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MATTERS. WHERE THE ADVICE OF THE BOARDS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED, OR IF PROPOSALS ON WHICH THE BOARDS HAVE GIVEN ADVICE SUBSEQUENTLY UNDERGO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, THE DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED WILL BE REQUIRED TO EXPLAIN THEIR REASONS TO THE BOARDS. FURTHERMORE, DEPARTMENTS WILL, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, CONSULT DISTRICT BOARDS ON THEIR ANNUAL PROGRAMME OF WORK IN THE DISTRICT RATHER THAN PIECEMEAL ON INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, IN ORDER TO GIVE THE BOARDS A BROAD PICTURE WITHIN WHICH TO ADVISE ON PRIORITIES.
35.
,
THE GOVERNMENT ALSO INTENDS TO INCREASE GRADUALLY THE RESOURCES PROVIDED TO DISTRICT BOARDS FOR LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, TAKING CARE TO AVOID AN OVERLAP BETWEEN THE WORK OF THE BOARDS AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.
36. THE COMPOSITION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS WILL NOT CHANGE IN 1988. THE OVERALL RATIO OF ELECTED TO APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL REMAIN APPROXIMATELY 2 1 IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE APPLIED FLEXIBLY TO
AKE ACCOUNT OF SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARDS
37.
MOST SUBMISSIONS TO THE SURVEY OFFICE ON THIS SUBJECT FAVOURED IMPROVING THE PRESENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS. MANY OF THESE WANTED TO SEE MORE OPPORTUN- ITIES FOR DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN THE WORK OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AND ITS SELECT COMMITTEES. MANY ALSO WANTED TO EXPAND THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL TO INCLUDE AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE OF EACH URBAN DISTRICT BOARD. THEY ARGUED THAT THIS WOULD HELP STRENGTHEN THE LINKS BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE BOARDS. THIS OPTION WAS SUPPORTED BY A GREAT MANY DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS. MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL HOWEVER OPPOSED IT: THEY FAVOURED THE RETENTION OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM WHEREBY THEY ARE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS.
38.
THERE IS NO QUESTION BUT THAT THE URBAN COUNCIL WORKS WELL UNDER THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS. IT PROVIDES A HIGH STANDARD OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THE CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH THEIR MEMBERSHIP OF DISTRICT BOARDS URBAN COUNCILLORS ARE ABLE TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DISTRICT LEVEL CONCERNS, WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY HELPS THEM IN THEIR WORK.
39. THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS DO NOT, HOWEVER, PROVIDE FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS TO PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL, FOR WHICH THERE IS FIRM PUBLIC SUPPORT. THIS COULD BE REMEDIED
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