XN000022-1988-11-16 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1988

NEW BRANCH WILL NOT AFFECT MUNICIPAL COUNCILS

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID FORD, ASSURED MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, AND THE DEGREE OF AUTONOMY THAT THEY ENJOYED WOULD IN NO WAY BE AFFECTED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW RECREATION AND CULTURE BRANCH.

SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED POLICY DEBATE, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION THAT THE CREATION OF THE NEW BRANCH WOULD RESULT IN SOME STRENGTHENING OF THE GOVERNMENT'5 EFFORT IN CO-ORDINATING THE POLICIES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE VARIOUS BODIES INVOLVED IN THE FIELD OF SPORTS, RECREATION AND CULTURE, AND THESE INCLUDE THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.

"BUT THE BASIC REMITS OF THE TWO COUNCILS AND THOSE OF THEIR EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED, AND IN MATTERS CONCERNING SPORTS, RECREATION AND CULTURE THE NEW SECRETARY WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE TWO COUNCILS IN MUCH THE SAME WAY AS THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES DOES NOW," SIR DAVID SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPUTY CHIEF SECRETARY, WHOSE POST WOULD BE RETITLED SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, WOULD TAKE OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTAINING DAY-TO-DAY LIAISON WITH THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, AND HE HIMSELF WOULD CONTINUE HIS REGULAR CONTACTS WITH THE TWO CHAIRMEN.

AS REGARDS THE OTHER DUTIES CURRENTLY UNDERTAKEN BY THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, WHOSE POST WOULD BE ABOLISHED UPON THE CREATION OF THE NEW SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, SIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION WAS то REALLOCATE THESE ΤΟ OTHER EXISTING PARTS OF THE ADMINISTRATION.

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"WE SHALL NEED TO DO FURTHER WORK TO SORT OUT THE DETAILS, AND WILL DO SO IN CONSULTATION WITH THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, SIR DAVID SAID.

IN REPLY TO POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS REGARDING THE CREATION OF A NEW POLICY BRANCH TO TAKE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT, SIR DAVID SAID THERE WERK COMPLEX ORGANISATIONAL QUESTIONS INVOLVED AND THESE WERE BEING ADDRESSED IN THE INTERNAL STUDY MENTIONED IN THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THERE WERE ARGUMENTS FOR INTEGRATING PLANNING AND WORKS UNDER ONE POLICY SECRETARY, THEREBY ENSURING CONSISTENCY OF APPROACH AND REDUCING THE NEED FOR DEPARTMENTS TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO MORE THAN ONE BRANCH.

"BUT THE RESULTANT RANGE OF DUTIES WOULD BE BROAD AND THE BURDEN MIGHT PROVE TOO GREAT FOR A SINGLE SECRETARY TO SHOULDER.

"THE ALTERNATIVE