TNAG-1287-FCO40-1638-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 55

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and fiscal policy and economic and monetary affairs; and the Attorney General, who is the Governor's legal adviser. These three officials are members ex-officio of both the Executive and Legislative Councils and, as of right, each has direct access to the Governor. It is under the direction of these three principal advisers that the Civil Service operates, through the machinery of the 14 branches of the Government Secretariat and 59 executive departments and agencies.

13.

In addition το the three main constitutional institutions and the Civil Service are the Urban Council, 18 District Boards, and an extensive network of Boards and Committees.

14.

The Urban Council is 2 statutory and financially autonomous body responsible for providing municipal services as well as cultural and recreational facilities throughout the urban areas. It comprises 30 councillors, 15 of whom are appointed by the

by the Governor and 15 directly elected on a constituency basis. Chairman is elected by the Council from amongst membership. The elected members automatically have

seats on

The its

their

the urban District Boards in whose area constituency lies, and the appointed members are also allocated seats on District Boards.

15.

that

The 18 District Boards were set up in 1982 on 2. geographical basis covering the whole of Hong Kong. Of the total membership of the District Boards, about one-third are officials, one-third are appointed unofficials and the remainder (132 ? L

present) are directly elected unofficials. It is in the District Boards

the concept of representative government besed on popular elections has been most widely developed. The Boards provide a forum for public consultation and participation at the District level. They have a. mainly advisory

advisory role with a substantial influence Over district affairs.

They are also allocated some public

public funds for local recreational and cultural activities and for minor environmental works.

16.

The system by which members of the Urban Council and District Boards are elected is based on an electoral roll on which all residents aged 21 or above who have been in Hong Kong for seven or more years are eligible to be registered. Out of an estimated total potential electorate of 2.7 million, there are at present approximately 900,000 registered electors. intensive campaign to encourage many more eligible Dersons to register as electors will be conducted in the near future.

An