The Standards Committee of Carmarthenshire Council met on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, to discuss code of conduct matters, including dispensation requests, training, and data analysis. Key decisions included granting dispensations to three councillors to speak and make written representations on specific matters, noting the progress on the action log, and appointing new Chair and Vice-Chair for the committee.

Dispensation Requests Granted

The committee considered and granted dispensation requests from three councillors.

Councillor Michael David Cranham, a County Councillor and Llanelli Town Councillor, sought dispensation to speak and vote on matters relating to Stebonheath Park in Llanelli. Councillor Cranham is a season ticket holder and supporter of Llanelli AFC, which is based at the park. The committee agreed to grant him dispensation to speak and make written representations until the local elections in May. This decision was proposed by Mr. David Morgan and seconded by Councillor Gareth Thomas, and was unanimously approved.

Similarly, Councillor Sean Lucas Rees, who is both a County Councillor and a Llanelli Town Councillor, requested dispensation to speak and vote on council business concerning the use of Stebonheath Park by Llanelli AFC. Councillor Rees is a close personal associate of a member of Llanelli AFC. The committee unanimously granted him dispensation to speak and make written representations until the May elections, following a proposal by Councillor Julie James and seconded by Moira Saunders.

Councillor Janae Annabel Holliday, the newly appointed Chair of St. Ishmael's Community Council, requested dispensation to speak and vote on matters affecting the River Towy Yacht Club. Councillor Holliday is a social member of the yacht club. The committee unanimously granted her dispensation to speak and make written representations until the May elections, proposed by Councillor Julie James and seconded by Moira Saunders.

Review of the Standards Committee Action Log

The committee reviewed the progress made on actions identified at previous meetings. Robert Edgecombe, Legal Services Manager, reported that most actions were completed, including the finalisation of the report to Full Council on the low-level dispute protocol and the Standards Committee Annual Report. The disciplinary hearing in relation to Councillor Erasmus remains ongoing, with plans to schedule it before Christmas. The committee noted Robert Edgecombe's work on the action log, with the proposal to note this moved by Councillor Julie James and seconded by Moira Saunders.

Code of Conduct Training for Town and Community Councils

Robert Edgecombe provided an update on the code of conduct training session held on 29 July via Zoom. A total of 33 councillors attended the bilingual session, which had an open invitation with no restriction on numbers. A link to the recording and the training materials have been circulated to all councils. While attendance numbers were comparable to previous years, it was noted that councils are accessing the recordings more than attending live sessions. The training focused on the Code of Conduct itself, with a brief touch on recent code cases and a slight change to the paragraph on equalities. The committee received this report, with Councillor Philip Warlow proposing and Councillor Julie James seconding.

Code of Conduct Data

Robert Edgecombe presented the findings of the annual code of conduct data gathering exercise. The response rate from town and community councils was lower than in previous years, with 48 out of 72 councils responding. Key findings included:

• Code Complaints: Four complaints were recorded against Town and Community Councillors, a slight decrease from the previous year. None resulted in formal action, though one remained ongoing.
• Dispensation Applications: There was a significant increase in dispensation applications, with 47 received, more than double the previous two years. This was largely due to group applications related to infrastructure projects.
• Declarations of Interest: Only three councils reported no declarations of interest, with one council recording over 50. This indicates a good understanding of when declarations should be made.
• Code of Conduct Training: 30 councils reported that at least one member had received training, with three confirming all members had been trained. 16 councils reported attendance at the committee's training sessions, and 13 had accessed training from One Voice Wales. However, 28 councils reported that their clerk had not accessed any code training.
• Training Plans: 43 councils had adopted a training plan, with 38 including a requirement for code training.
• Civility and Respect Pledge: A significant increase was noted, with 27 councils signing up to the Civility and Respect pledge, up from seven the previous year.
• Member Vacancies: For the first time, data on member vacancies was collected, showing a mixed picture with some councils having no vacancies and others reporting up to seven.

The committee received this report, with Councillor Philip Warlow proposing and Mr. David Morgan seconding.

Recent Adjudication Panel and Ombudsman Decisions

The committee received a report on recent decisions from the Adjudication Panel for Wales and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales. Robert Edgecombe noted that these decisions provide learning points for training and understanding disciplinary procedures. The committee received the report, proposed by Councillor Julie James and seconded by Mr. David Morgan.

Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair

The committee appointed new leadership for the remainder of the municipal year. Councillor Julie James was unanimously appointed as the new Chair, proposed by Councillor Philip Warlow and seconded by Mr. David Morgan. Moira Saunders was unanimously appointed as the new Vice-Chair, proposed by Councillor Julie James and seconded by Councillor Philip Warlow. The outgoing Chair, Daphne Evans, was thanked for her service.

Other Business

The meeting concluded with thanks extended to all attendees and staff for their contributions. The date of the next meeting was set for 7 December.