District Administration

The District Administration Scheme commenced in 1982 The Role of District Councils: DCs play an essential with the establishment of a District Board and a District advisory role on district matters and issues affecting the Management Committee (DMC) in each of the districts in whole of Hong Kong as appropriate. The functions of a DC Hong Kong. The aim of the scheme is to achieve a more are: effective coordination of government activities in the (a) to advise the Government on: provision of services and facilities at the district level, ensure — matters affecting the well-being of the that the Government is responsive to district needs and people in the district; problems and promote public participation in district affairs. — the provision and use of public facilities From July 1, 1997 to December 31, 1999, the former District and services within the district; Boards were replaced by provisional District Boards. With — the adequacy and priorities of government effect from January 1, 2000, 18 District Councils (DCs) were programmes for the district; and established to replace the provisional District Boards. — the use of public funds allocated to the district for local public works and community The Role of the Home Affairs Department: The Home activities; Affairs Department is responsible for the District (b) where funds are made available for the purpose, to Administration Scheme, community building and community undertake: involvement activities, rural public works and district minor — minor works within the district to improve works programmes, and the licensing of hotels and local facilities, living environment and hygienic guesthouses, bedspace apartments and clubs. It promotes conditions; the concept of effective building management and works — the promotion of recreational and cultural closely with other government departments to consistently activities within the district; and improve the standard of building management in Hong Kong. — community activities within the district. It provides support services for the new arrivals from the The DCs also participate in managing some district Mainland and ethnic minorities to help them integrate into facilities, including community halls, public libraries, leisure the community. It also disseminates information relating to grounds, sports venues, public swimming pools and and, where necessary, promotes the public's understanding beaches. of major government policies, strategies and development The DCs initiate, organise and sponsor community plans; and, where necessary, assists bureaux and involvement projects and activities aimed at enhancing departments in collecting and assessing public opinion on community spirit and social cohesion and promoting the well- relevant issues affecting the community. These being of people in the districts. These include large-scale responsibilities are discharged primarily through the 18 district festivals and activities to promote sports and culture, district offices covering the whole of Hong Kong. to care for the disadvantaged groups, and to foster inter- cultural understanding, etc. They have also achieved notable The Role of the District Officer: As head of each district success in improving the local environment by undertaking office, the District Officer (DO) represents the Hong Kong district minor works projects such as the provision of rest Special Administrative Region Government at the district gardens, rain shelters and amenity planting. In 2020-21, level and oversees the operation of the District $461.6 million has been provided for DCs to carry out Administration Scheme in the district. The DO implements community involvement projects and activities, including the and coordinates the execution of relevant district regularisation of the additional dedicated allocation of $20.8 programmes, ensures that the DC’s advice is properly million for the promotion of arts and cultural activities to followed up, and promotes residents' participation in district uphold the support for DCs in promoting arts and cultural affairs. In addition, the DO maintains close liaison with different sectors of the community and reflects their activities in the districts. An annual basic provision of $340 concerns and problems to the Government. million under a dedicated capital works block vote has also The DO acts as a link between the DC and government been provided for DCs to implement district minor works departments, facilitates communication between them, and projects. also helps to facilitate the handling of district problems promptly through inter-departmental consultation and Consultation with District Councils: Departments send representatives to DC meetings, to consult them and, where cooperation. appropriate, act on their advice and keep them informed of The DO is also involved with the community at every government policies and programmes in general and, more level and mediates in disputes between corporate bodies specifically, of the work of departments in the district and and residents. The DO performs an advisory and liaison role local matters that are likely to affect the livelihood, living in assisting building management bodies and operates a environment or well-being of the residents within a district. 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.

Composition of District Councils: The sixth-term DCs, relating to district management, environmental hygiene and comprising 479 seats (452 elected seats and 27 ex officio enhance the living quality in the communities, with the advice seats assumed by chairmen of the rural committees in the given by the DCs on the work priorities. The annual recurrent New Territories), commenced on January 1, 2020. The provision for DAS will be increased from $63 million to $80 distribution of seats is as follows: million from 2020-21 onwards to further address long- standing problems and capitalise on opportunities in the Hong Kong and Number districts. Kowloon: of Seats Central & Western 15 Area Committees: Area committees were formed in 1972 Eastern 35 primarily to promote public participation in the Keep Hong Kowloon City 25 Kong Clean Campaign and the Fight Violent Crime Kwun Tong 40 Campaign. Nowadays, the functions of area committees are Sham Shui Po 25 to promote public participation in district affairs, to advise Southern 17 and assist in the organisation of community involvement Wan Chai 13 activities and the implementation of government-sponsored Wong Tai Sin 25 initiatives, and advise on issues of a localised nature Yau Tsim Mong 20 affecting the area. Throughout the years, area committees ——— have played an important role in the districts and in providing Sub-total: 215 a link between the local community and the Government. Area committee members are appointed by the Director New Territories: of Home Affairs and are drawn from a wide spectrum of the Islands 18 community. At present, there are 71 area committees in Kwai Tsing 32 Hong Kong. North 22 Sai Kung 31 Mutual Aid Committees: A mutual aid committee is a Sha Tin 42 voluntary body formed by the residents of a building. Tai Po 21 Mutual aid committees were promoted initially in private Tsuen Wan 21 multi-storey buildings, and quickly extended to public Tuen Mun 32 housing estates and industrial buildings. At the end of April Yuen Long 45 2020, there were 1 679 mutual aid committees throughout ——— Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Sub-total: 264 The primary aims of a mutual aid committee are to promote a sense of friendliness, mutual help and Total: 479 responsibility among members, and to promote better security, a better environment and, generally, more effective District Management Committees: The DMC in each management within the building. These committees make district is chaired by the DO. It is a government committee available a channel of two-way communication between the consisting of representatives of the core departments in the Government and the residents on matters affecting the well- district, and provides a forum for departments to discuss and being of the individual and the community and also provide resolve district problems. It responds positively to the advice opportunities for residents to participate in community and requests of the DC and submits a comprehensive written activities. report on its work to each meeting of the DC. In the light of the positive outcome and support from the Owners’ Corporation: An owners’ corporation is a legal community in respect of the pilot scheme introduced by the entity formed under the Building Management Ordinance by Home Affairs Department in Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long the owners of a private building. Owners’ corporations are between April 2014 and August 2015, the Government has statutory bodies vested with certain legal powers to facilitate extended the scheme to 18 districts in the fifth-term DCs and the management of a building. At the end of March 2020, renamed it as “District-led Actions Scheme” (DAS). With an there were 11 043 owners’ corporations throughout Hong additional annual funding of $63 million, DAS aims to tackle Kong, among which 8 947 were formed with the assistance district problems which are long-standing, of large of the district offices. magnitude, and complex, as well as to capitalise on local opportunities. It provides the respective DMCs chaired by DOs with the decision-making power to tackle problems

GovHK Website: http://www.gov.hk Home Affairs Department Home Page address: Information contained in this publication may be freely used. http://www.had.gov.hk Apr 2021 No acknowledgement is necessary.