Hong Kong Fact Sheets/District Administration (April 2015)

by Government of Hong Kong

HONG KONG: THE FACTS

District Administration

The District Administration Scheme commenced in 1982 with the establishment of a district board and a district management committee in each of the districts in Hong Kong. The aim of the scheme is to achieve a more effective coordination of government activities in the provision of services and facilities at the district level, ensure that the Government is responsive to district needs and problems and promote public participation in district affairs. From July 1, 1997 to December 31, 1999, the former district boards were replaced by provisional district boards. With effect from January 1, 2000, 18 district councils have been established to replace the provisional district boards.

The Role of the Home Affairs Department: The Home Affairs Department is responsible for the District Administration Scheme, community building and community involvement activities, rural public works and district minor works programmes, and the licensing of hotels and guesthouses, bedspace apartments and clubs. It promotes the concept of effective building management and works closely with other government departments to consistently improve the standard of building management in Hong Kong. It provides support services for the new arrivals from the Mainland and ethnic minorities to help them integrate into the community. It also disseminates information relating to and, where necessary, promotes the public's understanding of major government policies, strategies and development plans; and, where necessary, assists bureaux and departments in collecting and assessing public opinion on relevant issues affecting the community. These responsibilities are discharged primarily through the 18 district offices covering the whole of Hong Kong.

The Role of the District Officer (DO): As head of each district office, the DO represents the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government at the district level and oversees the operation of the District Administration Scheme in the district. The DO implements and coordinates the execution of relevant district programmes, ensures that the district council's advice is properly followed up, and promotes residents' participation in district affairs. In addition, the DO maintains close liaison with different sectors of the community and reflects their concerns and problems to the Government.

The DO acts as a link between the district council and government departments, facilitating communication between them, and also helps to facilitate the handling of district problems promptly through inter-departmental consultation and cooperation.

The DO is also involved with the community at every level and mediates in disputes between corporate bodies and residents. The DO performs an advisory and liaison role in assisting building management bodies and operates a public enquiry service to give the community easy access to government services and information. In emergencies, the DO is responsible for coordinating different departments' efforts on the ground to ensure the effective provision of relief services.

The Role of District Councils: District councils play an essential advisory role on district matters and issues affecting the whole of Hong Kong as appropriate. The functions of a district council are:

(a) to advise the Government on:

— matters affecting the well-being of the people in the district;

— the provision and use of public facilities and services within the district;

— the adequacy and priorities of government programmes for the district; and

— the use of public funds allocated to the district for local public works and community activities;

(b) where funds are made available for the purpose, to undertake:

— minor works within the district to improve local facilities, living environment and hygienic conditions;

— the promotion of recreational and cultural activities within the district; and

— community activities within the district.

The district councils also participate in managing some district facilities, including community halls, public libraries, leisure grounds, sports venues, public swimming pools and beaches.

The district councils initiate, organise and sponsor community involvement projects and activities aimed at enhancing community spirit and social cohesion and promoting the well-being of people in the districts. These include large scale district festivals and activities to promote sports and culture, to care for the disadvantaged groups, and to foster inter-cultural understanding, etc. They have also achieved notable success in improving the local environment by undertaking district minor works projects such as the provision of rest gardens, rain shelters and amenity planting. In 2015-16, $361.6 million has been provided for district council to carry out community projects and activities, including an additional $20.8 million in each of the coming five years for further strengthening the support for district councils in promoting arts and cultural activities in the districts. An annual provision of $340 million under a dedicated capital works block vote has also been provided for district councils to implement district minor works projects. In addition, a one-off grant of $100 million for each district, or $1.8 billion in total for all districts, has been earmarked for district councils to carry out signature projects. An additional one-off grant of $200 million has also been earmarked for preparatory work for the signature projects in all districts.

Consultation with District Councils: Departments send representatives to district council meetings, to consult them and, where appropriate, act on their advice and keep them informed of government policies and programmes in general and, more specifically, of the work of departments in the district and local matters that are likely to affect the livelihood, living environment or well-being of the residents within a district.

Composition of District Councils: The fourth-term district councils, comprising 507 seats (412 elected, 68 appointed by the Chief Executive and 27 ex officio who are chairmen of the rural committees in the New Territories), commenced on January 1, 2012. The distribution of seats is as follows:

Hong Kong and Kowloon:	Number of Seats
Central & Western	18
Eastern	43
Kowloon City	25
Kwun Tong	40
Sham Shui Po	24
Southern	20
Wan Chai	13
Wong Tai Sin	29
Yau Tsim Mong	20
Sub-total:	232
New Territories:
Islands	21
Kwai Tsing	35
North	24
Sai Kung	29
Sha Tin	43
Tai Po	24
Tsuen Wan	22
Tuen Mun	35
Yuen Long	42
Sub-total:	275
Total:	507

District Management Committees: The district management committee in each district is chaired by the district officer. It is a government committee consisting of representatives of the core departments in the district, and provides a forum for departments to discuss and resolve district problems. It responds positively to the advice and requests of the district council and submits a comprehensive written report on its work to each meeting of the district council.

To enhance communication between the district management committee and the district council, the district council chairman, vice chairman and chairmen of district council committees are invited to join district management committee as members. In April 2014, the Home Affairs Department introduced a pilot scheme in Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long, providing the District Management Committees chaired by District Officers with the decision-making power to tackle the management and environmental hygiene problems of some public areas, and with advice from the District Councils on the work priorities. The Government has provided each district with a one-off provision of $5 million and additional manpower to implement the pilot scheme. The Government will conduct a review upon completing the pilot scheme in August 2015. We will actively consider providing additional manpower and resources depending on circumstances to implement the scheme in all 18 districts starting from the next term of district council to take forward the concept of "addressing district issues at the local level and capitalising on local opportunities".

Area Committees: Area committees were formed in 1972 primarily to promote public participation in the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign and the Fight Violent Crime Campaign. Nowadays, the functions of area committees are to promote public participation in district affairs, to advise and assist in the organisation of community involvement activities and the implementation of government-sponsored initiatives, and advise on issues of a localised nature affecting the area. Throughout the years, area committees have played an important role in the districts and in providing a link between the local community and the Government.

Area committee members are appointed by the Director of Home Affairs and are drawn from a wide spectrum of the community including district council members of the area concerned. At present, there are 63 area committees in Hong Kong.

Mutual Aid Committees: A mutual aid committee is a voluntary body formed by the residents of a building.

Mutual aid committees were promoted initially in private multi-storey buildings, and quickly extended to public housing estates, industrial buildings, temporary housing and squatter areas. At the end of March 2015, there were 1 827 mutual aid committees throughout Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories.

The primary aims of a mutual aid committee are to promote a sense of friendliness, mutual help and responsibility among members, and to promote better security, a better environment and, generally, more effective management within the building. These committees make available a channel of two-way communication between the Government and the residents on matters affecting the well-being of the individual and the community and also provide opportunities for residents to participate in community activities.

Owners' Corporation: An owners' corporation is a legal entity formed under the Building Management Ordinance by the owners of a private building. Owners' corporations are statutory bodies vested with certain legal powers to facilitate the management of a building. At the end of March 2015, there were 10 069 owners' corporations throughout Hong Kong, among which 8 085 were formed with the assistance of the district offices.

Published by the Information Services Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government GovHK Website: http://www.gov.hk Information contained in this publication may be freely used. No acknowledgement is necessary.

Home Affairs Department Home Page address: http://www.afcd.gov.hk

April 2015