CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
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and squash courts, games halls, sports grounds, playgrounds, and parks; provision and patronage of cultural services and outdoor entertainment; the licensing of places of public entertainment; and liquor licensing. In all these fields the council's policies and decisions are carried out by the Urban Services Department, the director of which is the principal executive officer of the council under the Urban Council Ordinance. The council's main revenue is derived from its share (35.3 per cent) of the yield from rates in the urban area. Fees and charges provide other sources of income. In the financial year 1976-7 the council worked to an overall budget of $380 million.
The council meets in public once a month, but most of its business is decided by the standing committee of the whole council and 13 select committees which meet on average once a month. In addition, there are 17 sub-committees, boards and panels. Select committees and sub-committees co-opt such officials and other people as are necessary, but each select committee is chaired by an urban councillor.
Foreign Relations
The foreign relations of the Hong Kong Government are the responsibility of the British Government, but with external trade a considerable degree of latitude is permitted to Hong Kong. The territory's dependence on trade makes it necessary for the Hong Kong Government to operate offices in London, Washington, Geneva and Brussels to maintain and improve commercial relations with other countries.
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Government Secretariat
In August, the title of the post of Colonial Secretary was changed to Chief Secretary and the title of the Colonial Secretariat to the Government Secretariat. These changes were made primarily so as to make the titles more easily understandable to visitors to Hong Kong.
The Chief Secretary is the Governor's principal adviser on policy, the chief execu- tive of the government, the head of the civil service and the chief government spokes- man. His office, the Government Secretariat, co-ordinates and supervises the work of all government departments.
The Financial Secretary is responsible for financial and economic policy and for the overall supervision of departments primarily involved in this field.
The Government Secretariat is organised into six policy and two resource branches, a branch dealing with the machinery of Government and a branch dealing with New Territories affairs. Each branch is headed by a Secretary. The policy branches are based on programme areas, as indicated by their titles: environment, economic services, home affairs and information, housing, security, and social services. The two resource branches (civil service and finance) deal with the government's personnel and finances.
A Political Adviser, seconded from the Foreign Office, advises on the external political aspects of government policies.