TNAG-0201-FCO40-237-Local-government-reforms-1969 — Page 121

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CR 2/511/67 II

Restricted

Ciazamana

N.. Camara Lon

29/1

Dear

Bunny

COLONIAL SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

25 January 1969

(6)

You wrote to the Colonial Secretary on 8 January (K 18/12) about Bill Dickinson's report of last March, about which you had doubtless heard from P.H. Johnston of see ANNEX. ODM who has a copy. I am enclosing a copy now, which I

must emphasize is Bill's own paper; he discussed aspects with many officers from the Governor downwards when drafting it, but it has still not been processed to the extent of even being an official basis for policy proposals.

The background is this: as you know, public comment and official examination of both the earlier Working Party Report and the Urban Council's own ad hoc select committee recommendations lapsed once 1967's confrontation gave everyone other things to worry about. It seemed clear that once things settled down a fresh look would be necessary in the changed circumstances, and Dickinson was directed (working independently) to work out a possible alternative to large- scale changes, based on improving existing institutions.

His solution, in sum, was to develop the Urban Council substantially and to create an embryonic local administration of Tsuen Wan.

x

The City Council

(a) would have 22 elected, 20 nominated members,

would select own chairman;

(b)

(c)

(d)

would be elected on present franchise to start, limited to residents of urban area;

would have initially certain new non-mandatory and non-exclusive powers - clinics, schools, adult education, personal welfare service, car parks;

would have wider licensing duties, and be given wide discretion in interpreting the limits of its powers;

W.S. Carter Esq, CVO Hong Kong Department

Foreign Commonwealth Office

LONDON SW1

be six months

ARES

30-

69.

PA age

D10/2

/(e)

would have

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31

30 JAN 1969

HKK 18/n

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