ENG-1988 — Page 47

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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

revenue, with the remainder being fees and charges and interest on deposits. In 1987–8, total revenue amounted to $1,132 million while total recurrent and non-recurrent expen- diture amounted to $928 million. To enable the Regional Council to assume full respon- sibility for financing and processing all new projects in its capital works programme with effect from 1988-9, the government has agreed to provide a grant of $273.6 million per annum for three years from 1988-9 to 1990-91. A review will be undertaken by the government in 1990-91 to determine the level of an annual grant (if any) after 1990–91, having regard to the actual surpluses accumulated by the Regional Council from 1988-9 to 1990-91 and the Regional Council's forecast of revenue and expenditure from 1991-2 onwards.

The Regional Council meets monthly to deal with policy issues, formal motions, and members' questions on its activities. The council has set up four functional select committees, nine geographically based district committees and a liquor licensing board. The four select committees deal with finance and administration, capital works, environ- mental hygiene, and recreation and culture while the district committees deal with and monitor the provision of services and advise on the management of Regional Council facilities in individual districts. The select committees meet monthly, the district committees meet bi-monthly and the liquor licensing board meets quarterly. All meetings of the Regional Council, its select committees, district committees as well as the liquor licensing board are open to the public.

Within the Regional Council area, the Regional Council manages public libraries, museums, cultural venues and a variety of sporting facilities which include seven swimming pool complexes, nine sports grounds and 12 sports and recreation centres. In addition, the council promotes and organises many cultural and entertainment programmes both inside and outside the six civic centres under its management, including the Sha Tin Town Hall which features one of the most modern and best equipped auditoria in Hong Kong. A large-scale festival called 'RegCo 88' was organised from early November to early December. The festival comprised a variety of cultural and sports programmes which gave emphasis to participation, creativity and development.

The Regional Council maintains close liaison with the district boards in the Regional Council area and the Heung Yee Kuk to ensure that local aspirations and views are taken into account in its deliberations. Four members from district boards as well as other personalities are co-opted to each of the district committees of the Regional Council, thus providing an opportunity for the views of district representatives to be taken into account in the planning and provision of services and facilities.

District Administration

District boards are statutory bodies established in 1982 to provide an effective forum for public consultation and participation in the administration of the districts.

There are 19 district boards throughout the territory. Each board consists of appointed non-government members, elected members from the respective constituencies and, in the case of the New Territories, rural committee chairmen. The elected members are in the majority. For the present term of the district boards (1988–1991), there are altogether 264 elected and 141 appointed members.

The last district board elections were held on March 10, 1988, when 493 candidates contested the 264 seats. Thirty-four candidates were returned unopposed. Of the 1.4 million registered voters in constituencies where the seats were contested, 424 444 - or 30.3 per cent turned out to vote.