Your Council

St Helena Legislative Council

Legislative Council

St Helena is governed within a democratic system where the people of St Helena elect eligible members of the public to represent them in Legislative Council (LegCo). The St Helena Legislative Council comprises 12 Elected Members,  a Speaker, a Deputy Speaker and the Attorney General who is an ex-officio Member of the Legislative Council. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected to office by the 12 Elected Members following a General Election.An ex-officio Member of the Legislative Council may not vote.

The system of governance reflects a Ministerial system. A Chief Minister is selected by secret ballot from amongst the 12 Elected Members.  The Chief Minister then recommends to the Governor the appointment of 4 Ministers and together they form the Executive Council which advises the Governor on strategic government policy. The Attorney General is an ex-officio Member of the Executive Council also and may not vote.

Legislative Council members are the Law Makers of St Helena and meet formally in ‘the House’ to discuss important issues affecting the people of St Helena and decide ways on how they can be addressed.

Councillors may be contacted directly (see full list here) or through the Legislative Office Team Leader/Clerk of Councils on email: connie.johnson@sainthelena.gov.sh or telephone (00290) 22590.

Ministers

Each Minister will exercise general direction and policy control over departments assigned to them subject to the policies of Government.

  • Education, Skills & Employment, Chief Minister Julie Thomas
  • Safety, Security & Home Affairs Portfolio, Minister Jeffrey Ellick
  • Treasury, Infrastructure & Sustainable Development Portfolio, Minister Mark Brooks
  • Environment, Natural Resources & Planning Portfolio, Minister Christine Scipio
  • Health and Social Care Portfolio, Minister Martin Henry
Education, Skills & Employment,
Chief Minister Julie Thomas
julie.thomas@sainthelena.gov.sh
Treasury, Infrastructure & Sustainable Development Portfolio
Minister Mark Brooks
mark.brooks@sainthelena.gov.sh
Environment, Natural Resources & Planning Portfolio
Minister Christine Scipio
click on image for Bio
christine.scipio@sainthelena.gov.sh
Safety, Security & Home Affairs Portfolio
Minister Jeffrey Ellick
click on image for Bio
jeffrey.ellick@sainthelena.gov.sh
Health and Social Care Portfolio
Minister Martin Henry
martin.henry@sainthelena.gov.sh

Speaker & Deputy Speaker

Cyril Gunnell
click on image for Bio
Speaker.cgunnell@helanta.co.sh
Catherine Cranfield
click on image for Bio
DeputySpeaker.ccranfield@gmail.com

Councillors

Robert Midwinter
cllr.midwinter@helanta.co.sh
click on image for Bio
Select Committee 1 – Chair
Liberated African Advisory Committee – Elected Member Representative
St Helena Research Institute – Elected Member Representative
Cruise Ship and Yacht Race Working Group – Elected Member Representative
Agricultural Strategy Working Group – Elected Member Representative
Andrew Turner
councillor.aturner@gmail.com
click on image for Bio
Chair of Employment Rights Committee 
Member of Select Committee 2
Member of Tax and Revenue Working Group
LegCo Rep on National Trust Council
Gillian Brooks
councillor.gbrooks@helanta.co.sh
click on image for Bio
Select Committee 1 – Member
Elderly Person’s Champion
Highways authority – Member
St Helena representative on the British Island’s Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Steering Committee;
Public Accounts Committee- Member
Karl Thrower
Karl.thrower@shgcouncil.com
Select Committee 2 – Member
Public Accounts Committee – Member
Rosemary Bargo
councillor.rbargo@helanta.co.sh
click on image for Bio
Select Committee 1 – Member
Children’s Champion
Safe Guarding Board – Member St Helena representative on the British Island’s Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Steering Committee;
Anti-Social Behaviour Working Group – Member

Ronald Coleman
Ronald.Coleman@helanta.co.sh
click on image for Bio
Select Committee 1 – Member
Dr Corinda Essex
cs.essex@helanta.co.sh
click on image for Bio
Select Committee 2 – Chair
Public Accounts Committee – Member

To stand as a candidate for LegCo you must be over the age of 21 years and meet certain criteria (which can be viewed in the 2009 Constitution of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha).

To vote in the Elections you must be aged 17 and over, registered on the Electoral Roll and also meet certain criteria (also found in the Constitution).Standing Orders for Legislative Council Meeting