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{{Short description|Hong Kong district council}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox legislature
| name               = North District Council
| native_name        = {{noitalics|{{nobold|北區區議會}}}}
| transcription_name =
| legislature        =
| coa_pic            = North District Council.svg
| coa_res            = 180px
| coa-pic            =
| coa-res            =
| house_type         = Hong Kong District Council
| body               = North District, Hong Kong
| foundation         = {{Start date|1981|4|1|df=y}} <small>(District Board)</small><br />{{Start date|1997|7|1|df=y}} <small>(Provisional)</small><br />{{Start date|2000|1|1|df=y}} <small>(District Council)</small>
| houses             =
| leader1_type       = Chair
| leader1            = Derek Lai Chi-kin
| party1             = [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| election1          =
| leader2_type       = Vice-Chair
| leader2            = ''Vacant''
| party2             = 
| election2          =
| leader3_type       =
| leader3            =
| party3             =
| election3          =
| members            = '''24 councillors'''<br />consisting of<br />4 elected members<br />8 district committee members<br />8 appointed members<br />4 ex officio members
| house1             =
| house2             =
| structure1         =
| structure1_res     =
| structure2         =
| structure2_res     =
| political_groups1  =
| political_groups2  =
| seats3_title       = [[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|DAB]]
| seats3             = {{Composition bar|11|24|hex={{party color|DABHK}}}}
| seats4_title       = [[Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions|FTU]]
| seats4             = {{Composition bar|1|24|hex={{party color|HKFTU}}}}
| seats5_title       = [[Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong|BPA]]
| seats5             = {{Composition bar|1|24|hex={{party color|Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong}}}}
| seats6_title       = [[Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers|FEW]]
| seats6             = {{Composition bar|1|24|hex={{party color|Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers}}}}
| seats7_title       = [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| seats7             = {{Composition bar|10|24|hex={{party color|Independent politician}}}}
| committees1        =
| committees2        =
| joint_committees   =
| voting_system1     = [[Plurality voting system|First past the post]]
| voting_system2     =
| last_election1     = [[2023 Hong Kong local elections|10 December 2023]]
| last_election2     =
| session_room       = File:North District Government Offices.JPG
| session_res        = 
| meeting_place      = 3/F, North District Government Offices, 3 Pik Fung Road, [[Fanling]], [[New Territories]]
| website            = {{url|http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/north/}}
| footnotes          =
}}
The '''North District Council''' ({{zh|t=北區區議會}}) is one of the 18 [[district council of Hong Kong|Hong Kong district councils]] and represents the [[North District, Hong Kong|North District]]. It is one of 18 such councils. Consisting of 24 members, the district council is drawn from two constituencies, which elect 4 members, along with 8 district committee members, 8 appointed members, and four ''ex officio'' members who are the [[Ta Kwu Ling]], [[Sheung Shui]], [[Sha Tau Kok]] and [[Fanling]] [[rural committee]] chairmen. The latest election was held on [[2023 Hong Kong local elections|10 December 2023]].

==History==
The North District Council was established on 1 April 1981 under the name of the North District Board as the result of the colonial [[Governor of Hong Kong|Governor]] [[Murray MacLehose]]'s District Administration Scheme reform. The District Board was partly elected with the ''ex-officio'' [[Regional Council (Hong Kong)|Regional Council]] members and chairmen of four Rural Committees, Ta Kwu Ling, Sheung Shui, Sha Tau Kok and Fanling, as well as members appointed by the Governor until 1994 when last Governor [[Chris Patten]] refrained from appointing any member.

The North District Board became North Provisional District Board after the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was established in 1997 with the appointment system being reintroduced by [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong|Chief Executive]] [[Tung Chee-hwa]]. The current North District Council was established on 1 January 2000 after the [[1999 Hong Kong local elections|first District Council election]] in 1999. The appointed seats were abolished in 2015 after the [[2010 Hong Kong electoral reform|modified constitutional reform proposal]] was passed by the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Legislative Council]] in 2010.

The North District Council is dominated by the rural forces and the pro-Beijing camp. The rural forces had been in control of the chairmanship until in 2008, when long-time councillor So Sai-chi of the [[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong]] (DAB) became the council chairman. The DAB achieved majority of the seats in the [[2011 Hong Kong local elections|2011 District Council election]], taking 14 of the 17 elected seats of the council. The DAB majority ended when the [[Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions]] (FTU) councillors departed from the DAB in 2012.

