SEORET
Via
26. THE FIRST OPTION WOULD NOT REQUIRE ANYTHING OTHER THAN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, GIVEN THAT THE POWER OF APPOINTMENT TO MOST ADVISORY BODIES LIES WITH THE GOVERNOR. THE SECOND OPTION MIGHT REQUIRED AMENDMENTS AT LEAST TO LEGCO STANDING ORDERS. BEGIN SQUARE BRACKETS HT WILL BE SOME TIME BEFORE THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS ESTABLISHED A PREFERRED METHOD OF WORKING AND INTERNAL ORGANIS- ATION, AND THUS BEFORE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION CAN BE GIVEN TO THESE OPTIONS. END SQUARE BRACKETS.
URBAN COUNCIL, REGIONAL COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARDS
27. THERE WILL BE ELECTIONS TO THE UPBAN COUNCIL AND TO THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL IN MARCH 1986.
28. 1987 WILL BE TOO EARLY TO CONSIDER ANY CHANGES TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. THERE IS ONE MSSUE AFFECTING THE URBAN COUNCIL WHICH COULD BECOME LIVE IN 1986-7. DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMEN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES SIT ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE INTERESTS OF THEIR DISTRICTS ARE THUS DIRECTLY REPRESENTED ON THE UPPER COUNCIL. IN THE URBAN AREAS URBAN COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT ON DISTRICT BOARDS. THIS SYSTEM WHICH IS NOT SATISFACTORY TO MANY URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS WHO BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE A MORE DIRECT SAY AT THE URBAN COUNCIL LEVEL. THEY ARE PRESSING FOR THE REGIONAL COUNCIL SYSTEM TO BE ADOPTED IN THE URBAN AREA. ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL HAVE RESISTED THIS: THEY SEE IT AS A THREAT TO THEIR POSITION AS SOLE REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR CONSTITUENCIES. BEGIN SQUARE BRACKETS IT REAMINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE UPBAN COUNCIL AFTER THE MARCH 1986 ELECTIONS WILL TAKE THE SAME VIEW. IF THEY DECIDE TO AGREE TO DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMEN SHITTING ON THE URBAN COUNCIL THIS WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY AFFECT THE BALANCE OF THE MEMBERSHIP IN THE URBAN COUNCIL WHICH IS AT PRESENT HALF ELECTED AND HALF
APPOINTED. END SQUARE BRACKETS.
29 BEGI SQUARE BRACKETS THERE MAY BE A CALL FOR ADMINISTRATIVE POWERS AT DISTRICT LEVEL TO BE DELEGATED TO DISTRICT BOARDS AND FOR CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARDS (AT PRESENT TWO THIRDS ELECTED AND ONE THIRD APPOINTED). END SQUARE BRACKETS. THERE ARE NO PRESENT PLANS TO INCLUDE CHANGES OF THIS KIND IN THE 1987 REVIEW.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D (FE)
D/HD PUSD
MR WILSON
(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD, LEGAL ADVISERS
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