District Administration

The District Administration Scheme commenced in 1982 with the
establishment of a District Board and a District Management Committee in
each district. The aim of the scheme is to achieve a more effective
co-ordination of the provision of services and facilities at the district level,
ensure the government is responsive to district needs and problems and
promote public participation in district affairs. From July 1, 1997, 18
Provisional District Boards with 468 members appointed by the Chief
Executive replaced the former District Boards.

The main function of the Provisional District Boards is to advise the
government on 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. The boards
are also consulted on a wide range of territory-wide issues.

In 1997-98, $113 million has been made available to the Provisional
District Boards for the implementation of minor environmental
improvement and community involvement projects in the districts.

As an important service for residents, each Provisional 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 since it provides a direct
channel for collecting public views on local issues and reflecting them to
the government.

Each district has a District Management Committee, chaired by the
District Officer, comprising representatives of departments providing
essential services in the district. It 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 Management Committee works closely with the Provisional
District Board and, as far as possible, follows the advice given by the
board. To improve communication between the District Management
Committee and the Provisional District Board, the chairman of the
Provisional District Board is invited to attend District Management
Committee meetings as an observer.

Area Committees and Mutual Aid Committees were set up in the early
1970s, to support the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign and Fight Violent
Crime Campaign. A review of the Area Committees brought changes in
November 1994 relating to their number, composition, terms of reference
and geographical coverage. These were introduced to streamline their
operations. Area Committees 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. More than 70 Area Committees and 4 000
Mutual Aid Committees provide an extensive network of communication
between the government and the people at grassroots level.

Attached to the district offices are 19 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 materials; administering oaths and
declarations for private use; and referring cases under the Provisional
District Board Members' meet-the-public scheme, the free Legal Advice
Scheme and Rent Officer Scheme. The public enquiry service centres and
central telephone enquiry centre received 2.78 million clients in 1997.

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