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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
Municipal Councils and District Boards
From July 1, 1997, the two Municipal Councils and 18 District Boards elected during British administration were replaced by provisional bodies. Like the Provisional Legislative Council, this was an interim arrangement until elections could be held, and, in any case, their terms would not extend beyond December 31, 1999. These provisional municipal councils and district boards included all those members serving before July 1, 1997, as well as additional appointed members.
The structure and functions of district organisations the Municipal Councils and District Boards - were reviewed in 1998. The Government decided to retain the 18 Provisional District Boards and rename them, in English, 'District Councils' upon expiry of the term of office of their members on December 31, 1999; and introduce structural changes to the framework for delivery of municipal services. These are outlined below (see District Administration and New Framework for Delivery of Municipal Services).
Provisional Urban Council
The Provisional Urban Council was responsible for providing municipal services to about 3.5 million people in the urban areas, representing 52 per cent of Hong Kong's population. Its responsibilities included safeguarding environmental hygiene and public health as well as providing cultural services and venues and recreational programmes and facilities.
The council comprised 50 councillors. It met once a month to pass by-laws and formal motions on its activities.
The Standing Committee of the Whole Council met twice monthly to conduct the council's routine business, while its 14 select committees generally met once a month. There were also more than 30 subcommittees and working groups which handled specific issues. All meetings were open to the public, except for sensitive items which had to be discussed in private.
The Director of Urban Services was the council's principal executive officer as well as the head of the Urban Services Department. The department was the largest civilian department within the HKSAR Government with a staffing of about 16 800. The director's responsibilities included planning and directing all aspects of the department's work, and formulating policy proposals for consideration by the Provisional Urban Council. The agreed policies were then implemented by the department as the executive arm of the council.
The council was financially autonomous and spent $7.8 billion on recurrent activities and capital works projects in 1998–99. A share of the rates formed 82 per cent of the council's income, with the balance coming from fees, charges, rentals and bank interest.
The council had ward offices throughout the urban areas where councillors met the public. Urban residents also made their views known through the Members' Duty Roster System, whereby councillors were placed on a duty roster to meet the public, by appointment, twice a week.