XN000022-1973-01-19 — Page 2

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Friday, January 19, 1973

BILLS PAVE WAY FOR RECONSTITUTED URBAN COUNCIL

New Functions And Financial Autonomy For New Body

Two Bills designed to implement the proposals in the Urban Council

White Paper for the reconstitution of the Council as an incorporated body

with some new functions and substantial financial autonomy will soon be

introduced into the Legislative Council.

The Bills, published in today's Gazette for general information, are

the Urban Council Bill 1973 and the Public Health and Urban Services (Amendment)

Bill 1973.

The objects of the Urban Council Bill are:-

to provide for the repeal of the present ordinance;

to make provision for the incorporation of the Council; and

to define its powers and functions, membership and procedure, its accounting procedures and financial powers.

One part of the Bill provides for the incorporation and constitution

of the Urban Council. The Council will be a body corporate with perpetual

succession and will have the usual powers of bodies corporate to enter into

contracts.

The Bill provides that the Council shall consist of 12 elected members

and 12 members appointed by the Governor. The reconstituted council will not

include any ex-officio members.

Another part of the Bill lays down general rules' applicable to both

elected and appointed members including disqualification from membership,

acceptance of office and resignation. These provisions are re-enacted with

only minor changes.

The Bill ...