Labour Councillor Found in Breach of Council Code of Conduct
A Hounslow Labour councillor has been officially found in breach of the council's code of conduct following revelations that he parked his Lamborghini in disabled parking bays and failed to declare interests in multiple companies. The findings come from a confidential report obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), which details multiple violations by Councillor Farhaan Rehman.
Parking Violations and Disabled Bay Misuse
The investigation confirmed that Councillor Rehman parked his distinctive blue Lamborghini in disabled parking bays at Hounslow House car park without displaying a blue badge, despite other parking spaces being available. This occurred in September 2025 and was documented by the LDRS. While council facilities officers noted that there are no formal penalty procedures for such parking violations, the investigating officer determined that the "distinctive nature" of the vehicle made it clear who was responsible.
The officer concluded this represented a breach of the Code of Conduct under Part 7 regarding the use of local authority resources and facilities. In response to this violation, Councillor Rehman resigned as Chair of the Licensing Panel and made a charitable donation of £160, equivalent to the fine for parking breaches in the borough.
Undeclared Company Interests
In a separate matter from October 2025, the LDRS revealed that Councillor Rehman had failed to declare his interests in three companies where he served as a director. At the time, Councillor Rehman insisted he had not received payment for these roles, and Hounslow Labour argued that no rules had been broken. However, the investigating officer disagreed, concluding that he should have declared these interests regardless of whether the positions were paid or unpaid.
The officer stated that this failure to declare constituted another breach of the council's code of conduct, emphasizing that transparency requirements apply to all positions of influence, whether compensated or not.
Cleared Allegations and Political Response
Councillor Rehman was cleared of two other allegations. One involved parking in a "car club only" bay on Corban Road, where insufficient evidence was found to prove the violation. The other concerned a 2025 trip to Pakistan with the Adam Mercer Group, where investigators found no evidence of personal financial interest, improper use of position, or reportable hospitality beyond potentially receiving a bouquet of flowers.
The Hounslow Conservative Group issued a strong statement calling the breaches serious and suggesting Councillor Rehman's position had become untenable. They urged the Hounslow Labour Party to withdraw him as a candidate before nominations close next week, stating that "councillors should serve their community" rather than misuse council resources.
Councillor's Response and Confidentiality Concerns
In response to the report, Councillor Rehman acknowledged that he had already accepted the breaches and taken corrective steps before the report was finalized. He expressed concern about the LDRS possessing an unredacted copy of the confidential report, suggesting its publication might violate data protection laws and council procedures.
"The matters you have raised are not new and you reported on them in November," Councillor Rehman stated. "The report you are quoting from acknowledges that I have already accepted the breaches and sought to remedy them." He requested a pause in publication to allow all parties time to respond properly to the findings.
Labour Party's Position
When questioned about whether Councillor Rehman would be allowed to stand as a Labour candidate, Hounslow Labour declined to answer specific questions. A spokesperson noted that Councillor Rehman had taken "immediate action to remedy his mistakes" and questioned why the LDRS was approaching the party about council procedure matters.
The spokesperson added: "It is worrying that you claim to have an unredacted version of the report. You will know at this point it is draft allowing for comments from all parties as is correct in such a process."
The confidential report confirms that while Councillor Rehman has acknowledged his violations and taken remedial action, the formal finding of two breaches of the council code of conduct represents new information that could impact his political future as nominations for council candidates approach their deadline.
