Overview
- Footage from a Neath Port Talbot planning meeting on January 20 showed Councillor Dean Lewis wearing a seatbelt, shifting gears and taking a drink while on Microsoft Teams.
- Lewis referred himself to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, which completed its review and decided not to open a formal investigation.
- He said he was on private land, mostly stationary in a car park, used a hands-free setup, and only drove on a public road after his part ended, calling the coverage blown out of proportion.
- Neath Port Talbot Council said its rules allow remote participation without stating where a member must be, though members must still follow legal and safety requirements.
- Lewis was suspended for four months in 2024 for drink-driving, and a 2023 case in North Wales saw another councillor drive during a meeting without sanction, underscoring recurring questions about conduct in virtual sessions.