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BECAME THE ONLY GOVERNMENT BODY WHICH BOTH EXERCISED EXECUTIVE POWERS AND INCLUDED ELECTED MEMBERS. IN 1983 THE FRANCHISE WAS WIDENED AND REARRANGED ON A CONSTITUENCY BASIS, AND THE URBAN COUNCIL'S MEMBERSHIP WAS INCREASED FROM 24 TO 30. 15 OF ITS MEMBERS ARE ELECTED, AND 15 ARE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
(C) REGIONAL COUNCIL
20.
A NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL TO COVER THE NON-URBAN AREAS AND TO
PERFORM FUNCTIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, WAS PROPOSED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE REFORMS FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S AIM WAS TO OBTAIN GREATER PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES IN THE NEW
TERRITORIES, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE LARGE INCREASE IN POPULATION IN THE NEW TOWNS, BOTH ACTUAL AND EXPECTED AND ALSO TO CORRECT THE ANOMALY OF A PARTLY-ELECTED URBAN COUNCIL PROVIDING A
WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC IN THE URBAN AREAS, WHILE SIMILAR SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC IN THE NEW
TERRITORIES BY A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT.
21.
THE REGIONAL COUNCIL TO BE CONSTITUTED ON 1 APRIL 1986 WILL
HAVE 36 MEMBERS. 12 MEMBERS WILL BE DIRECTLY ELECTED BY
CONSTITUENCIES: A FURTHER 12 WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
THE CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK WILL BE MEMBERS (NEXT 2 WORDS UNDERLINED) EX OFFICIO, AND THE NINE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL EACH ELECT FROM AMONG
THEIR OWN MEMBERS ONE FURTHER COUNCILLOR. IN APRIL 1985 A PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL OF APPOINTED MEMBERS AND DISTRICT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALLOW WORKING EXPERIENCE
TO BE GAINED BEFORE THE REGIONAL COUNCIL COMES INTO BEING.
(D)
22.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
IN
THESE REFORMS CONSIDERABLY ENHANCED REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AT THE DISTRICT, URBAN AND REGIONAL LEVEL. NOVEMBER 1984, HAVING SOUGHT AND RECEIVED PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN A GREEN PAPER, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PUBLISHED A WHITE PAPER SETTING OUT THE STEPS TO BE TAKEN IN 1985 TO DEVELOP REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL. THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER WERE ENDORSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL IN JANUARY 1985. THE PRINCIPAL REFORMS CONCERNED THE
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