A senior Tory councillor who is said to have cracked an Irish joke during a break in the middle of a racial discrimination hearing could face suspension after a hearing later this month.

Cllr Ken Bamber, 77, is alleged to have told the gag when chairing a union appeal against the dismissal of an employee last December.

The incident was exclusively reported in the print edition of the Medway Messenger in January.

Now he is expected to appear before the council’s Standards Board on June 19.

The Standards Board for England is the watchdog body which monitors councillors’ behaviour. Each local authority has its own board.

Three independent board members will decide whether the Conservative administration’s Whip showed disrespect when chairing the meeting.

The case was brought against him by Irish-born Unison officer, Brian Kelly. Cllr Bamber remains a member of the council’s joint negotiation committee, and the appeals and dismissals panels. However, he has handed over the chairmanship of the two panels to Cllr Nick Brice while the allegations are investigated.

Councillors and staff who were at the appeal hearing at Christmas have been interviewed.

Mr Kelly objected to use of the word “Paddy,” which he said was racist in intent.

At the Standards Board meeting, Cllr Bamber and Mr Kelly could find themselves face to face. They will both be given the opportunity to speak, having previously been interviewed by the council’s monitoring officer, Deborah Upton.

If the allegations are proved, Cllr Bamber could be suspended as a councillor. Alternative punishments include writing a formal apology to Mr Kelly - something which another councillor, Glyn Griffiths, deputy Labour group leader, had to do last year after a street row with a council housing official.

Ironically, a week after Cllr Bamber’s case is heard, Mr Kelly is expected to have his own appeal heard by the redundancy panel.

He is a care home manager among more than 80 staff currently losing their jobs as the council hands over mental health care to the Medway Primary Care Trust.

Cllr Bamber was asked to comment, but refused, saying that he would not speak to the press until after the case was heard.