TNAG-0117-FCO40-153-Constitutional-developments-1969 — Page 19

CONFIDENTIAL

councillors but of elected urban councillors.

The Governor

did not dismiss this idea but said that in the past when urban councillors had for example been members of advisory committees. they had insisted on speaking to a rigid Urban Council brief. If any elected members of the Urban Council were appointed to other bodies it should be in their personal capacity.

Reform of Local Administration

7.

It was generally accepted that the Urban Council were asking for far too much and did not expect to get it. The Colonial Secretary was prepared to see the Urban Council sub-divided between Victoria and Kowloon and a comparable council for Tsuen Wan; thereafter it would be easier to allocate them financial responsibilities and widen their franchise and scope including for example licensing and possibly the running of primary schools on an agency basis. The Governor doubted whether it would be possible to sub-divide the Urban Council because of its long history but was attracted to giving it more responsibility and was willing to contemplate the removal of officials. Ar. Luddington emphasised that the Heung Yee Kuk was very suspicious of any extension of the Urban Council's scope. It was important that any council for Tsuen Wan should include representatives of the traditional land owners. He was willing to see a consultative committee for the New Territories as a whole.

8.

The Governor summed up by saying that there was no great local enthusiasm for participation in decision-taking though there was plenty of enthusiasm for talk. He considered that there had now been a sufficient public airing of views and it was time to act. He undertook to formulate proposals as soon as possible. So far as the Urban Council was concerned, his proposals were likely to include:

(i) a clearer definition of its duties;

(ii) the disentangling of its functions from those of the central government and the removal of officials;

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