HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
Ladies and Gentlemen, before taking the first item on today's agenda, Members will, I am sure, wish me to express our congratulations to Mr. BARON, the Director of Social Welfare, on his appointment to the Legislative Council. (Applause).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4th January, 1966, were confirmed.
PAPERS.
The Chairman laid upon the table the following papers:-
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of January 1966.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st October, 1965 to 31st December, 1965.
(3) Report by the Commissioner for Resettlement on the progress of clearance and resettlement operations during the period 1st October, 1965 to 31st December, 1965.
(4) Analysis of Urban Services Department Staff Increases proposed in the draft Estimates for 1966-67.
MR. SALES: -Sir, it is as Chairman of the City Hall Select Committee that I wish to make a statement. I am drawing members' attention to paragraph 71 of the Publicity Report where it is stated that the City Hall popular concerts have met with a very great response on the part of the public. It is the intention of the Council to present more such concerts so that the public may have this opportunity of listening to good music. In this connexion, Sir, I would like to draw your attention to the text of the paragraph where it is stated that the concerts will be presented by the management. I have the greatest admiration for the musical talent of the management of the City Hall, but I do think that section 55 still applies to the City Hall, as it does to every division of the Urban Services Department. In the future I would like it to be written that the concerts are in fact presented by the Urban Council.
The next point I would like to draw the attention of the management, Sir, through you, is to the tremendous falling off in the use of the practice rooms, and as the City Hall is so immensely popular with the public, no part of the City Hall should be left unused or little used, and it should be converted to a better purpose.
CHAIRMAN: --Included in the papers laid on the table today is the schedule relating to staff increases for the Urban Services Department for 1966-67.
In accordance with the procedure in previous years, any Member who wishes to do so may speak on this matter.
These staff proposals were considered by the Estimates Select Committee of this Council at a meeting on 11th December, 1965, at which representatives of the Establishment Branch of the Colonial Secretariat were present.
Most of the reductions shown in the schedule were found acceptable, but the Estimates Select Committee requested that further consideration be given to some of the reductions proposed. This has resulted in further consideration being given to the request for one post of Executive Officer, shown under Headquarters on page 1 of the schedule, on which action is still proceeding.
The Estimates Select Committee also requested that further consideration be given to the proposed reduction of 35 posts of Pest Control Labourer shown under the Hygiene Division on page 1 of the schedule. The Committee urged that all the posts originally requested under this item should be provided. The Establishment Sub-Committee of Finance Committee has not been able to accept this recommendation. But to meet, as far as possible, the wishes of the Estimates Select Committee, 12 of the 16 posts shown as having been approved, which were requested for the purpose of carrying out an experiment with larger pest control teams, are being provided before 1st April, 1966, so that the proposed experiment can proceed without delay.
Under the Amenities Group, Members will observe that 3 posts of Tractor Driver have not been approved. These posts were requested for the purpose of manning new tractors to be purchased during 1966-67. As it will probably be several months before the tractors become available it was decided to delay approval of the driver posts, but these will be provided by supplementary provision when delivery dates are known. It will also be seen that the request for 14 posts of Beach Attendant has been reduced by 4 posts. This is because there is a possibility of obtaining volunteer life guards on a regular basis during the peak swimming periods (week-ends and public holidays) from the Hong Kong Life Saving Society. The requests for 1 post of Dressing Room Attendant and 3 posts of Park-keeper Class II were not approved, but I believe that the commitments for which these posts were requested can be met from existing resources as a result of certain re-organization proposals now being considered. Also, the request for 28 Labourer posts has not been approved. Six of these posts were intended for special beach cleansing gangs for which it is now intended to experiment with the employment of casual labour. If this proves unsuccessful the six posts requested will be reconsidered.
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