A COMMUNITY councillor has been suspended for one month for breaking the council's code of conduct over a planning matter.

A report by the public services ombudsman for Wales into the allegations of misconduct against Dinas Powys councillor Vince Driscoll was issued after complaints were made.

The allegations said Cllr Driscoll operated dog boarding kennels at his home on Sunnycroft Lane in Dinas Powys without a licence from the Vale council.

Cllr Driscoll submitted a retrospective planning application on June 24, 2014 which stated the work had been completed on June 18.

The ombudsman also received complaints that he failed to declare an interest on the matter on at least seven occasions during meetings of the community council's planning sub-committee and that he had lobbied members of the sub-committee over the proposed improvements to a nearby bridleway which noted that the bridleway would have encompassed his home address.

But Cllr Driscoll said he originally thought the improvements were being made away from his home.

He said that if he had known where the actual improvements were to be made he would have objected to the bridleway.

The ombudsman's report said: "By carrying out building works at his home known as Sunnycroft Farm, Sunnycroft Lane, Dinas Powys, sometime between January 2014 and June 18, 2014, without planning permission, Cllr Vince Driscoll’s conduct could reasonably be regarded as bringing his office and his council into disrepute and thereby breaching paragraph 6(1)(a) of the Dinas Powys Members’ Code of Conduct."

It was also alleged he lobbied councillors via email on August 3, 2014 about the planning application in advance of the committee meeting on August 5, 2014.

But Cllr Driscoll said he had only sent e-mails to "friends" and that it was not his intention to deceive anyone or pursue financial gain from the decision.

The ombudsman referred the matter to the monitoring officer at the Vale of Glamorgan Council for consideration by the council's standards committee.

On December 9, the committee met to consider allegations Cllr Driscoll failed to observe the members' code of conduct.

It was revealed that, at a meeting held by the community council's finance committee in 2013, the proposal for an improved bridleway across Cross Common to Sunnycroft Lane was first discussed.

An approximate contribution of £4,500 towards the project was approved at a later date and Mr Driscoll is accused of failing to declare an interest on the matter during any meeting of the community council’s commons, open spaces, allotments, cemetery and footpaths committee.

After considering the allegations, the committee was satisfied that on the balance of probability, he should be suspended for failing to declare an interest, lobbying members of the community council sub-committee and operating a dog boarding kennels without a licence from the Vale council.

Annie Ginwalla, investigation and improvement officer for the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales said an apology from Cllr Driscoll was relevant as mitigation although he had contested the findings of the investigation throughout.

But it was her view that breaches were not severe enough to warrant the highest level of sanction.

Ms Ginwalla also referred to his experience as a councillor and his knowledge of the member's code of conduct adding that he had brought the community council into disrepute.

Mr Driscoll said he did not wish to add any further comments and confirmed he will not be launching an appeal.