The Urban Council
58. There have been suggestions, however, that changes should be made in the compotion, structure and working arrangements of the Urban Council, to bring i ore in line with the Regional Council and to improve its relationship with the urban District Boards.
Relationship with the urban District Boards
59.
The present arrangements under which all elected Urban Councillors are ex-officio members of a District Board, and appointed Councillors are also nominated by the Council to sit on a District Board, were introduced in 1982 when the full District Administration Scheme was first implemented. The intention of these arrangements was to strengthen the relationship of the Urban Council with the local community by enabling greater public participation and consultation at the local level and placing greater emphasis on the importance of district-based planning.
60.
This system of cross-membership between the Urban Council and urban District Boards has been criticized by many District Board members. They con- sider that most Urban Councillors do not show sufficient interest in district affairs and, as a result, have not been able to represent adequately in the Council the views and interests of District Board members, or to provide an effective link be- tween the district and regional levels of government. Most District Board mem- bers see little point in Urban Councillors continuing to sit on District Boards.
61. In countering this view, the Urban Council has pointed out that, in addition to Councillors sitting as Board members, District Boards are kept fully informed of all aspects of the Council's work and, in particular, are closely involved in the planning and organization of district cultural and recreational programmes, and in setting priorities for new capital works projects. On the whole, they feel that the present relationship between the Boards and the Council is working satisfactorily and that, rather than introducing structural changes, efforts should focus on improving channels of communication and day-to-day working relationships between District Board members and Urban Councillors. Some Councillors, however, have acknowledged that their dual role as Urban Councillor and District Board member can at times place them in an awkward position, when district interests must clearly take second place to wider regional priorities for the provision of services.
62. If it is considered, in the light of the criticisms recorded in paragraph 60 above, that Urban Councillors should no longer be ex-officio members of District Boards, it would be necessary to identify alternative ways of providing links between the Boards and the Council. The options which have been suggested are:
(i) to replace the present system of direct elections to the Council by a system of indirect election of Urban Councillors from among District Board members;
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