The pro-democrats had established its presence in the late 1980s with [[Tik Chi-yuen]] and [[Wong Sing-chi]] of [[Meeting Point]] elected in the 1988 and 1991 election. Both of them became the Legislative Councillor for the [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]]. The pro-democrats achieved the majority of the elected seats in the 2003 tide of democracy following the [[Hong Kong July 1 marches#2003|2003 July 1 march]], but suffered setbacks in the 2007 and 2011 elections. In the [[2011 Hong Kong local elections|2011 election]], the pro-democrats won only one seat, occupied by Democratic Party's Law Sai-yan in [[Luen Wo Hui (constituency)|Luen Wo Hui]]. The pro-democrats regained a number of seats in 2015, with Democratic Party chief executive [[Lam Cheuk-ting]] won in [[Shek Wu Hui (constituency)|Shek Wu Hui]] and was elected to the Legislative Council in the next year.

In the [[2019 Hong Kong local elections|2019 election]], the pro-democrats took control of the council by taking 15 seats in a historic landslide victory amid the [[2019–20 Hong Kong protests|massive pro-democracy protests]]. The pro-Beijing parties almost lost all their seats, retaining only three seats with DAB's [[Lau Kwok-fan]], the legislator for the [[District Council (First)]] [[functional constituency (Hong Kong)|functional constituency]] also being unseated. As a result, the newly elected [[Law Ting-tak]] became the first localist being elected as council chairman for the first time.

In the 2023 District Council election, 4 of the 24 seats in the North District Council will be elected by elected members, 8 seats will be elected by the district committees, 8 appointed members, and 4 ex-officio members will make up the current North District District Council. In the Parliament, among the 24 seats, there are 10 independent members, 11 seats from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, 1 seat from the Federation of Trade Unions, 1 seat from the Economic and Democratic Alliance, and 1 seat from the Public Housing Federation. Among the 24 seats, 24 are from the pro-establishment camp.

==Political control==
Since 1982 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Camp in control !! Largest party !! Years !! Composition
|- ! style="background-color: #DDDDDD"
| No Overall Control || None  || 1982 - 1985 ||
|- ! style="background-color: LightBlue"
| Pro-government || None || 1985 - 1988
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 14
|party1       = 8
|partycolor1  = Blue
|party2       = 6
|partycolor2  = MidnightBlue
}}
|- ! style="background-color: LightBlue"
| Pro-government|| Meeting Point || 1988 - 1991 
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 23
|party1       = 2
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 9
|partycolor2  = Blue
|party3       = 12
|partycolor3  = MidnightBlue
}}
|- ! style="background-color: LightBlue"
| Pro-government || Meeting Point || 1991 - 1994
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 20
|party1       = 4
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 6
|partycolor2  = Blue
|party3       = 10
|partycolor3  = MidnightBlue
}}
|- ! style="background-color: Pink"
| Pro-Beijing || DAB  || 1994 - 1997
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 15
|party1       = 3
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 8
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 4
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|- ! style="background-color: Pink"
| Pro-Beijing || DAB || 1997 - 1999
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 20
|party1       = 3
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 8
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 9
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|- ! style="background-color: Pink"
| Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 2000 - 2003
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 25
|party1       = 8
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 8
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 9
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|- ! style="background-color: Pink"
| Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 2004 - 2007
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 25
|party1       = 10
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 6
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 9
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|- ! style="background-color: Pink"
| Pro-Beijing || DAB || 2008 - 2011
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 25
|party1       = 5
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 11
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 9
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|- ! style="background-color: Pink"
| Pro-Beijing || DAB (majority) || 2012 - 2015
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 24
|party1       = 1
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 16
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 7
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|- ! style="background-color: Pink"
| Pro-Beijing || DAB || 2016 - 2019
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 22
|party1       = 4
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 14
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 4
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|- ! style="background-color: LightGreen"
| Pro-democracy → Pro-Beijing || Democratic || 2020 - 2023
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 22
|party1       = 15
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 3
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 4
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|- ! style="background-color: Pink"
| Pro-Beijing || DAB || 2024 - 2027
| {{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname =
|boxwidth     = 100
|total        = 24
|party1       = 0
|partycolor1  = Green
|party2       = 20
|partycolor2  = Red
|party3       = 4
|partycolor3  = FireBrick
}}
|}

