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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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The Urban Council has the powers to formulate policies and make decisions in regard to the functions falling within its jurisdiction. Those statutory duties may not be waived and taken up by other people. On the other hand, the district boards are 'statutory consultative bodies' in their districts, and in principle as well as in law, in matters involving the districts, the Urban Council will consult the district boards. The methods of consultation are really technical details while sincere co-operation is the key to the smooth implementation of a policy. Now that both sides are conscious of the importance of the spirit of co-operation, I am sure that more satisfactory relations will be developed between the Urban Council and the district boards in future.
MR. TU (in English): Mr. Chairman, I would like to clarify to the Council that this matter was settled before yesterday. As soon as we became aware of a possible so-called 'boycott', on the 10th of this month, i.e. last Tuesday, we took immediate steps and a letter was sent to all district board chairmen, clarifying the matter and they received the letter on Thursday and therefore this was all settled before we held our meeting on Friday. We had explained the situation and sent a conciliatory message and the district board chairmen are quite satisfied with the message and therefore, although I was not invited to the District Relations Select Committee meeting yesterday, the matter had already been settled before that meeting.
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MOTIONS
1.
THE CHAIRMAN, Urban Council, moved the following motion: 'RESOLVED that the Council should resolve itself into the Standing Committee of the Whole Council under Standing Order 2.'
He said (in English): 'RESOLVED that the Council should resolve itself into the Standing Committee of the Whole Council under Standing Order 2.'
Mr. H. M. G. FORSGATE, VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL seconded (in English): Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(Note: The minutes of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council are recorded separately in Committee Minutes CW/16/85.)
(Dr. Denny HUANG, Messrs. CHAN Chi-kwan, Edmund CHOW and Frederick FUNG left at this point 4.40 p.m.)
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2. The CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, moved the following motion: 'RESOLVED that this Committee resumes business as the Urban Council.'
He said (in English): 'RESOLVED that this Committee resumes business as the Urban Council.'
MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE, VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL seconded (in English): Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
3. THE CHAIRMAN, Urban Council, moved the following motion: "That the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 1986-87 and the list of works which the Council proposes to undertake during the next financial year be approved for transmission to the Governor in accordance with Section 39 of the Urban Council Ordinance.'
He said (in English): I move the adoption of today's Motion on the Urban Council's budget, which is otherwise known as the 'Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, with accompanying list of capital works for the 1986-87 financial year which will commence on 1 April 1986.
I take pleasure in introducing the Council's 1986-87 budget which shows that the Council's financial position will undergo a significant turnaround from a deficit in the present financial year to a small surplus in 1986-87.
This is due to several factors, not least of which is the proposed new financial arrangements with the Government; but also in part to the introduction of new budgetary procedures which have been adopted by this forward-looking Council.
These new budgetary procedures are as follows:
(A) A policy review;
(B) Five year forecast of revenue and expenditure; and (C) Annual budget for the following year.
(A) The policy review was carried out by Members of each functional select committee in the early part of the current financial year and the additional financial resource requirements, either to effect changes or improvements to the existing level of services and activities, or the introduction of new services and activities arising from completion of capital projects, have been reflected in the five year forecast of revenue and expenditure 1985-86 to 1989-90 and the 1986-87 budget as well.
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