The Standards and Ethics Committee of Cardiff Council met on 29 April 2026 to discuss a range of matters concerning member conduct and council procedures. Key decisions included the noting of amendments to the Local Government (Standards Committees and Member Conduct) (Wales) Regulations 2025, which will update the Member's Code of Conduct, and the agreement of the committee's work programme for 2026-27.

The Local Government (Standards Committees and Member Conduct) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2025

The committee noted the provisions of the Local Government (Standards Committees and Member Conduct) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2025¹. These new regulations, which came into effect on 5 January 2026, introduce several changes. Firstly, the eligibility criteria for Independent Members of Standards Committees have been amended. Previously, former councillors and council employees faced a lifelong disqualification from serving on a standards committee in an authority where they had previously served or been employed. The new regulations introduce waiting periods: two years for former councillors and officers, and five years for those who held senior, cabinet, or executive posts.

Secondly, the Member's Code of Conduct has been updated to align with the Equality Act 2010. The previous wording, which referred to gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, age or religion, has been replaced with protected characteristics or socio-economic circumstances. This amendment ensures the Code of Conduct is consistent with current equalities legislation. The committee recommended these amended provisions to full Council for approval to update the constitution. Councillor Louise Evans raised a point for consideration regarding the two-year waiting period for former councillors and employees, suggesting that the committee should consider how to manage potential conflicts if such individuals were involved in matters that later came before the council.

Members' Code of Conduct Complaints Update

The committee received an update on complaints made against members of Cardiff Council and its community councils for Quarters 3 and 4 of the 2025/26 financial year. During this period, a total of eight complaints were notified to the Monitoring Officer by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW).

Of the four complaints notified in Quarter 3 (October-December 2025), the Ombudsman decided not to investigate three. These involved allegations of a member failing to provide adequate responses to a constituent's complaint, a member shouting at the chair of a meeting in a verbally aggressive manner, and a member being rude and unprofessional during telephone conversations. The Ombudsman found that in the first case, there was no obligation for the member to respond or support the constituent, and while discourteous, it did not breach the Code. In the second case, the member was acting in a private capacity, and their conduct, while concerning, did not bring their office or council into disrepute. The third case was deemed not egregious enough to warrant investigation, despite being considered unprofessional. The fourth complaint, concerning a social media comment about a deceased politician, was also not investigated, with the Ombudsman citing Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (freedom of expression) and the enhanced protection afforded to elected members in political discourse.

In Quarter 4 (January-March 2026), four complaints were also notified. The Ombudsman decided not to investigate three of these, which related to a member allegedly using TikTok for political and financial gain, a traffic dispute leading to an altercation, and a member's alleged failure to cooperate with an Ombudsman investigation. In the case of the alleged failure to cooperate, the Ombudsman decided to commence an investigation but subsequently decided not to proceed further after the member re-engaged and provided an apology and explanation. The Ombudsman strongly recommended refresher training for the member. One complaint from Quarter 4 is currently under investigation by the Ombudsman, details of which remain confidential.

The committee also noted updates on previously reported complaints. An investigation report from Quarter 1 is being considered by the Hearings Panel, and the Ombudsman has decided not to investigate two complaints from Quarter 2, one concerning social media comments about misuse of council resources and another regarding a member's request for personal details on social media. One further complaint from Quarter 2 remains under investigation by the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman's office has stated that during the pre-election period for the Senedd elections, decisions to decline or discontinue investigations will still be issued, but decisions to commence new investigations will not be made unless there are exceptional reasons.

Whistleblowing

The committee considered the council's whistleblowing arrangements and reports made under the Whistleblowing Policy. A revised Whistleblowing Policy, approved by Cabinet in November 2024, was presented. This policy aims to encourage and support staff to report concerns about wrongdoing without fear of reprisal. A comprehensive communications and training plan has been implemented, including mandatory online training for all staff and a presentation for non-PC users.

