ENG-1995 — Page 38

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

12

Museum of Art; and promotes cultural performances and runs a comprehensive programme of public entertainment throughout the urban areas.

The council has 32 members elected from geographical constituencies, and one representative member from each of the nine 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.

Its routine business is conducted by the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, supported by 14 select committees and 38 working groups or subcommittees. All the committees, subcommittees 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 an establishment of 16 300. The director is charged with carrying out the council's policies and implementing its decisions.

The council is financially autonomous and spent about $5,300 million on council- controlled activities and projects during 1994–95. A share of the rates forms the main part of its income, with the balance coming from various licence fees and other charges.

The council has ward offices spread throughout the urban areas, where council members deal with the public on a wide variety of matters. Members of the public may also make their complaints and views known to the council through the 'Members Duty Roster System'. Under this system, council members are placed on a duty roster to meet the public, by appointment, twice a week.

Regional Council

The Regional Council is the statutory municipal authority responsible for environ- mental hygiene, public health, sanitation, liquor licensing and the provision of recreational, sports and cultural facilities and services for some 2.8 million people in the New Territories.

The council consists of 39 members: 27 elected from geographical constituencies, nine elected by the district boards in each of the nine New Territories districts as their representatives, and three ex officio members who are the chairman and the two vice- chairmen of the Heung Yee Kuk (a statutory advisory body which represents the indigenous population of the New Territories). The chairman and vice-chairman of the council are elected by members from among themselves.

Council policies are implemented by its executive arm, the Regional Services Department, which is headed by the Director of Regional Services and has a staff of about 10 600. The council is financially autonomous, its main source of revenue being rates collected in the council area. In 1994–95, this provided about 85 per cent of its total revenue. The rest comes from fees and charges, and rental income (mostly from market stalls). In 1994-95, total revenue amounted to $3,439 million and total expenditure stood at $3,212 million.

The council discharges its responsibilities through four functional select committees and a Liquor Licensing Board. The four select committees, which meet monthly, are responsible for finance and administration, capital works, environmental hygiene,