Auckland Mayor Len Brown has pulled out of his first, post-affair public engagement at Three Kings Primary School this morning.
The Herald understands Mr Brown did not think it was appropriate to make his first public outing at a primary school where there would be a strong media contingent.
Instead, he will spend some of this morning at an induction for councillors.
Mr Brown still intends to appear in public to open a compact showhome at Ellerslie this afternoon.
A council spokesman said the review - announced by chief executive Doug McKay last Thursday - would probe whether Mr Brown breached the council's code of conduct and conflicts of interest guidelines set down by the Auditor-General.
The review would also look at whether Mr Brown provided other references for his former mistress, Bevan Chuang, the spokesman said.
Decisions on terms of reference for the independent review and who will conduct it are expected to be finalised today or tomorrow.