be constituted the local authority assisted by an advisory council of officials and a majority of wholly nominated unofficial members. So far as the Municipal Council is concerned, the Dickinson proposals for dropping of official membership and moving to a majority of elected members represent fairly radical changes; in view of the wider functions and powers the Council will assume, it would seem advisable to retain a high proportion of nominated members for the time being. If one accepts the need to retain the existing urban franchise for the present (see paragraph 8 above) there seems to be no alternative to his Tsuen Wan proposals, and the introduction of elected members must await the selection of a satisfactory alternative franchise.
10. Functions. The proposals of the Urban Council on allocation of
functions are absurdly ambitious. The subordinate District Councils
are to have more or less the same limited functions as are at present allocated to the Urban Council. The functions of the new Municipal Council, however, are to be extended to include (to the complete exclusion of central government involvement) the entire fields of education, housing, medical services, information services, scientific and research services, social welfare, traffic and transport; and would take in public works in respect of roads, water works and control of building construction. The Working Party suggested that the executive functions to be exercised by local authorities should comprise a wide range of public health functions and other responsibilities, such as the provision and operation of certain educational and welfare facilities, licensing duties, the management of low cost housing estates, etc. They should enjoy the right to be consulted on certain responsibilities which the central Government would continue to discharge, i.e. the general adequacy of Police and Fire Services and of medical, housing and educational facilities; on town planning proposals; and on public transport facilities. Mr. Dickinson's proposals are very similar to those of the Working Party; he would make some of the functions mandatory and others permissive; he expressed the hope that this would be regarded as only an initial allocation of functions, additions being
/ made
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