The Regional Council (RegCo; ) was a municipal council in Hong Kong responsible for municipal services in the New Territories (excluding New Kowloon). Its services were provided by the Regional Services Department, the executive arm of the Regional Council. Its headquarters were located near Sha Tin station. History Technically, only Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and New Kowloon were within the purview of the Urban Council. But the Urban Services Department, the executive arm of the Urban Council, began servicing the New Territories with its establishment in 1953. Following public consultation, a Provisional Regional Council was established on 1 April 1985 under the auspices of the colonial Hong Kong Government, to provide for the New Territories what the Urban Council did for Hong Kong Island, New Kowloon and Kowloon. Like the Urban Council, the Regional Council was created in 1986 as an elected body comprising representatives from constituencies and district boards. In 1986, planning began for the council's headquarters building. Until permanent premises were built, departments of the Regional Council were scattered around various buildings in Tsim Sha Tsui. A site was selected near Sha Tin Town Centre and construction began in April 1989. It was opened on 27 September 1991 by governor David Wilson and Lady Wilson. The building consisted of a low block, housing the council chambers, alongside a 20-storey tower home to the various units of the Regional Services Department. The building was designed by Peter Keeping, a senior architect of the Architectural Services Department, and cost $200 million. The entrance is guarded by two marble lions made in Beijing. Today the building is the headquarters of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Elections to the Regional Council were held since 1986 with first-past-the-post voting. The composition of the Regional Council is as follows: Function and structure The Regional Council structure comprised the full Regional Council, functional select committees, district committees, and sub-committees. Initially, three functional select committees were planned: the Ways and Means Select Committee, the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, and the Recreation and Culture Select Committee. They were joined by the Liquor Licensing Board at the founding of the council in 1986, and in 1987 the Ways and Means Select Committee was split into two committees: the Capital Works Select Committee and the Finance and Administration Select Committee. From 4 July 1997, the Recreation and Culture Select Committee was separated into the Culture and Arts Select