ENG-1993 — Page 42

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

select committees meet monthly, the district committees meet bi-monthly, and the Liquor Licensing Board meets quarterly. All meetings of the council, its various committees and the Liquor Licensing Board are open to the public, unless confidential items are under discussion.

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

The council is represented on a number of organisations, whose work is closely related to its responsibilities. These organisations include the Council for the Performing Arts, the Sports Development Board, the Hong Kong Arts Centre, the Chung Ying Theatre, the Hong Kong Children's Choir, the Hong Kong Ballet and the Hygiene Services Advisory Committee.

District Administration

District boards are statutory bodies which provide a forum for public consultation and participation in the administration of the districts. For the 1991-94 district board term, there are 19 district boards throughout the territory, with 274 elected members and 140 appointed members. In the New Territories, 27 rural committee chairmen are ex officio members of the respective district boards.

The next district board elections will be held in September 1994.

The main function of the district boards, set up in 1982, is to advise the government on a wide range of matters affecting the well-being of the people living and working in the districts. Through their advice, they make an important contribution to the management of district affairs. District boards are also consulted on a wide range of territory-wide issues.

The budgets, responsibilities and functions of district boards were expanded in 1993, to give them greater influence over district matters. For 1993–94, $75 million is being made available to the district boards for the implementation of minor environmental improvement and community involvement projects in the districts. An additional $17 million was provided by the two municipal councils for district boards to undertake minor environmental improvement projects. The responsibilities for managing these funds and for determining the priorities of projects were also assumed by the district boards. In addition, the district boards were given responsibility for overseeing the management of community halls.

As an important service for residents, each district board operates a 'meet-the-public' scheme, under which residents may meet board members face-to-face to express their views on any district problems. The scheme has been well received by the general public, and has proved effective in providing a direct channel for collecting public views on local issues and reflecting them to the government.

In each district, there is a district management committee, chaired by the district officer, comprising representatives of departments providing essential services in the district. It serves as a forum for inter-departmental consultation on district matters, and co-ordinates the provision of public services and facilities to ensure that district needs are met promptly. The committee works closely with the district board and, as far as possible, follows the

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