CHAPTER III
THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS
28. Chapter II described in general terms the way in which representative government in Hong Kong has evolved. The District Boards are primarily local advisory bodies, although they are consulted on some territory-wide issues which may have a significant impact on the 'man in the street'. The Municipal Councils have executive authority at regional level for the provision of services essential to public health and the well-being of the community. The Legislative Council enacts laws, controls public expenditure and is increasingly involved in advising on the formulation of government policy. Close links between the various representative bodies have been facilitated by cross-membership between the District Boards and the Municipal Councils and by the electoral college system of elections to the Legislative Council.
29. The structure of three separate but inter-connected levels of government, which is illustrated in the diagram at Appendix B, is thus clearly defined. There has been some comment, however, that in a territory as small and geo- graphically compact as Hong Kong it is superfluous to have three levels. In particular, attention has been drawn to an apparent similarity of role between the District Boards and the Municipal Councils in some aspects of district affairs, and to the cost of administrative and support staff for the extensive network of committees and advisory bodies. Some commentators suggest that either the District Boards or the Municipal Councils should be abolished and their functions combined, or that they should be merged to create four or five regional bodies, each with both executive and advisory functions.
30. On the other hand, there are strong arguments for retaining the present three-tier structure. It has encouraged public participation in the conduct of government at all levels and has enabled the Government to receive advice from an increasingly wide range of people. Key municipal services are provided efficiently and cost-effectively and the present administrative arrangements ensure that services and projects are developed and provided in accordance with broad regional priorities.
31. The abolition of either the district or the regional level of representative government, or their merger to form a number of municipal boards, would cause a major disruption in the structure and conduct of representative government at a time when stability and consolidation of the system must be a prime objective. Either course would necessitate a complete re-organization of the support provided by government departments at the district and regional levels and could lead to a loss of efficiency and to potentially wasteful competition for resources.
32. It is therefore not proposed in this review to consider options which would so seriously upset the established pattern of development of the system or
11