Govt Hopes To Strip District Councils Of Funding Role

The Home Affairs Department (HAD) has proposed stripping district councils of their role in implementing community and minor work projects.

At a Legco panel meeting on Wednesday, officials said district councils should no longer review funding requests for community involvement projects and minor works programmes, and the HAD and Leisure and Cultural Services Department could take up this role between them instead.

Home Affairs Secretary Caspar Tsui pointed to the recent resignation and disqualification of hundreds of district councillors as he explained why such a change is necessary.

“It will not affect the function of the district councils. But there are district councils with too few members. It undermines their ability to represent the constituents, and there are projects and works which are put on hold because of this,” he said.

The DAB's Leung Che-cheung, who chaired the meeting, cast doubt on the government's plan.

He noted that some councils, such as Islands District Council, still have plenty of members left and it has been possible to approve funding for some projects.

In response, Tsui said approved projects would not be scrapped if the changes to the role of district councils are made.

The government's proposal will be submitted to Legco's finance committee for consideration.