During 2025, two whistleblowing reports were received, a decrease from previous years. The report noted that Appendix C, containing details of these reports and their outcomes, is exempt from publication. The committee was asked to note the information presented and provide any observations.

Registration of Gifts and Hospitality Received by Members

The committee reviewed the register of gifts and hospitality received by members between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. The council's threshold for registering gifts and hospitality remains at £25, consistent with other Welsh authorities. The register details various items received by councillors, including event tickets, accommodation, and gifts.

Notable entries include:

• Councillor Dan De'Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport, received two nights' hotel accommodation (£380) and attendance at a conference with accommodation (£225) from Cities Today Institute and Arup Group respectively, for attending the Mobility Leadership Forum in London and a conference in Amsterdam.
• Councillor Huw Thomas, Leader of Cardiff Council, registered several items including a personalised Stuttgart FC Football Jersey (£80), tickets to the BBC Singer of the World competition (£30), hospitality and a gift bag from UEFA (£50), dinner at the Cardiff Business Awards (£50) and from WLGA (£50), and two tickets and hospitality for a Wales v New Zealand rugby match (£150).
• Councillor Lloyd Jones, Lord Mayor, received a civic event invitation valued at £30 from Janet Davies and attended the EMWWAA Awards Ceremony (£55).
• Councillor Adrian Robson, Lord Mayor, received a plaque, baseball cap, bottle of maple syrup, and a coin from HMCS Montreal (approx. £30), a concert ticket (£60), VIP luncheon hospitality for the Tour of Britain (£35), VIP luncheon for the 614 Squadron RAuxAF Annual Camp (£35), a three-course dinner for the Animal Star Awards Night (£55), hospitality for the Oysho Cardiff Half Marathon (£35), and attended the Wales Care Awards (£55), a charity event (£55), a wine tasting event (£30), the Cardiff Business Awards (£55), a Wales v Japan rugby match (£110), the Royal College of Nursing Wales Nurse of the Year Awards (£55), a Panto Press Night (£30), a college tour and lunch (£35), and a Cardiff RFC v Newport RFC match (£35). He also attended a networking dinner for Life Sciences & AI (£55) and a St David's Day & Awards Evening (£55).
• Councillor Lister, Cabinet Member, received a ticket to the Welsh NHS Confederation Annual Gala Dinner and Reception (£50) and attended the Tokyo Global Forum on Children 2026, which included flights and accommodation valued at £1686.51.

The committee was asked to note the information and make any appropriate comments.

Observation of Meetings

The committee reviewed feedback from members who had observed various council and community council meetings. The feedback indicated that meetings were generally well-managed, with clear agendas, reports, and decision-making processes. No concerns were raised regarding member conduct, standards, or ethics issues. The committee resolved to continue observing meetings and providing feedback.

National Standards Committee Chairs Forum, Wales Update

The committee received an update on the National Standards Committee Chairs Forum meeting held on 26 January 2026. Key discussion points included feedback from Welsh Government workshops on the Local Resolution Protocol (LRP), highlighting inconsistent use across Wales and the need for clearer guidance and training. The forum also discussed the Duty to Promote and Maintain Standards, noting varied approaches to assessing Group Leaders' compliance, and the role of elected members on Standards Committees, with different models adopted across authorities.

The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) reported a similar number of complaints received for the quarter ending December 2025, with process improvements leading to faster resolution of newer cases. Recent adjudication cases of interest and hearings procedures were also discussed, with an agreement that a single all-Wales protocol for hearings would not be appropriate, but existing local procedures would be shared. Other matters included challenges around quorum requirements for Standards Committees and differing practices in appointing Independent members.

Work Programme 2026/27

The committee considered and agreed its draft Work Programme for 2026/27. The programme includes standard monitoring reports such as the Standards and Ethics Annual Report, the Ombudsman's Annual Report, and quarterly updates on Code of Conduct complaints. It also includes ongoing engagement with political group leaders regarding their statutory duties and the feedback from the observation of meetings. The committee agreed to note Appendix A, which outlines the proposed work programme, and to proceed with the items as outlined.