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6.
funds
for
Committees of the Legislative Council scrutinize requests
and audit expenditure. The Finance Committee and its sub-committees examine the annual budget estimates, and any changes during the year, review public work s priorities and control the
growth of the Civil Service. The Public Accounts Committee examines
the annual report of the Director of Audit.
7.
Meetings of LEGCO and its committees are held in
are held in public.
8.
Until this year, all LEGCO members (both Official and Unofficial) were appointed by the Governor, with Unofficials in the
majority. For the new session starting on 30 October 1985, the
total number of seats has been increased to 56, of which 10 are
reserved for Officials and 22 for Unofficials appointed by the Governor. The remaining Unofficial members are returned by a mixed
system of indirect election - 12 by geographically based electoral colleges, and 12 by "functional" constituencies. (See below) The
new LEGCO will meet weekly instead of fortnightly as in the past.
+
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGES
9.
The electoral colleges are made up of members of the 19
District Boards, the Urban Council and the Regional Council. Groups
of 2 or 3 boards and the 2 councils individually each elect on e
member.
10.
District Boards advise the Government on the provision of
services within each of the territory's administrative districts and act as sounding boards for public opinion. Before April 1985,
District Boards were made up
of Official and Unofficial members.
Among the latter group, about half were directly elected by the
local electorate. As from April 1985, District Boards consist
solely of Unofficial Members.
The ir membership is divided
approximately 2:1 between elected and appointed members.
11.
with
The Urban Council is
statutory body charged
responsibility for providing municipal services in the main urban
areas. Members of the Urban Council attend meetings of
of the Urban
District Boards to
provide
a link with the district
consultative
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