GRS 1150
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
TELNO 256
OF 13070OZ MARCH 86
TOP COPY
INFO PRIORITY HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO WASHINGTON INFO PRIORITY HKGO GENEVA, FCO, UKMIS GENEVA
HKKO1115.
REGISTRY
13 MAR 1986
HKG/GT/120 : ELECTIONS TO THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE REGIONABI
COUNCIL.
LA
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OFFICER
REGISTRY
PA
Action Tɛmen
AJB
BACKGROUND.
1. FOLLOWING THE FIRST ELECTIONS TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN 1982, На
CALLED FOR A REVIEW OF THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR LOCAL
ADMINISTRATION. A THOROUGH REVIEW WAS UNDERTAKEN AND CERTAIN
CONCLUSIONS REACHED WITH PESPECT TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. IN A
STATEMENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 15 FEBRUARY 1994, THE CHIEF
SECRETARY ANNOUNCED AS ONE OF THESE CONCLUSIONS THAT ANOTHER
''REGIONAL'' COUNCIL WITH AN ELECTED ELEMENT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED
TO PROVIDE MUNICIPAL SERVICES MUCH LIKE TO URBAN COUNCIL, FOR THOSE
AREAS NOT UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE UC. THIS NEW COUNCIL WAS CONSIDERED
TO BE NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE LARGE SHIFT OF POPULATION TO THE
NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND BECAUSE OF THE ANOMALOUS
SITUATION WHEREBY A GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT (NAMELY, THE NEW
TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT) WAS PROVIDING SIMILAR SERVICES IN
THE NEW TERRITORIES TO THOSE BEING PROVIDED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL IN
THE URBAN AREAS. TO GAIN WORKING EXPERIENCE, A PROVISIONAL
REGIONAL COUNCIL WITHOUT DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS WAS SET UP IN
1985.
COMPOSITION OF THE TWO COUNCILS.
2. AS FROM THE FIRST CONSTITUENCY-BASED ELECTIONS TO THE URBAN
COUNCIL IN 1983, THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS BEEN COMPOSED AS FOLLOWS:
15 DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS
15 MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR
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THE REGIONAL COUNCIL IS COMPOSED AS FOLLOWS:
12 DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS
9 REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARDS
3 EX-OFFICIO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HEUNG YEE KUK (1.E. THE
CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN)
12 MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR
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WORK OF THE TWO COUNCILS.
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CONFIDENTIAL