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Sub-committee on South East Kowloon Development Review - Meetings

Annex B

House Rules for the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee ("HEC") and its Sub-committees

At its meeting on 8 July 2004, the HEC Chairman and Members requested the HEC Secretary to prepare a set of house rules on the operation of the HEC and its Sub-committees for Members' consideration. The following house rules covering the major issues are proposed.

Individual Sub-committees may, in line with the following principles, map out rules specific or suitable to the contexts of their own operations.

1. Chairmanship

If the Chairman cannot attend a meeting or part of a meeting, Members present shall elect among themselves a Member to preside at the meeting.

Membership

  1. Each of the non-official member organizations of the HEC can designate one alternate Member. The alternate representation system does not apply to non-official members who are appointed in their personal capacity.
  2. The HEC shall not have co-opted members.
  3. At the Sub-committee level, each non-official member organizations can designate one alternate Member. The alternate Member should be the same as in the HEC. The alternate representation system does not apply to non-official members who are appointed in their personal capacity.
  4. Co-opted Members are allowed in the Sub-committees. They shall be appointed by the Chairman of the HEC. The number of co-opted Members in the Sub-committee shall not exceed one-third of the Sub-committee membership. The co-opted Members shall have voting rights, but they shall not have any alternate.

3. Quorum

The quorum for any HEC meeting shall be no less than half of the membership, one of whom must be the Chairman or the Member Presiding.

For any meeting of the Sub-committees, the quorum shall be no less than half of the membership (co-opted members inclusive), one of whom must be the Chairman or the Member Presiding.

4. Voting

  1. Any matters put to the HEC for voting shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the Members present and voting. The Chairman or the Member Presiding shall, if the votes be equally divided, have a casting vote in addition to his/her original vote.
  2. All matters put to the Sub-committee for voting shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the Members present and voting. The Chairman or the Member Presiding shall, if the votes be equally divided, have a casting vote in addition to his/her original vote.

5. Request for submission of views to the HEC

The HEC Secretariat shall give a regular progress report on all submissions and requests to the HEC. Only subject matters falling within the terms of reference of the HEC will be further processed. The Secretariat will arrange for the circulation of all such submissions to the HEC members for perusal. The Chairman may, at the request of any Member, include such submissions onto the agenda.

The secretariat(s) of the Sub-committees shall give a regular progress report on all submissions and requests to the Sub-committees. Only subject matters falling within the terms of reference of the HEC and the respective Sub-committee will be further processed. The secretariat(s) will arrange for the circulation of all such submissions to the Sub-committee members for perusal. The Chairman may, at the request of any Member, include such submissions onto the agenda.

The following categories of requests / submissions shall not be accepted for presentation or discussions at the HEC or any of its Sub-committees -

  1. submissions involving private / commercial interests; or
  2. projects which have completed the due process of project authorization and funding approval for construction works.

6. Declaration of Interests

  1. If a Member (including the Chairman or the Member Presiding) has any pecuniary interest in any matter under consideration by the HEC, a declaration has to be made and be recorded.
  2. The Chairman (or the Member Presiding) or the meeting shall decide whether the Member should withdraw his/her participation in the discussion.

7. Frequency and mode of meetings

  1. The HEC shall meet about once every two months. Other meetings may be arranged as necessary. All HEC meetings shall be open to the public and the press. Press briefing after the meetings by the Chairman or the Member Presiding may be held as necessary. The agenda, papers for discussion and minutes of meetings shall be uploaded onto the HEC website for public information.
  2. The Sub-committees shall meet once every two months, or as Members consider necessary. The Sub-committee meetings shall be open to the public and the press. Press briefing after the meetings by the Chairman or the Member Presiding may be held as necessary. Further press enquiries should be referred to the Sub-committee secretariats. The Sub-committees should make regular progress reports to the HEC on its major findings and recommendations. The HEC shall have the final decision on the major recommendations made by the Sub-committees. The agenda and minutes of the Sub-committee meetings will be uploaded onto the HEC website. The Sub-committees shall have the right to decide whether all discussion papers have to be uploaded to the HEC website for public information.

HEC Secretary
24 July 2004