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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

A new Legislative Council Secretariat has also been set up to provide administrative support and services to members. Previously, such services were provided by the Office of the Clerk to the Legislative Council, which was part of the administration, and the Office of Members of the Legislative Council. Headed by a Secretary General, the new secretariat comprises nine functional divisions providing a wide range of support services to members, including servicing meetings of the council and its committees, providing legal advice, research and library services, public information support, and translation and interpretation services. The secretariat also maintains a representative office in London to keep council members abreast of the political scene in Britain, and to broaden British opinion-formers' understanding and appreciation of political developments in Hong Kong.

Urban Council

The Urban Council is a statutory council with responsibilities for the provision of municipal services to some 3.1 million people in the urban areas. These services include street cleansing, refuse collection, control of environmental hygiene, and ensuring the hygienic handling and preparation of food in restaurants, shops, abattoirs and other establishments.

The Urban Council is also the authority for the control of hawkers and street traders, although some of this work devolves to the police as the council does not have the manpower or finances to shoulder the whole burden.

Within the urban areas, the council provides and manages all public recreation and sporting facilities such as swimming pools, parks, playgrounds, indoor and outdoor stadia, tennis courts, football grounds, squash courts and basketball courts; and promotes a large number of sports at district level. Included among its facilities is the redeveloped Hong Kong Stadium, which was opened in March. With a seating capacity of 40 000, it provides a multi-purpose venue for sports activities and mass entertainment events.

The council manages museums, public libraries and several major cultural venues and multi-purpose facilities, including the City Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, the Hong Kong Coliseum, the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Museum of Art. The City Hall, opened in 1962, has undergone a $72 million renovation programme to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its infrastructure. The council promotes cultural per- formances and runs a comprehensive programme of public entertainment throughout the urban areas.

The council consists of 15 members elected from geographical constituencies, 15 members appointed by the Governor and one representative member from each of the urban district boards. It meets in public once a month to pass by-laws and deal with its 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 14 select committees and 26 working groups or sub-committees. All the council's committees, sub-committees and working groups have 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 its staff of 16 300. The director is charged with carrying out the council's policies and implementing its decisions.

The council is financially autonomous and during 1993-94, spent about $4,783 million on council-controlled activities and projects. It is financed by a share of the rates, which