The Council oversees the operation of the Service in accordance with the Annual Business Plan and Budget, and sets, monitors and reviews performance standards. Among its primary roles are the appointment of the Ombudsman, and maintaining and safeguarding her independence. 

There are nine members of the Council. Six are independent and three were nominated by the Member Boards.

Current  independent members are:-

Peter Holland CBE, DL - Chairman
Peter Holland began his career as a journalist on local and national newspapers in this country. During his career with Reuters he moved into management with roles including Managing Director of Reuters Europe, Chairman of Reuters Latin America and Chairman of Visnews, a television news agency. He is a former Chairman of Hertfordshire Police Authority and currently the Vice Chairman of the Association of Police Authorities, a non-executive director of an IT company and Chairman of Herts in Trust, a Hertfordshire charity. Peter became Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire in 2000 and was awarded the CBE in the Queens' 2005 New Year Honours list.

Margaret Doyle
Margaret Doyle is a consultant and researcher on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and an independent mediator. She works as a researcher with voluntary-sector organisations involved in access to justice, including Advice Services Alliance, National Consumer Council and Public Law Project. She trained as a mediator in 1987 and is accredited as part of the Legal Services Commission's Mediation Quality Mark. She mediates in disputes involving special educational needs, disability discrimination and community conflicts. She is an independent director of The Ombudsman Service Ltd (Otelo and Energy Supply Ombudsman services) and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education. 

Chris Kenny
Chris Kenny is an independent director and consultant, specialising in public policy, particularly consumer and competition and regulation issues. His early career was in the Department of Health, where he held a variety of policy and management posts including Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State. As Oftel's Director of Regulatory Policy and then Director of Compliance between 2000 and 2003, he worked with industry and consumer bodies to establish Otelo. Most recently, as Director of Life and Pensions for the Association of British Insurers until December 2006, he led the industry's input into the work of the Pensions Commisssion and the Government's response to it.
 
Chris is also a non-executive Director of Harrow Primary Care Trust and of Real Life Options, a not for profit care company serving adults with learning disabilities. He is also a school governor

Julie Meadows
Julie Meadows is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. She has significant commercial and operational business management experience and has worked as an independent auditor.

Tony Allen
Tony Allen is the Head of Trading Standards and Licensing for the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. Formerly, he was a member of the Council of the Trading Standards Institute and worked as Head of Development. He is currently their Lead Officer on Crime and Disorder. Tony has worked in Cheshire, Trafford, Enfield and Oldham in Trading Standards and has a background in electrical retailing prior to joining Trading Standards.

Jean Couper CBE
Jean Couper is a director of K3 Management Consultants and The Law Academy and a member of the Accounts Commission and The Police Advisory Board for Scotland. Formerly she was the Chairman of the Scottish Legal Aid Board and Vice Chairman of the Health Education Board for Scotland and The Wise Group Ltd.  Jean was awarded the CBE for services to the administration of justice in the Queen's birthday honours list in 2006.

Current Industry Members are:-

Chris Holland
Chris Holland is the head of the Ombudsman Interface Team at BT and sits on the Otelo Member Board.

Duncan Sedgwick

Duncan is the Chairman of the Energy Member Board and the Chief Executive of the Energy Retail Association.   Duncan was formally a Director of Powergen, his most recent position having been the Director of Business Transformation a business wide role which saw significant changes to the manner in which work was carried out as well as major reductions to the overall cost base. Prior to that he was the Director of Retail Mass Markets being responsible for the sales, service and internal functions of the residential customer base at a time when this increased from 2 to 3 million customers. His family home is in Nottinghamshire. His other posts have included Chairman of the Learning & Skills Council, Chair of Race for Opportunity in the East Midlands and the Citizens Advice Bureau for the East Midlands.