- 6 -
widely
based on popular elections has been most developed. The Boards provide a forum for public consultation and participation at the District level. They have a mainly advisory role with a substantial influence over district affairs. They are also allocated some public funds for local recreational and cultural activities and for minor environmental works.
16.
The system by which members of the Urban Council and District Boards are elected is based on electoral roll on which all residents aged 21 or above who have been in Hong Kong for seven or more years are eligible to be registered. Out of an estimated total potential electorate of 2.7 million, there are at present approximately 900,000 registered electors. An intensive campaign to encourage many more eligible persons to register as electors will be conducted in the near future.
Boards,
three
17.
Plans to double the number of elected members on the District Boards in 1985 and to set up a new partly elected Regional Council in 1986, to cover those areas not under the aegis of the Urban Council, were announced by the Government very recently. The new Regional Council will be composed of 12 directly elected members, nine representatives elected from the New Territories District
ex-officio representatives from the Heung Yee Kuk and 12 appointed members. A provisional Regional Council, with the same membership, except for the 12 directly elected members, will be set up in early 1985. The Urban Council is now consulting with the Government on the implications of the composition of the new Regional Council for the form and composition of the Urban Council.
18.
There is also an extensive network of 371 Boards and Committees, which make up an important and distinctive feature of the system of consultative government in Hong Kong. Many hundreds of citizens as members of these boards and committees. Most of them are appointed but in some cases they are elected. Half of these Boards and Committees are chaired by unofficials. Some of the boards are statutory
non-statutory. responsibilities vary widely, from tendering important policy matters to the Government of Departments to performing functions of or quasi-judicial nature. They also invaluable training and recruiting appointment to the higher councils.
and
others
Their advice on or to Heads an executive provide an ground
for