Douglas Council is to adopt a range of measures, including councillors’ surgeries, to improve its engagement with the wider community.

The decision comes following the establishment by the council of a community engagement working group last year.

When the group was established, council leader David Christian said it was a way of engaging better with the community and generating more interest and understanding of the council’s role. He also said it may help to boost turn-out in local elections.

Councillors have been told the group had considered a vast range of possible approaches and this had now been narrowed down to a list of specific points.

One of the most significant changes for voters in Douglas will be councillors’ surgeries, which will be held in conjunction with those run by Douglas MHKs.

These will take place for two hours, every second Saturday morning at the Sea Terminal. More details will be provided on the council’s web site and the surgeries are to be held for a trial period of one year.

Noting how rarely any members of the public attend the monthly council meetings, the council is to publicise its meeting agenda more prominently on the web site, using a link direct from the home page. Although the information is already there, anyone browsing the web currently has to search to find it.

Shoppers in the town centre will also be provided with council information from electronic display boards. The proposal is to position these on Granville Street and Regent Street.

A council team may attend schools and other organisations, as well as various public events such as heritage open days, and use the opportunity to publicise council services and amenities.

Benefits likely to be promoted include waste recycling, the Henry Bloom Noble Library, the parks department and the council’s role in providing street lighting in the capital.

Some voters might find a change in their polling station in future elections. This is to try to address low voter turnout at local elections. A review is to be done of the polling stations used and their convenience and accessibility to the public. The council is also considering if it would be viable to offer proxy voting similar to what is available for Tynwald elections.

In addition, focus groups and user groups will be established to offer opinions on specific issues involving the council and council services.

The current newsletter explaining how rates money is spent by the council is to be redesigned in a more user-friendly format, but will remain the same for the time being.