10

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16.

The Urban Council and Regional Council attach importance to having their two elected representatives on the Legislative Council, providing useful and necessary administrative and political link. District Board members

consider their

their indirect representation on the Legislative Council, via the Electoral College, of some importance.

17.

anyone

would

Appointed members: this element in the Council continues to enjoy substantial public support. It is not

that expected

abolition of advocate

seats

allocated to appointed members at this stage, but some reduction may be suggested. They are accepted as a very useful method of balancing

of balancing the representation of community interests in the Council and including significant and competent people who would not normally stand for election.

18.

seems

more

over

it Directly elected members:

the likely that introduction of about eight to 10 directly elected members would meet the expectations of those in Hong Kong in favour of direct elections. To add 10 directly elected members to

the present Council, as well as say four

functional

constituency members and four more official members, would produce a Council of 74. This might be criticised as large. It would produce a balance more strongly in favour of directly and indirectly elected members from district and regional constituencies (compared with functional, appointed and official members). The balance would be tipped even more strongly in favour of elected members if the number of appointed members were to be reduced.

19.

Some criticism has been voiced that the Electoral College is too narrowly based for producing members of Legislative Council. It has been suggested that if directly elected members are introduced, District Board Electoral College members should make way for them. The main argument for the District Board Electoral College members produce a reasonably balanced geographical distribution of members. The media and public opinion have noted that the

was

to

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