DUP minister Edwin Poots' son is facing a council watchdog hearing over alleged conflicts of interest in the planning process.
Luke Poots, a former DUP councillor, has been under investigation since 2018 following complaints over claims he was allegedly involved in planning decisions lobbied for by his father.
The probe included a planning decision quashed in the High Court last year in a case that cost ratepayers £62,500.
Read more: DUP councillor suspended over 'abusive' tweets about Sinn Fein's John Finucane
Luke Poots' name was recently added to a list of forthcoming "hearings and adjudication decisions" on the website for the Local Government Commissioner for Standards.
He is accused of breaching eight parts of the councillors' code of conduct including sections relating to declarations of interest, use of elected position and planning matters.
Mr Poots, who chaired Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council's planning committee, has previously insisted he had "done everything by the book".
Although he stepped down from the council in 2019, the watchdog can continue to investigate former councillors. Any potential sanctions could apply to any future period as a council representative.
Before May's Stormont election, Mr Poots was listed as being employed in his father's constituency office as a case worker.
In 2017, he had been chair of the council planning committee when it approved an application for two houses outside Hillsborough for which Edwin had allegedly lobbied in favour.
Residents launched legal action and planning approval was overturned in June last year after the council eventually conceded.
The legal case cost the council an estimated £62,500, including £20,000 towards the costs of the objectors, £22,500 on the council's barristers and £20,000 on its solicitors.
Several other council politicians have also recently had their names added to the public list of forthcoming hearings and adjudications by the standards watchdog.
DUP Ballymena councillor John Carson is listed for alleged breaches of the code on behaviour towards others.
It is understood to relate to a Facebook comment attributed to him that read Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill would be "put back in her kennel".
Mr Carson was strongly criticised for the remark and later apologised, saying that "in hindsight I realise I have caused offence".
DUP Antrim and Newtownabbey councillor John Smyth is accused of breaching clauses relating to declaring interests.
Independent Causeway Coast and Glens councillor Padraig McShane is accused of bringing his position or the council into disrepute.
Former independent councillor Jolene Bunting, who caused controversy over her involvement with far-right group Britain First, is accused of breaching the code in several areas including bringing her role or Belfast City Council into disrepute.
The latest cases emerge after a DUP councillor was suspended for eight months by the standards watchdog over "abusive" posts on Twitter about Sinn Féin MP John Finucane.
Marc Collins was found to have breached the councillors' code of conduct due to a number of tweets during the 2019 Westminster election campaign.
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