A councillor was caught driving while attending a planning meeting over video call.
Cllr Dean Lewis was seen seemingly wearing a seat belt and changing gear as he appeared remotely at Neath Port Talbot Council’s planning committee meeting on 20 January.
The independent councillor, who represents the Resolven and Tonna ward on the south west Wales local authority, had a scenic picture of a bandstand, greenery and a spire as his virtual background as he attended the meeting, which discussed an application to construct 120 holiday lodges in the borough, but he was actually behind the wheel.
A council spokesperson told The Independent that Cllr Lewis referred himself to the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales once the issue was identified.
The local authority said the ombudsman will not undertake a further investigation.
Cllr Lewis told The Telegraph that he was driving on private land during parts of the meeting and was using a hand-free system and put his phone in a cup holder to follow the remainder of the session .
He said: “I just think it’s ridiculous. It’s all been blown out of proportion.
“The reason why it hasn’t gone any further is because when I was driving, I was driving on private land at work.
“For 90 per cent of the meeting I was sat down in a car park, not driving. Coming towards the end of my shift, I thought, right, OK, I’m going to drive up to the clock-in station.”
He said he did not enter a public road until he had finished his contribution to the meeting.
He added: “I didn’t go on the public road until my part in that meeting was completely done.
“The phone was in a cup holder of my car – I didn’t leave the meeting, but I had nothing else to do with that meeting. It was just basically background noise.”
A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesperson said: “The Council is aware of the footage from the Planning Committee meeting held on 20 January 2026 and the matters that have been raised.
“Following the issue being identified, it was self‑referred by Cllr Dean Lewis to the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales as the appropriate organisation to undertake an investigation. The Ombudsman has now completed their consideration and has notified the Council that they will not be undertaking any further investigation.
“Council meetings are conducted in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and relevant procedural rules.
“The Council’s arrangements allow for remote participation by Members, and the procedures do not include specific provisions relating to the location from which a member may join a meeting.
“Participation in meetings remains subject to compliance with applicable legal and safety requirements.”
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