At a special meeting of Douglas Borough Council held on May 2, 2018 the Leader of the Council, Committee Chairs and Members were elected for the 2018-2020 municipal years.
Councillor David Christian MBE JP was elected Leader of the Council and Chairman of the Executive Committee. Executive Committee Members are Councillor Stephen Pitts, Councillor Ian Clague MBE, Councillor Claire Wells and Councillor Ritchie McNicholl.
Councillor Claire Wells was elected Chair of the Housing Committee. Members are Councillor Carol Malarkey, Councillor Colin Cain, Councillor John Skinner and Councillor Betty Quirk.
Councillor Stephen Pitts was elected Chair of the Regeneration and Community Committee. Members are Councillor Helen Callow, Councillor Raina Chatel, Councillor Debbie Pitts, JP, and Councillor Karen Angela.
Councillor Ritchie McNicholl was elected Chair of the Environmental Services Committee. Members are Councillor Natalie Byron, Councillor Debbie Pitts, JP, Councillor Falk Horning and Councillor Janet Thommeny.
Councillor Karen Angela was elected Chair of the Pensions Committee. Members are Councillor Carol Malarkey, Councillor Colin Cain, Councillor Falk Horning and Councillor John Skinner. Mr Andrew Thomas will serve as Independent Member.
Councillor Stephen Pitts was elected Chair of the Allotments Committee. Members are Councillor Helen Callow, Councillor Raina Chatel, Councillor Debbie Pitts, JP, and Councillor Karen Angela. Miss H Cleverley will serve as the Independent Member.
The Worshipful the Mayor of Douglas, Mr Councillor Jonathan Joughin, JP, serves as an ex officio Member of all the above committees.
Councillor Carol Malarkey was elected Chair of the Standards Committee. Members are Councillor Natalie Byron, Councillor Raina Chatel and Councillor John Skinner. Mr Derek Booth will serve as the Independent Member.
Additionally, representatives on outside bodies were elected for a period of two years ending in May 2020.
Councillor Ritchie McNicholl will represent the Eastern District Civic Amenity Site Joint Committee; Councillor Natalie Byron the Richmond Hill (Incinerator) Consultative Committee; Councillor Janet Thommeny the Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment; Councillor Raina Chatel and Councillor Betty Quirk the Isle of Man Municipal Association; and Councillor Betty Quirk and Councillor Carol Malarkey the Douglas Town Band Committee.
The Leader of the Council Councillor David Christian MBE JP said: ‘I am very pleased to have been elected unanimously, once again, by my fellow Council Members to represent them and the town as Leader. I am also encouraged that the Council resolved to support my Notice of Motion to reduce the number of Councillors from 18 to 12 at the 2020 local elections.
‘In the coming years the Council will be faced with many economic and social challenges which will demand that we review and amend, where appropriate, changes to our Constitution, including our Committee structure. In the meantime, however, the Council’s new composition of Committees, which recognises and draws on Members’ experience and expertise, is such that the Council is well placed to respond to those challenges with vigour, to deliver the best possible outcomes for the town and its ratepayers, and to uphold its Corporate Plan pledge to create a desirable place to live, work and visit.’
