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Constitution and Administration
redress system and to receive representations and complaints made by deputations. They also take turns to be on 'ward duty' at the Public Complaints Office during their duty week to meet individual members of the public and to provide guidance to the office's staff on the processing of cases.
The Legislative Council Commission and Legislative Council Secretariat
The Legislative Council Commission is a 13-member independent statutory body chaired by the President of the Legislative Council. Its main function is to provide administrative support and services to the council through the Legislative Council Secretariat. It employs the secretariat's staff and oversees its work, determines the organisation and administration of support services and facilities, formulates and executes policies on their effective operation, and expends funds in ways it sees fit to support these activities. The secretariat is headed by the Secretary General. Its mission is to provide the council and its committees with professional and efficient support and services, enhance public understanding of the council's work and ensure the effective operation of its redress system.
District Administration
Hong Kong comprises 18 districts, each with a District Office, a District Council and a District Management Committee (DMC). Each district office is headed by a District Officer, who represents the HKSAR Government at the local level in overseeing district administration.
The 18 District Councils of the sixth term (2020-23) have 479 seats in all, comprising 452 elected seats and 27 ex-officio seats held by the chairmen of the New Territories rural committees.
The councils' main function is to advise the government on matters affecting the well-being of the people in the district, and on the provision and use of public facilities and services there. The councils also carry out minor district works and community involvement projects, for which the government allocated about $370.6 million and $461.6 million respectively in the 2020-21 financial year.
The DMCs are committees chaired by the District Officers. Each DMC comprises representatives of government departments providing essential services in the district. It provides a forum for departments to discuss and resolve district problems and to ensure district needs are met promptly.
Annual recurrent provision for the government's District-led Actions Scheme in the 18 districts has been increased from $63 million to $80 million from 2020-21 onwards to address long- standing problems and to capitalise on opportunities in the districts. The scheme enables the DMCs, by fully engaging their District Councils, to handle local issues on the management of public areas and environmental hygiene more effectively.
There are 67 Area Committees, district-based advisory bodies which help organise community involvement activities, advise on local issues and promote public participation in district affairs. Their members are drawn from a wide spectrum of the community.
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