New District Councilor guidelines mandate 80pc meeting attendance

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau has introduced guidelines for district councilors stipulating that they must attend at least 80 percent of meetings. 

Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen presented the new rules to the councilors-elect at a meeting on Monday. As well as the 80 percent attendance benchmark, the guidelines outline expectations such as keeping offices open regularly and submitting annual reports. 

Under the guidelines, behaviors like disrupting proceedings or failing to declare interests properly will not be accepted. Mak explained a process for addressing underperformance, with oversight ultimately resting with the Director to ensure fairness.

Concerns around overreach by district chairs were dismissed by Mak, who emphasized the aim of linking governance and communities. Kwun Tong District Councilor Wilson Or Chong-shing welcomed the guidelines as helping councilors fulfill duties effectively by establishing clear standards upfront.

Today’s seminar, led by Mak and also addressed by Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-kee, provided training to the new councilors, including those from Wan Chai, Kowloon City, and Kwun Tong.

Mak explained during the meeting the concepts of grassroots governance, while Chan spoke to outline authorities’ hopes for the district councils’ role.