Advisory Board was established in Tsuen Wan with a role and functions similar to those of the City District Committees in the urban areas. It comprised members of the local community, Rural Committee Chairmen and government officials working in the district. By 1979, similar boards had been set New Territories districts.
in all
14. During the 1970s, steps were also taken to make the system of government at the regional and central levels more representative. In 1973, the Urban Council became the first government body with elected membership to be given statutory executive responsibilities and financial autonomy. The six official members were withdrawn from the Council, and the number of members who were not officials was increased from 20 to 24, of whom 12 were appointed by the Governor and 12 were directly elected on a limited franchise.
15. During this period, the membership of the Legislative Council was expanded from 25 (excluding the President) in 1970 to 44 in 1980, and the proportion of Official Members was progressively reduced. By the end of the 1970s, Members who were not government officials were in a significant majority (55 per cent) on the Council, and they were drawn from a wider range of social and professional backgrounds than previously.
Subsequent Developments
District administration
16. The 1981 White Paper 'District Administration in Hong Kong' con- stituted the first formal statement of the Government's policy intentions with regard to the wider involvement of Hong Kong people in administration at the district level. Following its publication, District Boards were established in all the then eighteen administrative districts of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, with wide-ranging terms of reference to advise the Govern- ment on matters affecting the well being of people living and working in the district. At the same time, District Management Committees, composed of officials from government departments closely involved with management at the district level, were established in all districts to receive and act upon the advice of their respective District Boards.
17. Initially, members of District Boards were all appointed. They included Urban Councillors, Chairmen of Rural Committees and Area Committees in the district and key members of the District Management Committees. Elec- tions to District Boards were held for the first time in 1982, on the basis of local constituencies and a broad franchise embracing all residents aged 21 years and over who had lived in the territory for at least seven years. In 1985, all official members on the Boards (including the Chairmen) were withdrawn and the number of elected members was doubled.
18. There are now 19 District Boards with a total of 426 members: 237 elected, 132 appointed and 57 ex-officio.
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