ENG-1995 — Page 39

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

and recreation and culture. The Liquor Licensing Board meets quarterly to consider contested applications.

The council has established nine geographically-based committees to assist in gauging local needs and aspirations in the provision of municipal services and facilities. Each district committee has 15 to 16 members: eight to nine being Regional Council members, four from the respective district board and three co-opted from the community.

The full council meets every month. All proceedings of the council and its committees are open to the public except when confidential issues such as commercial arrangements touching on financial deals are discussed.

The council is represented on several organisations whose work is closely related to its responsibilities. These include the Hong Kong Sports Development Board, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, the Hong Kong Arts Centre, the Antiquities Advisory Board, the Chung Ying Theatre Company, the Hong Kong Children's Choir, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta 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. With effect from October 1, 1994, there are 18 district boards (nine in the urban areas and nine in the New Territories), with 346 elected members and 27 ex officio members who are rural committee chairmen.

A new round of district board elections was held on September 18, 1994, when 757- candidates were nominated for the 346 seats. With only 50 seats returned unopposed, the election was hotly contested. For the contested seats, 2 093 603 voters (among the registered electorate of 2 450 372) could vote for the members to represent their respective contested constituencies. A record 693 223 voters (33.1 per cent) turned out to vote, compared with the 424 023 (32.5 per cent) turnout rate for the last election in 1991.

The main function of the district boards, established in 1982, is to advise the government on many matters affecting the interests or well-being of the people living and working in the districts. Through their advice, important contributions are made to the management of district affairs. District boards are also consulted on a wide range of territory-wide issues.

In 1995-96, $100 million has been made available to the district boards for the implementation of minor environmental improvement and community involvement projects in the districts. An additional $13.5 million has been provided by the two municipal councils for district boards to undertake minor environmental improve- ment projects.

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 provided a direct channel for collecting public views on local issues and reflecting them to the government.

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