==Political makeup==
[[File:Current Map of North District Council.svg|500px|right]]
[[District Councils of Hong Kong#Elections|Elections]] are held every four years.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
! rowspan="2" | Political party
! colspan="7" | Council members
! colspan="23" rowspan="2" | Current<br>members
|-
! [[1994 North District Board election|1994]]
! [[1999 North District Council election|1999]]
! [[2003 North District Council election|2003]]
! [[2007 North District Council election|2007]]
! [[2011 North District Council election|2011]]
! [[2015 North District Council election|2015]]
! [[2019 North District Council election|2019]]
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent (politician)}} | &nbsp;
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| style="text-align: right" | ''5''
| style="text-align: right" | ''2''
| style="text-align: right" | ''3''
| style="text-align: right" | ''3''
| style="text-align: right" | ''2''
| style="text-align: right" | ''3''
| style="text-align: right" | '''8'''
| {{Infobox political party/seats|13|22|hex={{party color|Independent (politician)}}}}
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Democratic Party (Hong Kong)}} | &nbsp;
| [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align: right" | ''2''
| style="text-align: right" | ''7''
| style="text-align: right" | ''8''
| style="text-align: right" | ''4''
| style="text-align: right" | ''1''
| style="text-align: right" | ''3''
| style="text-align: right" | '''5'''
| {{Infobox political party/seats|4|22|hex={{party color|DPHK}}}}
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|DAB}} | &nbsp;
| [[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|DAB]]
| style="text-align: right" | ''4''
| style="text-align: right" | ''6''
| style="text-align: right" | ''5''
| style="text-align: right" | ''9''
| style="text-align: right" | ''14''
| style="text-align: right" | ''8''
| style="text-align: right" | '''1'''
| {{Infobox political party/seats|1|22|hex={{party color|DABHK}}}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions}}"| &nbsp;
| [[Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions|FTU]]
| style="text-align: right" | ''-''
| style="text-align: right" | ''-''
| style="text-align: right" | ''-''
| style="text-align: right" | ''-''
| style="text-align: right" | ''-''
| style="text-align: right" | ''3''
| style="text-align: right" | '''1'''
| {{Infobox political party/seats|1|22|hex={{party color|HKFTU}}}}
|-
|}

==District result maps==
<gallery>
File:1994DBelectionmapn.svg|'''1994'''
File:1999DCelectionmapn.svg|'''1999'''
File:2003DCelectionmapn.svg|'''2003'''
File:2007DCelectionmapn.svg|'''2007'''
File:2011DCelectionmapn.svg|'''2011'''
File:North District Council 2015.svg|'''2015'''
File:North District Council (2019).svg|'''2019'''
</gallery>

==Members represented==
{{#section-h:7th District Councils of Hong Kong|North}}

==Leadership==
===Chairs===
Since 1985, the chairman is elected by all the members of the board:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2| Chairman !! Years !! Political Affiliation
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"| || P.E. Johnson || 1981–1982 || ''District Officer'' 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"| || S. Harbinson || 1982–1984 || ''District Officer'' 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"| || I. Wotherspoon || 1984–1985 || ''District Officer'' 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Heung Yee Kuk}}"| || Raymond Pang Hang-yin || 1985–1994 || [[Heung Yee Kuk]]→[[Liberal Democratic Federation of Hong Kong|LDF]] 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Heung Yee Kuk}}"| || Tang Kwok-yung || 1994–1999 || [[Heung Yee Kuk]] 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Heung Yee Kuk}}"| || Raymond Pang Hang-yin || 1999–2003 || [[Heung Yee Kuk]] 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Heung Yee Kuk}}"| || Li Kwok-fung || 2004–2006 || [[Heung Yee Kuk]]
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Heung Yee Kuk}}"| || Lau Tin-sang || 2006–2007 || [[Heung Yee Kuk]]
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|DABHK}}"| || So Sai-chi || 2008–2019|| [[DABHK|DAB]] 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}"| || [[Law Ting-tak]] || 2020–2023 || [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Nonpartisan}}"| || Derek Lai Chi-kin || 2024–present || ''District Officer''  
|}

===Vice Chairs===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2| Vice Chairman !! Years !! Political Affiliation 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Heung Yee Kuk}}"| || Cheung Fo-tai || 2000–2003 || [[Heung Yee Kuk]]
|-
| style="color:inherit;background: {{party color|DPHK}}"| || Chow Kam-siu || 2004–2007 || [[DPHK|Democratic]] 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|LPHK}}"| || [[Hau Chi-keung]] || 2008–2011 || [[LPHK|Liberal]]/[[Heung Yee Kuk]]
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|DABHK}}"| || Hau Kam-lam || 2012–2015 || [[DABHK|DAB]]/[[Heung Yee Kuk]] 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Heung Yee Kuk}}"| || Li Kwok-fung || 2016–2019 || [[Heung Yee Kuk]] 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|DPHK}}"| || Chan Yuk-ming || 2020–2021|| [[DPHK|Democratic]] 
|-
|style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Heung Yee Kuk}}"| || Li Kwok-fung || 2021–2023 || [[Heung Yee Kuk]] 
|}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{North District Council elections}}
{{Hong Kong North Council Constituencies}}
{{Hong Kong topic |suffix=Council|title=[[District Councils of Hong Kong]]}}

{{coord|22.4946|114.1386|display=t}}

[[Category:North District Council| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:North District, Hong Kong]]