TNAG-0523-FCO40-618-Visits-of-members-of-Urban-Council-from-Hong-Kong--to-UK-1975 — Page 13

1

Introduction

In April this year, the Urban Council sent four members to London

to study the methods and administration of the Greater London Council, and they

came back with a number of recommendations in broad principles. This research

paper is prepared so as to provide the necessary background material for consi-

deration of the Council and for discussion by members of the public. It also

discusses the mechanics of implementing these recommendations.

Some of the recommendations contained in this paper are purely my

own but the majority recommendations had been agreed by the four members visiting

London.

Since the circumstances and environment of both cities are quite

different, what is included in the Greater London Council may not be suitable to

be included in the Urban Council of Hong Kong. From the briefings given to the

members by the GLC experts and officials, we learned very much about their

achievements and their failures. The recommendations contained in this paper

I should say, are very mild and therefore may be acceptable by Government and

by the members of the community. Minimum disruption involved in the implemen-

tation is the main consideration. There are a great number of areas in which

London should learn from Hong Kong, for instance, housing, and there are some

fields that the GLC has not really explored regarding revenue generation. I think

the connection of the Hong Kong Urban Council with the Greater London Council

should be closer in future and some members should revisit London next year

2