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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-It is 4 o'clock and I would like to call this meeting to order. Before we proceed with the business on today's agenda, I would like to welcome back from leave Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG and Messrs. H. M. G. FORSGATE, Charles C. C. SIN and WONG Siu-cheuck; also to express our pleasure at the return of our delegation from the visit to the United Kingdom-Messrs. Henry H. L. HU, Kenneth T. C. LO, Peter P. K. NG and Dr. Denny M. H. HUANG. I was only sorry that they did not complete their visit by going up north to Scotland and learning more about how local authorities operate there. (Laughter).
## MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 9th October, 1973, were confirmed.
## STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-In the preparation of the Council's first budget certain procedures best suited to our purpose were initiated. Because this exercise has not been carried out before, it is all the more important to start off properly.
Accordingly, all select committees were brought into play right from the start. They were asked, where applicable, to assess for the first time the cost of their services and programmes. In the first six months since assuming direct responsibility, our select committees have already formed the habit of relating all proposals to the cost of putting them into practice before actually adopting them instead of leaving the worry to the Central Government as before, when it was their concern. This basic procedure will be the standard practice in every select committee.
Also, Council is studying the present state of our various sources of revenue to see how they may be adjusted or developed within reason and to better public advantage. Without the means our ambition to serve the public better and in more ways cannot be achieved. Consequently, in the ensuing months, our select committees will be invited to carry out such an exercise. Actually, a few have already done so in a fair and realistic manner, while others are so engaged at present. In time, our revenue will be better balanced although we must expect to depend heavily on rates for many years to come.
# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## PAPERS
The following papers were laid on the table:
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(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of October, 1973.
(2) Urban Council and Urban Services Department Statistical Report for the period 1st July, 1973 to 30th September, 1973.
## QUESTIONS
(1) MR. PETER P. F. CHAN asked the following question (in English):-
The question of permitting occulting signs to be installed in the urban area has been raised by some members of the Urban Council in the past, and permission to install such signs has already been declined. In view of the presence of so many tall buildings nowadays in the urban areas, it would appear that occulting signs on the lower floors of premises would no longer present any problem to aviation traffic. Since to permit occulting signs will not only bring to the Urban Council a new source of revenue but will also facilitate commercial publicity for the applicants, is the Urban Council prepared to reconsider the policy concerning permitting these signs in the urban areas?
MR. PETER P. K. NG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENT AND ADVERTISING SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Sir, Mr. Peter P. F. CHAN asks whether occulting signs can be permitted in the urban areas especially where, as in the lower parts of multi-storey buildings, they do not in his view constitute a potential hazard to aviation. As he is, I think, aware, new and comprehensive draft legislation on advertisements and signs of all kinds including occulting ones is still under discussion by a Sub-Committee of the Entertainment and Advertising Select Committee.
Certain types of occulting signs or devices for public purposes are permitted at the present time under the Road Traffic Ordinance, the Hong Kong Airport (Control of Obstructions) Regulations.
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