HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 11 of 107
7
Standing Order No. 18(2) 10(14)
Present Wording
A Member who has declared an interest as aforesaid shall not, if he remains at the meeting, be entitled to vote on the subject in which he has such interest.
When the Chairman is speaking to a motion under debate any Member rising to a point of order may, if he wishes, seek the opinion of the Vice-Chairman on the point of order and the Vice-Chairman shall thereupon tender his opinion direct to the Chairman. If the Vice-Chairman be absent the opinion may be sought from the next senior Official Member present.
Amended Wording
A Member who has declared an interest as aforesaid shall not, if he remains at the meeting, be entitled to vote or to propose or second a motion on the subject in which he has such interest.
Delete in toto, with consequential renumbering of (15), (16), (17), (18), (19).
He said: The present Standing Orders were adopted by the Council in June, 1955, and have in the main proved satisfactory. The amendments now proposed have been shown by experience to be desirable, and have been agreed to in Committee of the Whole Council.
The changes serve to
(i) clarify the difference between the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, to which any matters can be referred from Select Committees, and the Committee of the Whole into which the Council may resolve itself during the course of a meeting for discussion of some point that has cropped up during the proceedings;
(ii) ensure that the original proposer of a motion under discussion has the right of reply in the event of closure, dilatory or amending motions;
(iii) clarify the procedure on amending motions and in particular the right of reply on the amended motion when adopted;
(iv) clarify the rules for members who declare personal interests in any Council business;
(v) abolish the provision which allows a member to appeal to the Vice-Chairman against a decision of the Chairman. I may say that this has never been invoked.
In accordance with Standing Order 24 this motion, once seconded, must stand adjourned without discussion until the next meeting of the Council.
THE VICE-CHAIRMAN seconded.
THE CHAIRMAN moved the following resolution :-
"RESOLVED—
(i) Under section 59 of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, that the persons whose names are set out in the first column of the attached list shall be the Members of the Select Committees detailed for a period of one year ending 31st March, 1960.
(ii) Under Standing Order 22(6), that the Chairman of each Select Committee shall be as set out in the first column of the attached list for a period of one year ending 31st March, 1960.
(iii) Under section 60(1) of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, and section 5(1) of the Resettlement Ordinance, 1958, that the powers and functions of the Council as set out in the second column of the attached list be delegated to the Select Committees shown in the first column for a period of one year ending 31st March, 1960.
(iv) Under section 60(1) of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, that the power of the Council under section 59 of the Ordinance to change by appointment or removal the personnel of each Select Committee be delegated to that Select Committee.
Provided that each such change shall be reported to the Council at its next meeting."
He said: For the second time it is proposed to continue the practice of appointing select committees for one year instead of for six months, and the main difference this year lies in the proposal to reduce the number of select committees, by amalgamation, from 39 to 17, and to bring the structure of the major committees into line with the divisions of the Urban Services Department. This re-organization will also facilitate the arrangements for meetings, once the Council and the Department are installed in the new premises in the West Wing of the Central Government Offices where there will be two committee rooms. The move will take place in early June.
The distribution of chairmanships is representative, and reflects the increasing part which appointed and elected members have come to play in the affairs of the Council over the years.
Page 11 of 107
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
T
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 11 of 107
7
Standing
Order No.
18(2)
10(14)
Present Wording
A Member who has declared an interest as aforesaid shall not, if he remains at the meeting, be entitled to vote on the subject in which he has such interest.
When the Chairman is speak- ing to a motion under debate any Member rising to a point of order may, if he wishes, seek the opinion of the Vice- Chairman on the point of order and the Vice-Chairman shall thereupon tender his opinion direct to the Chair- If the Vice-Chairman be absent the opinion may be sought from the next senior
man.
Official Member present.
Amended Wording
A Member who has declared an interest as aforesaid shall not, if he remains at the meeting, be entitled to vote or to propose or second a motion on the subject in which he has such interest.
Delete in toto, with con- sequential renumbering of (15), (16), (17), (18), (19).”
He said: The present Standing Orders were adopted by the Council in June, 1955, and have in the main proved satisfactory. The amendments now proposed have been shown by experience to be desirable, and have been agreed to in Committee of the Whole Council.
The changes serve to
(i) clarify the difference between the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, to which any matters can be referred from Select Committees, and the Committee of the Whole into which the Council may resolve itself during the course of a meeting for discussion of some point that has cropped up during the proceedings;
(ii) ensure that the original proposer of a motion under discussion has the right of reply in the event of closure, dilatory or amending motions;
(iii) clarify the procedure on amending motions and in particular the right of reply on the amended motion when adopted;
(iv) clarify the rules for members who declare personal interests
in any Council business;
(v) abolish the provision which allows a member to appeal to the Vice-Chairman against a decision of the Chairman. I may say that this has never been invoked.
In accordance with Standing Order 24 this motion, once seconded, must stand adjourned without discussion until the next meeting of the Council.
THE VICE-CHAIRMAN seconded.
THE CHAIRMAN moved the following resolution :-
"RESOLVED—
(i) Under section 59 of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, that the persons whose names are set out in the first column of the attached list shall be the Members of the Select Committees detailed for a period of one year ending 31st March, 1960.
(ii) Under Standing Order 22(6), that the Chairman of each Select Committee shall be as set out in the first column of the attached list for a period of one year ending 31st March, 1960.
(iii) Under section 60(1) of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, and section 5(1) of the Resettlement Ordinance, 1958, that the powers and functions of the Council as set out in the second column of the attached list be delegated to the Select Committees shown in the first column for a period of one year ending 31st March, 1960.
(iv) Under section 60(1) of the Urban Council Ordinance, 1955, that the power of the Council under section 59 of the Ordinance to change by appointment or removal the personnel of each Select Committee be delegated to that Select Committee.
Provided that each such change shall be reported to the
Council at its next meeting."
He said: For the second time it is proposed to continue the practice of appointing select committees for one year instead of for six months, and the main difference this year lies in the proposal to reduce the number of select committees, by amalgamation, from 39 to 17, and to bring the structure of the major committees into line with the divisions of the Urban Services Department. This re-organization will also facilitate the arrangements for meetings, once the Council and the Department are installed in the new premises in the West Wing of the Central Government Offices where there will be two committee rooms. The move will take place in early June.
The distribution of chairmanships is representative, and reflects the increasing part which appointed and elected members have come to play in the affairs of the Council over the years.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.