TNAG-1237-FCO40-1550-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 59

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almost wholly

the functions performed by the Urban Council

CENTRAL

are carried out directly by the Hong Kong

Government. District Boards are at present

Zconfined to advisory functions and there will be

This

a growing demand that they should be given within

their local areas executive functions similar to

those exercised by the Urban Council.

will raise issues relating the division of functic

and budgetary autonomy between the Urban Council

and the District Boards. It seems likely that

more than one Regional council will be required

at the Urban Council level and a redivision of

functions between such regional councils will be

required to resolve these anomalies. A study

has been put in hand from which will emerge

proposals to resolve them. These proposals will

need to fit into a wider scheme for the

administration of Hong Kong as a whole outlined

in paras to of this memorandum.

Presentation and Timing of Presentation

20. There will be a conflict between the need

to allow public discussion of the measures pro-

prosed while avoiding hostile reactions from

Peking. There will also be a lobby for early

direct elections to Legce, Publicity for each

stage, rather than for the plan as a whole,

with each stage being appropriately publicised

and endorsed, and explained to Peking is the

course most likely to succeed.

CS 209

SECRET