TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 1982
BIG BOOST IN FUNDS FOR DISTRICT BOARDS
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOCATED $29.62 MILLION, ALMOST DOUBLE LAST YEAR'S FIGURE, TO THE 18 DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND URBAN AREAS FOR MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROJECTS.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (TUESDAY), THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR NEW TERRITORIES, MR IAN MACPHERSON, SAID THE INCREASED AMOUNT WAS INTENDED TO CATER FOR THE ANTICIPATED KEEN PARTICIPATION BY DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, BOTH ELECTED AND APPOINTED, IN THE RUNNING OF THE AFFAIRS OF THEIR DISTRICTS.
+EACH BOARD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ADVISE ITS DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ON MATTERS WITHIN ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE, WHICH INCLUDE ALL MATTERS AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING IN THE DISTRICT, THE PROVISION AND USE OF PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES WITHIN THE DISTRICT, AND THE ADEQUACY AND PRIORITIES OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES FOR THE DISTRICT, HE SAID.
+IN THIS CONNECTION, IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THERE WILL BE NO LET-UP IN THE EFFORTS OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS IN PRESSING FOR MORE EXTENSIVE ORGANISATION OF RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
+AN INCREASED NEED FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES IS ALSO EXPECTED TO ARISE IN ORDER TO PUBLICISE THE WORK OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND TO PROMOTE A GREATER SENSE OF DISTRICT IDENTITY.
+DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WILL FIND THIS SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE MOST USEFUL IN WIDENING THE SCOPE OF THEIR WORK AND IN PROMOTING ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS TO THE BENEFIT OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE.+
MR MACPHERSON POINTED OUT THAT THE ACTUAL ALLOCATIONS WOULD VARY BETWEEN DISTRICTS ACCORDING TO THE SIZE OF POPULATION, DIFFERING NEEDS AND THE DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENT IN EACH AREA.
+FOR EXAMPLE, IN A DENSELY POPULATED AND INTENSELY DEVELOPED DISTRICT IN THE URBAN AREAS, THERE WILL BE A LIMITED SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE DISTRICT BOARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT AND FUNDS FOR PROJECTS ARE LIKELY TO COME FROM THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OR THE URBAN COUNCIL.
+THIS ALSO EXPLAINS WHY THE EIGHT BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL GET A BIGGER SHARE, TOTALLING $18,84 MILLION, THAN THE 10 URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS TOTAL OF $9.78 MILLION.
+THE REMAINING $1 MILLION WILL BE KEPT IN THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION HEADQUARTERS AS A RESERVE FUND FROM WHICH ALL DISTRICTS CAN BID FOR FURTHER ALLOCATION IF AND WHEN NECESSARY.+
/IN THE NT