Chapter 2: District Administration

The District Administration Scheme commenced in 1982 with the establishment of a District Board and a District Management Committee in each district. Through the scheme, the Government promotes public participation in district affairs and fosters among the people of Hong Kong a sense of belonging and mutual care. The scheme also helps to ensure that the Government is responsive to district needs and problems. Following the 1998 review of the structure and functions of district organisations, District Boards have been renamed, in English, District Councils, to underline their important role in district administration.

The first election of the District Councils was held on November 28, 1999, returning 390 elected members. On January 1, 2000, 18 District Councils were established. In addition to the 390 elected members, there are 27 ex officio members (i.e. Rural Committee Chairmen in the New Territories) and 102 appointed members, making a total of 519 District Council members. The term of office of these council members is for four years starting from January 2000.

The District Councils' main function is to advise the Government on matters affecting the well-being of the people living and working in the districts as well as on the provision and use of public facilities and services within the districts. The Government also consults these bodies on a wide range of issues.

Each district has a District Management Committee, chaired by the District Officer, comprising the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and subcommittee chairmen of the District Council and representatives of departments providing essential services in the district. The District Management Committee 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 District Officer reports regularly the work of the District Management Committee to the District Council.

Since the establishment of the District Councils in January 2000, their role and functions have been enhanced progressively. Additional funds have been provided to District Councils to implement minor environmental improvement and community involvement projects in the districts. A Vice-Chairman post has been created in each District Council to assist the Chairman in handling council business. The Chairmen/Vice-Chairmen and/or representatives of District Councils also sit on the Central Steering Committees and District Working Groups, which were established under the Rural Public Works and the Urban Minor Works Programmes, to advise on the use of funds allocated to these programmes which aim to improve the environment in the districts. Each District Council has either set up a committee on environmental improvement or expanded the role of an existing one, to strengthen its role in monitoring the delivery of environmental hygiene services.

The Government completed a comprehensive review of the District Councils in mid-2001 and implemented another package of recommendations to further enhance the roles and functions of the District Councils later in the year. Funds for District Councils to implement community involvement and minor environmental improvement projects have been increased to $209.4 million, compared with $143 million in previous year. Starting from December 2001, the accountable allowance for District Council members has been increased to cover the basic and necessary expenses arising from the operation of the members' ward offices. In addition, a 'one-off' Information Technology and Other Support Grant of $10,000 has been provided for each District Council member to enhance the information technology and support for their ward offices during the term. The chairmanship of the two Central Steering Committees and the 18 District Working Groups under the Rural Public Works and the Urban Minor Works Programmes will be devolved to the council chairmen or members in due course. To enhance communication between the councils and the policy bureaux and departments, the Policy Secretaries and Heads of Departments who deal with matters affecting people's livelihood will meet the councils regularly and departments will assign officers to provide 'one-stop' services for the members, including the handling of complaints. The package of measures, taken together, will substantially enhance the role of the District Councils as the Government's key advisers on district affairs and their ability to influence the provision, delivery and management of district services and facilities. This will help ensure that the Government remains accountable and responsive to the changing needs of the community.

Each District Council operates a meet-the-public scheme, under which residents can meet council members face-to-face to express their views on any district problems. The scheme has been well received by the public. It also provides a direct channel to collect public views on local matters and region-wide issues for the District Councils, which then reflect them to the Government.

Area Committees were set up in 1972 to support the 'Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign' and 'Fight Violent Crime Campaign'. Nowadays, the functions of Area Committees are to encourage public participation in district affairs, help organise community activities and government campaigns, and advise on issues of a local nature.

Mutual Aid Committees are building-based resident organisations, established to improve the security, cleanliness and general management of multi-storey buildings. The 73 Area Committees and 3 336 Mutual Aid Committees provide an extensive network of communication between the Government and the people at the grassroots level.

Apart from Mutual Aid Committees, the Government also devotes much effort to helping owners of private multi-storey buildings to form Owners' Corporations to facilitate effective management of, and timely maintenance on, the buildings concerned. At the end of the year, 6 611 Owners' Corporations were registered with the Land Registry.

Attached to the District Offices are 20 Public Enquiry Service Centres, which provide a wide range of free services to members of the public, including answering general enquiries on government services; distributing government forms and information; administering oaths and declarations; and referring cases under the District Council members' meet-the-public scheme, the Free Legal Advice Scheme and Rent Officer Scheme. The Public Enquiry Service Centres and the Central Telephone Enquiry Centre served a total of 2.62 million clients in 2001.