A former Sheriff of Nottingham used his council position to secure a substantial reduction on Land Rover repairs and accepted free hospitality and event tickets, an investigation has found.
Labour councillor Zafran Khan was initially quoted around £30,000 for repairs to his vehicle, but the work was later agreed at approximately £7,500 after he contacted a Stratstone Land Rover dealership using his council email address.
Two emails were signed off “The Sheriff of Nottingham”. The report concluded there was no legitimate reason for using his councillor account and that it was “most likely …used deliberately to attempt to secure an advantage for himself”.
Mr Khan denied wrongdoing. He said he had not intended to obtain any benefit from his position, but investigators found it was unlikely that using his title was “entirely inadvertent”.
The report said it was “reasonably obvious that communicating a status of some importance (such as Sheriff and/or Councillor) might lead to an advantage”.
Mr Khan said the vehicle problem had been unexpected and dangerous, and that the worry had affected his sleep and appetite. He also said his uncle had been ill and died in October 2025, describing the period as one of his lowest points.
The investigation was carried out by legal firm Bevan Brittan after complaints were first received in September last year. It found breaches of the council’s Code of Conduct relating to gifts and hospitality, use of position and disrepute.
Mr Khan also requested or accepted complimentary tickets and hospitality connected with events at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, including performances by Canadian singer Tate McRae and Paw Patrol Live, as well as Nottingham Panthers ice hockey matches.
He accepted complimentary visits to a hospitality suite at Nottingham Racecourse with guests, but did not declare them. Mr Khan said the racecourse had initially invited him because it wanted to attract more visitors from ethnic minority backgrounds.
The report said there was no formal civic role for him at the Motorpoint Arena events. He had been seated in a hospitality box with friends rather than among the general public, making any incidental civic role unlikely.
Mr Khan also failed to register his attendance at the opening of The Ivy restaurant in Nottingham. Councillors are required to declare gifts or hospitality estimated to be worth £25 or more.
In his response, Mr Khan said he had consumed a glass of prosecco estimated at £9.95, an orange juice worth around £4.50 and a small vegetarian canapé. As the total was below £25, he said he did not believe it needed to be registered.
He had emailed the restaurant saying: “In my capacity as the Sheriff of Nottingham, I wondered if you would like me to attend your opening in Nottingham. My role is an ambassador of leisure, tourism and hospitality in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.”
Mr Khan initially said he was unaware of the Code of Conduct, before later explaining that he had not fully understood it. He said that after being elected in May 2019, he stayed awake until around 4am or 5am before attending councillor induction training at 9am, leaving him “very tired” and unable to remember much of what had happened.
The report found no breach concerning an attempt to meet and host the owner of Nottingham Forest or support for people involved in court proceedings.
Mr Khan represented the Wollaton West ward and held the ceremonial role of Sheriff of Nottingham for a year until May. The position involves promoting the city as a destination, welcoming tourists and encouraging residents to make use of its activities.
He is the brother of council leader Neghat Khan. There is no suggestion that she did anything wrong or was connected to the investigation.
The report has not yet been considered by the council’s Standards and Governance Committee. A meeting due to decide whether rules had been breached and what sanction, if any, should be imposed was abandoned after an opposition councillor compared Mr Khan with Nigel Farage, who faces allegations of accepting illegal donations and denies them.
A council spokesman said the meeting would be rescheduled. It is understood Mr Khan’s legal team disputes the external report and will argue that it contains legal and factual errors.
