XN000022-1985-03-27 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1985

MOTION ON TRANSFER OF POWERS APPROVED

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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) APPROVED A MOTION BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE DEALING WITH THE NECESSARY TRANSFER OF STATUTORY POWERS, FOLLOWING CERTAIN CHANGES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.

MOVING THE MOTION EARLIER, SIR PHILIP REMINDED MEMBERS THAT A PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL WOULD BE ESTABLISHED ON APRIL 1 TO COVER THOSE AREAS NOT UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL.

A NEW DEPARTMENT, TO BE CALLED THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WOULD BE CREATED TO SERVE THE NEW COUNCIL. IT WOULD BE MADE UP OF THE PRESENT NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TOGETHER WITH THOSE ELEMENTS OF THE PRESENT RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT AND CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHICH PROVIDED SERVICES AT THE REGIONAL AND DISTRICT LEVELS OUTSIDE THE URBAN AREAS.

AT THE SAME TIME, SIR PHILIP SAID, THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOULD REORGANISED SO AS TO OFFER THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE TO THE URBAN COUNCIL.

+ON THE SAME DATE, THAT IS TO SAY, APRIL 1

APRIL 1, 1985, TWO NEW BRANCHES WILL BE CREATED AND A NUMBER OF RESPONSIBILITIES TRANSFERRED BETWEEN OTHER POLICY BRANCHES IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,+ HE SAID.

A NEW BRANCH IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT ENTITLED THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH TO BE HEADED BY A SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING CLOSE LIAISON WITH THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL AND ADVISING ON THE FORMULATION OF POLICIES BY THE TWO COUNCILS TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY IN THE SERVICES PROVIDED.

THE NEW MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH WOULD ASSUME POLICY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE MATTERS (REFUSE COLLECTION, CEMETERIES, ABATTOIRS, MARKETS AND THE LIKE) FROM THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH, AND FROM THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS, COUNTRY PARKS AND COUNTRYSIDE CONSERVATION, LIQUOR LICENSING, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES AT TERRITORIAL LEVEL. U.S.D. LICENSING OTHER THAN HEALTH MATTERS, AND URBAN COUNCIL RELATIONS WITH GOVERNMENT.

THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH WOULD ALSO ASSUME FROM THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH AND THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT POLICY AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS RELATING TO THE MUSIC OFFICE AND THE PRINCIPAL SPORTING AND CULTURAL ORGANISATIONS.

/SIR PHILIP