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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The City Hall Select Committee will consider also any other exceptional cases which merit subsidy from the Council.
Since the introduction of the subsidy scheme in April this year, 336 applications for subsidy have been considered, and 192, or 57%, were successful. Under this scheme the hire charges have ranged from $20 for one hour's hire of a Committee room, to $3,000 for one performance in the Concert Hall.
The subsidy granted varied according to the merits of each case. The highest was one of 80% of the hire charges payable, while the largest amount approved for an individual case was $16,500. The total amount of subsidy approved up to the end of April 1974 was $69,850.
(3) MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE asked the following question (in English):-
What training in management and supervisory techniques is being given to Urban Services Department staff?
How many Officers have been through a management and/or supervisory course?
How many are attending such courses at present?
What is the training programme for the future?
MR. JOHN MACKENZIE, CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, this question concerns the training in management and supervisory techniques being given to Urban Services Department Staff. May I say, at the outset, that the Council and the Department are acutely conscious of the need to expand our facilities in this area. The approved establishment of the Department Training Unit currently consists of 1 Senior Executive Officer and the post has recently been approved and will be filled shortly, 1 Chief Health Inspector, 5 Health Inspectors, 2 Amenities Officers, and supporting staff. In addition, one Veterinary Officer will be appointed to the Unit (a supernumerary post approved in 1973-74 Budget and now under recruitment). All of the Unit is under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director (Administration), and provides lectures on supervisory techniques as part of our in-service training programme.
Lectures on supervisory techniques are included as part of the in-service training given by the Departmental Training Unit to Foremen and Amenities Assistants. 40 Amenities Assistants and 597, or over 90%, of the Foremen on cleansing duties have received such in-service training. The Unit also provides training services for Public Health Inspectors, and more than 482 Inspectors have undertaken this Diploma course, which has the recognition of the Royal Society of Health. Other Diploma courses in Tropical Hygiene are also provided, and we have 380 successful graduates in the Department.
Advice and assistance in staff training are also given by the Central Government Training Unit, and, for instance, Student Health Inspectors who have taken final examinations are referred to the Government Training Division for a 3-day Supervisory Training Course. This practice will continue, and, in addition, proposals are being considered for the inclusion of a section on management and administration in the syllabus of subjects for the Royal Society of Health examination for the Diploma in Public Health Inspection for General Overseas Appointments. 58 Health Inspectors have attended the Supervisory Training Course run by the Government Training Division, and another 22 will be sent later in August this year.
Under other arrangements recently concluded, the Hong Kong Productivity Centre is now providing comprehensive training courses in supervisory management. In February this year, the Centre conducted a pilot 4-day course for 15 Amenities Assistants. This course was well received and was felt to be of considerable value. It was found, however, that the 4-day period did not allow sufficient time to cover some of the major topics. The course is now being extended to last five days, and financial provision for 1974-75 has been sought to provide 12 courses for a total of 180 supervisors.
Officers of this Department are also sent overseas for training, and serving staff who have received such training include:-
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