1981 — Page 98

Page 98 of 146

152

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

urban services in Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon, but also for ensuring that the policies made are implemented in the New Territories.

District Boards may be said to have been formed under the guidance of the Home Affairs Department and the membership comprises not only Government officers and Urban Councillors but also many civic leaders and outstanding residents of the respective districts as recommended by the Home Affairs Department. The District Boards are chaired by the respective City District Commissioners.

From 1982 onwards, District Boards will have elected members coming from various constituencies. There are about 76 constituencies in the urban area and 46 in the New Territories. Each constituency, with an average population of 50,000, will return one elected member to the Board. In addition to the elected members, there are also ex-officio as well as appointed members on the District Boards.

By 1983, Urban Council will have 15 elected Members and 15 appointed Members. Each of the Urban Council constituencies with a population of 250,000 will return one elected Member to the Urban Council.

Both District Boards and Urban Council do have elected Members. In a District Board, elected Members are out-numbered by the total of appointed and Official Members. In the Urban Council, elected and appointed Members are equal in number; but there are no Official Members.

The Official Members' views on a proposal for discussion at District Board meetings may carry greater weight while the views expressed at Urban Council meetings are purely those of the general public.

District Boards have, however, a wider representation of public opinion because there are more members who are from all walks of life in their respective districts.

Urban Councillors, appointed or elected, will also serve on the District Boards. In other words, there are Urban Councillors sitting on all the ten District Boards of the urban area and at the Urban Council meetings, all those Councillors who are also Board Members are present. Thus, while the Urban Council is a body most effective in reflecting the public opinions of the ten District Boards, the City and New Territories Administration Branch is an organization fully representing the views of the Official Members of the District Boards.

The District Relations Select Committee of the Urban Council is responsible for promoting relations with the District Boards. It is hoped that the Urban Council and the District Boards will work in close co-operation to promote cultural and recreational activities apart from keeping the city clean and that, through a more effective way, environmental improvements will be made to provide a better place to live in.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 98 of 146

153

The next important role of the District Relations Select Committee is to make systematic analysis of the views of various District Boards so as to keep the Urban Councillors in the picture of the current trend of the Boards' movements and the real needs of the local residents.

If the Urban Councillors really wish to understand more thoroughly the work of all District Boards for possible formulation of co-ordinated policy on advising the District Boards, they must not only concern themselves with the Council affairs and should also be well informed of the important business in the District Boards. Otherwise, what differences are there between Urban Councillors and officers of the Urban Services Department?

To have a close look over the present situation in the District Boards, the urban Council is the only organization representing the public that has members sitting differently on ten District Boards at the same time. This is somewhat different from the involvement of the Government departments whose responsibilities are to deal with matters concerning their respective departments. Urban Councillors sitting on a District Board may play an advisory role similar to that of other elected or appointed members and therefore the topics they speak on should not be confined only to those within the jurisdiction of the Urban Council.

The Jurisdiction of Urban Council

By comparison with the District Board, the Urban Council has a smaller range of topics for discussion. Topics on housing, traffic, fire and crime prevention, education, social welfare and the like, which can be brought up for discussion in District Boards, do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Urban Council.

As Urban Councillors are appointed to double-up as District Board members, they are thus provided with more opportunities to express their views on various social problems.

As to whether the responsibilities of the Urban Council should be extended, it is a matter worthy of further study by the Government.

If there is no immediate intention to extend the responsibilities of the Urban Council, consideration should be given to providing more opportunities for Urban Councillors to serve on other Government boards or committees so as to enable them to be more involved in the matters other than those falling within the jurisdiction of the Urban Council. In this way, the Government will be better informed of public opinions.

The jurisdiction of the Urban Council covers only the Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon. Today, many new towns have come into existence in the New Territories. In some cases, a new town may have a population of over 100,000. The responsibilities of the Urban Council should, therefore, be extended to cover these areas.

Page 98 of 14