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2.
Meanwhile, arrangements continue to be
made under the "Meet-the-Public" Scheme in all
nineteen districts for District Board members to
meet local residents. Furthermore, additional
space has become available in all community centres taken over by CNTA on a booking basis for use by board members for the same purpose.
3.
In recent months, groups of District Board members have renewed their pleas for the provision of such financial assistance and several members
of this Council have also made similar suggestions. A second survey conducted in April this year showed that the number of District Board members having
acquired offices to meet their constituents had
increased to 155 representing about 40% of the total membership, and 73 of them were reported to be paying rent. These figures suggest that there is a growing demand for these facilities
and call for the question of financial assistance
to be reconsidered.
4.
CNTA together with the Finance Branch
are now examining in detail the justification for the various possible means of assistance
including, inter alia, whether better use
can be made of the government premises currently available to board members. If financial
assistance is to be provided, we would still need to identify the most cost-effective way
to achieve it. For example, whether instead
of a separate allowance, the present honorarium
of board members should be increased to include
an element of office rental. I would therefore
like to assure Dr. Lai and all others concerned
/that