inquired if the survey would be sent to community councils, and it was clarified that it would only be for elected, independent, and co-opted members of Cardiff Council. Debbie Marles, Director of Governance & Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, suggested that the survey could be shared with clerks to community councils for their information. The committee agreed to the recommendations as amended.

Members' Code of Conduct Complaints Update and Amendments to Hearings Panel Procedure

Debbie Marles presented an update on complaints made against members of Cardiff Council and its community councils, covering Quarter 2 of 2026/27. Four new complaints were notified by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW). Three of these were not investigated by the Ombudsman due to insufficient evidence or being outside the scope of the Code of Conduct. One complaint was withdrawn.

The committee also considered recommended amendments to the Hearings Panel Procedure. These included extending the timescale for providing written decisions from five to seven working days to allow for more complex cases, and amending the procedure to allow for hearings to be recorded by the council, subject to the availability of facilities. This would provide an official record and eliminate the need for unauthorised recordings. The committee agreed to these amendments.

The committee noted the draft minutes of a Hearings Panel hearing held on 10 June 2026, which concerned a complaint against Councillor Imran Latif. The panel found that Councillor Latif had breached paragraph 6.1(a) of the Code of Conduct by bringing his office and the council into disrepute through his actions at a protest. As a consequence, he was suspended as a County Councillor for two months.

Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Annual Letter and Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26

The committee reviewed the relevant sections of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales' (PSOW) Annual Letter and Annual Report and Accounts for 2025-26. Debbie Marles highlighted that the report indicated a broad stability in Code of Conduct complaints, with a slight increase of 3%. The majority of complaints (58%) involved members of Town and Community Councils. The PSOW noted a particular concern regarding disrespectful, bullying, and harassing behaviour involving council staff, although this was stated as an all Wales comment and not a specific concern in Cardiff. The report detailed the outcomes of Code of Conduct complaints closed by the PSOW related to Cardiff Council, showing that out of 14 complaints, one was discontinued, one had no evidence of breach, 11 had no prima facie evidence of a breach, and one was referred to the Standards Committee. No complaints were received from or about members of Cardiff's community councils. The committee noted the report.

Officers' Personal Interests and Secondary Employment

Richard Crane, Operational Manager in Legal Services, presented a report on the Council's Policy on Officers' Personal Interests and Secondary Employment. He explained that an electronic system had been introduced in September 2025 to digitalise the process of recording these interests. Senior Officers have additional disclosure requirements, and their declarations for 2026 were attached as an exempt appendix. The committee was asked to review the policy and the declarations. Due to the sensitive nature of the information in Appendix B, the committee resolved to move into a closed session to discuss it.

National Standards Committee Chairs Forum, Wales Update

Debbie Marles provided an update on the meeting of the National Standards Committee Chairs Forum held on 29 June 2026. Key discussion points included the Local Resolution Protocol, the Civility and Respect Pledge, updates from the Adjudication Panel for Wales (APW) and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW), and training and development needs for hearings. The Forum also discussed cases of interest and shared experiences of chairing hearings. National induction materials for the 2027 local government elections were also mentioned. The committee was asked to note the information and identify any appropriate topics for future Forum meetings.

Observations of Meetings

The committee considered feedback from members who had observed meetings of the St Fagans Community Council and the Lisvane Community Council. Louise Evans observed the St Fagans Community Council meeting and reported that it was professionally managed, with clear voting, noted conflicts of interest, and a friendly atmosphere. Stephanie Yung observed the Lisvane Community Council meeting and found it to be well-managed by the clerk and chair, with decisions made clearly after full discussion. In both cases, no concerns were raised regarding member conduct or standards and ethics issues. The committee noted the recommendation to continue observing meetings and providing feedback.

Work Programme

The committee reviewed its draft Work Programme for 2026/27. The programme included regular items such as Code of Conduct complaints updates, the Ombudsman's annual report, and observations of meetings. It also included planned work on training for the 2027 local government elections and a review of the Whistleblowing Policy. The committee noted the Work Programme.

The next meeting of the Standards and Ethics Committee was scheduled for 3 February 2027.