i
162. As regards the committee structure of the Urban Council, the options discussed in paragraphs 71-73 were:
(i) to make no change to the committee structure of the Urban Council;
to establish sub-regional committees with responsibilities covering more than one district, either:
(a) in addition to the existing Select Committees of the Council; or (b) to replace the functions of some existing Select Committees.
The Legislative Council (Chapter IV)
163. As regards the composition of the Legislative Council, the options discussed in Chapter IV were:
(i) to make no change in the numbers and relative proportions of Official,
Appointed and Elected Members;
(ii) to conclude that direct elections to the Legislative Council are not
desirable;
(iii) to conclude that, in principle, some element of direct elections is
desirable, but that it should not be introduced in 1988;
(iv) if changes are desired in 1988, to choose one or more of the following
options:
(a) to increase slightly the number of Official Members;
(b) to reduce the number of Appointed Members;
(c) to increase the number of Members elected by the functional
constituencies;
(d) to increase the number of Members elected by the electoral
college;
(e) to introduce a directly elected element in addition to the existing systems of election, by means of either territory-wide or con- stituency-based elections;
(f) to replace the system of indirect elections from the electoral
college geographical constituencies by a system of direct elections. 164. The concept of a new, broadly-based electoral college, as a possible method of electing a proportion of the members of the legislature, was put forward in paragraphs 108-110 as a matter for discussion for the longer term.
The Presidency of the Legislative Council (Chapter V)
165. As regards the position of the Governor as President of the Legislative Council, the options discussed in paragraphs 119–125 were:
(i) no change;
(ii) that the Governor might appoint some other person (either the Chief Secretary, another Member of the Council or a person from outside the Council) to preside in his absence for specific sittings or parts of sittings;
(iii) that the Governor should withdraw from the presidency at some stage
and be replaced by a Member of the Council or other person.
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