ENG-1989 — Page 46

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

construction of a major Museum of Science and Technology, the superstructure of which is well underway. A new Museum of Art is also under construction. The Hong Kong Cultural Centre, which was opened in November 1989, contains a new 2 100-seat concert hall, a grand theatre seating 1 700 suitable for various kinds of performances and a studio theatre accommodating about 500 persons. The council promotes cultural performances and runs a comprehensive programme of public entertainment throughout the urban areas. The council consists of 40 members, 15 elected from district constituencies, 15 appointed by the Governor and 10 representative members from the urban district boards. The size of the Urban Council was increased from 30 to 40 members in 1989 with the addition of 10 representative members from the urban district boards. It meets in public once a month when it passes by-laws, deals with finances, formal motions and questions on its activities. The routine business of the Urban Council is conducted by the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, supported by 11 select committees and 19 working groups or sub- committees.

The Liquor Licensing Board and the Libraries Select Committee as well as the Keep Hong Kong Clean Committee have also opened their meetings to the public.

The council's chief executive is the Director of Urban Services, who controls the operations of the Urban Services Department with a staff of 17 700. The director is charged with carrying out the council's policies and implementing its decisions.

The council is financially autonomous and during 1989-90 it spent about $3,000 million on council-controlled activities and projects. The council is financed by a share of the rates which forms the main part of its income, with the balance coming from various licence fees and other charges.

The council has individual or collective ward offices spread throughout the urban areas where councillors deal with and answer complaints from the public on a variety of matters. Although the majority of matters raised lie outside the council's jurisdiction, councillors are often able to assist and obtain redress for the public, where appropriate, from the various government departments and public bodies.

Regional Council

The Regional Council is the statutory municipal authority for the New Territories where more than two million people live. Like the Urban Council, the Regional Council is responsible for all matters concerning environmental hygiene, public health, sanitation, liquor licensing and the provision of recreational and cultural facilities and services within its jurisdiction.

The Regional Council consists of 36 members. Twelve of the members are elected directly, nine are elected as representatives of the nine district boards within the Regional Council area and 12 are appointed by the Governor. The remaining three are ex-officio members, being the Chairman and two Vice-Chairmen of the Heung Yee Kuk. The Chair- man and Vice-Chairman of the council are elected by members among themselves.

The council's policies are implemented by its executive arm, the Regional Services Department, which has a staff of over 9 000.

The council is financially autonomous. Its main source of revenue comes from rates collected in the council area which in 1988-9 provided about 86 per cent of the total revenue, with the remainder being fees and charges and interest on deposits. In 1988–9, total revenue amounted to $1,658.1 million while total recurrent and non-recurrent expenditure amounted to $1,041.6 million. Effective from April 1, 1988, the government started to provide the council a total grant of $820.8 million in three equal annual

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