TNAG-1598-FCO40-2191-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 38

A

SECRET

Background

3.

The problem is essentially one of timing. It arises in part from our decision on strategic grounds to delay completion of the

review beyond the end of 1987.

4.

ExCo has now come to conclusions on a number of the

subsidiary issues under review, including the following:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(a)

that there should be no change in 1988 to the present

proportions of appointed and elected members of District

Boards (para 44(i) and (ii) of the Green Paper);

to withdraw Urban Councillors from their present ex-officio

membership of urban District Boards (para 44 (iii) of the

Green Paper);

to expand the membership of the Urban Council to include a

representative of each urban District Board elected from

among District Board members (Para 67 of the Green Paper);

as

a consequence of (c) it will be necessary to remove the

present legal requirement for a District Board member to give

up his District Board seat on election to the Urban Council.

5.

Where the timing is concerned it is necessary in any event to

make an early announcement on para 4(a). ExCo has also concluded

that, in view of the general public support for changes to the

relationship between the Urban Council and the urban District

Boards, it would be difficult to defend publicly a decision to delay

such changes to 1991 (when the next District Board elections fall

due). Accordingly, they decided that the changes at para 4(b) and

(c) should come into effect in March 1989 when the next Urban

Council elections are to be held. An early announcement is required

on para 4(b), so that the Urban Councillors can have the opportunity

to stand for election to District Boards if they wish and thus

continue their participation once their ex-officio membership

lapses. It is not proposed to announce the decision at para 4(c)

SECRET