On May 1st 2012 the Council adopted a constitution to modernise and govern the way in which it conducts its business. It was revised again in 2021 when the number of Council members reduced.

Central to the constitution was the replacement of a standing committee system with an Executive Committee and three committees, namely the Housing and Property Committee, the Regeneration and Community Committee and the Environmental Services Committee. 

There are five councillors on the Executive Committee; the Leader of the Council, who serves as its Chair, the Chairs for each of the three committees, and a Member who does not serve on the three other committees.

The full Council elects the leader of the Council, the Chairs for each of the three other Committees, the Chair and members of the Pensions Committee, and the Chair and members of the Allotments Committee.

The Executive Committee then appoints three members to serve on each of the Housing and Property, Regeneration and Community and Environmental Services committees. 

The constitution requires that the Leader and committee members hold office for a maximum of two municipal years, after which a special meeting will be convened at which an election will take place to appoint all posts for the following two-year term of the Council.

Current members are:

Executive Committee:

Councillor Mrs C.L Wells (Leader of the Council / Chair)

Mr Councillor I.J.G. Clague, MBE (Vice-Chair)

Mr Councillor A.J. Bentley

Mr Councillor F. Horning

Mr Councillor D.R. Watson

The Worshipful the Mayor (ex officio)

Housing and Property Committee:

Mr Councillor D.R. Watson (Chair)

Mr Councillor P.J. Washington (Vice-Chair)

Mr Councillor S.R. Crellin

Councillor Ms J. Thommeny

The Worshipful the Mayor (ex officio)

Regeneration and Community Committee:

Mr Councillor A.J. Bentley (Chair)

Mr Councillor F. Schuengel (Vice-Chair)

Mr Councillor S.R. Crellin

Mr Councillor J.E. Skinner

The Worshipful the Mayor (ex officio)

Environmental Services Committee:

Mr Councillor F. Horning (Chair)

Councillor Ms J. Thommeny (Vice-Chair)

Mr Councillor J.E. Skinner

Mr Councillor P.J. Washington

The Worshipful the Mayor (ex officio)

The structure is completed by a Pensions Committee, and a Allotments Committee. Current members are:

Pensions Committee:

Mr Councillor J.E. Skinner (Chair)

Mr Councillor F. Horning (Vice-Chair)

M Councillor I.J.G. Clague, MBE

Mr Councillor S.R. Crellin    

The Worshipful the Mayor (ex officio)

Mr A. Thomas (Independent Member)

Allotments Committee:

Mr Councillor A.J. Bentley (Chair)

Mr Councillor F. Schuengel (Vice-Chair)

Mr Councillor S.R. Crellin

Mr Councillor J.E. Skinner

The Worshipful the Mayor (ex officio)

Mrs M. Tuman (Independent Member)

Mr P. Glover (Independent Member)

Hard copies of the constitution are available to view at the Douglas Town Hall and the Henry Bloom Noble Library. The document is also available to download from this page.