TEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1984
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THE SECRETARY WOULD ALSO EXERCISE A COORDINATING FUNCTION TO ENCOURAGE COOPERATION, CONSISTENCY AND THE BEST USE OF RESOURCES BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS AND THE TWO COUNCILS.
THERE WOULD ALSO BE SOME CONSEQUENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SCHEDULES OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOME OTHER SECRETARIES.
MR BRAY SAID THE DETAILED FINANCIAL AND STAFFING IMPLICATIONS WERE NOW BEING WORKED OUT AND WOULD BE PUT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
+LEGISLATION WILL BE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH, FIRST THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL AND THEN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND WILL BE INTRODUCED BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR DEBATE IN THIS COUNCIL IN THE USUAL WAY, HE EXPLAINED.
TURNING TO OTHER ADMINISTRATION ISSUES, MR BRAY POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ELECTED MEMBERS ON DISTRICT BOARDS HAD BEEN WELCOMED WHILE THERE HAD BEEN NO DEMAND FOR A REDUCTION IN NUMBERS OR ELIMINATION OF THE APPOINTED MEMBERS.
+QUITE THE REVERSE. IT IS RECOGNISED THAT THE APPOINTED MEMBERS HAVE CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE AND MAKE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORK OF THE BOARDS. THESE VIEWS ARE SHARED BY ELECTED MEMBERS, THE PUBLIC AND INDEED THE GOVERNMENT ALIKE,+ HE POINTED OUT.
THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM WAS THAT, AFTER THE MARCH 1985 ELECTIONS, THE BALANCE BETWEEN ELECTED AND APPOINTED MEMBERS WOULD BE 2 TO 1, WITH THIS RATIO TO BE APPLIED WITH FLEXIBILITY TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF SOME OF THE DISTRICTS, HE SAID.
THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES WOULD BE USED IN DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF ELECTED MEMBERS ON DISTRICT BOARDS:
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IN THE URBAN DISTRICTS, THERE WILL BE ONE ELECTED SEAT FOR A POPULATION OF 25 000 TO 30 000 PEOPLE;
IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICTS, BECAUSE OF THE UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION AND CONTINUING GROWTH OF THEIR POPULATION, THE FORMULA OF ONE ELECTED SEAT FOR 25 000 TO
30 000 PEOPLE WILL BE APPLIED WITH FLEXIBILITY, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION DIFFERING GEOGRAPHICAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS;
WHERE THE DOUBLING OF ELECTED MEMBERS WOULD RESULT IN A DISTRICT BOARD BECOMING TOO LARGE AND UNWIELDY, THE SIZE OF THE BOARD WILL BE TRIMMED BY REDUCING SLIGHTLY THE OVERALL NUMBER OF MEMBERS WHILE RETAINING THE 2 TO 1 RATIO.
/+THE APPLICATION