XN000022-1980-06-06 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 1980

IN THE URBAN AREA IT WAS SUGGESTED.

* THAT DISTRICT BOARDS COMPRISING OFFICIALS AND APPOINTED

UNOFFICIALS BE ESTABLISHED TO ADVISE ON MATTERS AFFECTING THE WELLBEING OF RESIDENTS IN THE DISTRICT AND THE PROVISION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES. THEIR TERMS DE REFERENCE WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXISTING RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE URBAN COUNCIL. THIS THEREFORE MEANS THEY WILL NOT BE QUITE AS WIDE AS THOSE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARDS.

* THAT THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE SYSTEM ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN KWUN TONG BE EXTENDED TO OTHER URBAN DISTRICTS. THE COMMITTEE WHICH CONSISTS OF OFFICIALS IS MAINLY CONCERNED WITH CO-ORDINATING DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN THE DISTRICT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT WHILE THE PROPOSALS WERE PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH IMPROVING ADMINISTRATION AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE URBAN AREA, THERE COULD BE CONSEQUENTIAL CHANGES FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL ESPECIALLY TO DO WITH THE METHOD OF ELECTION OF ITS MEMBERS. IN VIEW OF THE PROPOSALS FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, IT WOULD BE LOGICAL TO REPLACE THE PRESENT RESTRICTED FRANCHISE BY INTRODUCING ADULT SUFFRAGE FOR URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

IT WOULD ALSO BE FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER THE DISTRICT FOCUS IN THE URBAN AREA COULD BE GIVEN EVEN GREATER CLARITY, AND THE WORK OF MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL BROADENED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FOLLOWING NEW ARRANGEMENTS:

* ELECTIONS TO BE HELD ON A CONSTITUENCY BASIS, WITH THE URBAN AREA BEING DIVIDED INTO EIGHT DISTRICTS, SEVEN CONTAINING TWO CONSTITUENCIES AND A SMALLER ONE CONTAINING ONE CONSTITUENCY. EACH WOULD RETURN ONE ELECTED MEMBER TO THE URBAN COUNCIL. THE NUMBER OF APPOINTED MEMBERS WOULD BE INCREASED TO FIFTEEN MAINTAINING THE BALANCE BETWEEN ELECTED AND APPOINTED MEMBERS-

* SEATS TO BE RESERVED ON DISTRICT BOARDS FOR URBAN COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTED FOR THE CONSTITUENCIES IN THAT DISTRICT SO THAT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE BOARDS' WORK=

* SIMILARLY, SEATS TO BE RESERVED FOR APPOINTED MEMBERS ON

DISTRICT BOARDS OF THEIR CHOICE.

COMMENTING ON THE PROPOSALS FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE SHIFT IN POPULATION, REFLECTED BY THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE NEW TOWNS, ACCENTUATED THE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.

ALTHOUGH MANY RESIDENTS OF THE NEW TOWNS WERE QUALIFIED TO VOTE FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL ITS FUNCTIONS HAD LITTLE RELEVANCE TO THEIR DAILY LIVES, AND WOULD HAVE PROGRESSIVELY LESS AS A FULL RANGE OF CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES WERE DEVELOPED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICTS.

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