TNAG-0316-FCO40-352-Reform-of-local-government-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 61

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CONFIDENTIAL

(h)

(i)

(j)

(h)

દ

(1)

(m)

15 -

XCC(71)20

if the Urban Council so wishes, the Public Works Department will complete, at Government's expense, all items listed in the Public Works Programme on a date to be agreed; it being assumed that the Council will set up its own architectural section in due course;

if the Urban Council so wishes, the Public Works Department will continue to build (and Government to pay for) abattoirs, incinerators and crematoria, and any other highly technical installations that may be required by Government to be provided;

the Urban Council will not be given any title to the various pieces of land and property which it occupies; once any such land ceases to be required for the purpose for which Government allocated it to the Council, then it will revert to Government free of charge;

Government will be prepared to consider making annual or capital grants to meet additional expenditure arising from new or exceptionally increased statutory duties imposed on the Council, or from requests by Government that the Council undertakes new or increased non-statutory duties;

the Council will be required to pay in future for all services rendered, or materials provided, by Government departments;

the Council will be free to select its own Chairman; either from within or without the Council; but the Director of Urban Services will for the present remain a member of Legislative Council;

(n)

officials will cease to serve as members of the Council;

(0)

(p)

(q)

four extra unofficial seats (two elected, two appointed) will be created, raising the unofficial membership from 20 to 24;

henceforth, the Urban Council's Stand ng Orders are to be subject to Legislative Council's approval; and when this is in force the intention will be to seek the cancellation of the ultra vires Standing Order 10(1);

it is not possible to accept the Urban Council's recommendation that it should be free to nominate Council members to serve on particular committees. However, Government will itself keep an open mind on making such appointments where this would clearly be in the public interest, always provided that such membership would be regarded as being on a personal basis, and not as a representative of the Urban Council;

CONFIDENTIAL