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of swimming pool complexes is attributable to a shortage of manpower or a deliberate effort to save money and if the latter when and where such was approved by the Council.
The partial closure of swimming pool complexes when attendances are low is an effort to economise as stated in my earlier reply to Messrs. CHAN and LAM. But I must emphasise, that this policy to close off some of the pools within a swimming complex during weekdays or recession is subject to attendance levels. The current annual deficit on swimming pools is approximately $60m.
The policy was approved by Council vide Committee Paper REC/11/86 to which was attached The 'Report of The Study Group On The Management of Swimming Pools'. Para. 7.11 reads as follows:
'Taking into account the number of different, separate pools in the swimming pool complexes, it is now proposed to aim at having no more than 10 or 12 permanent lifeguards in each complex, that is 5 or 6 per shift, supported by a variable number of seasonal and part-time staff, depending on usage patterns. These proposals are consistent with the recommendations of the Working Group on the Prevention of Accidents in USD Managed Pools.' The latter Report was approved by Council vide Committee Paper REC/117/85.
The truth of the matter is that attendance at pools is very often insufficient to warrant opening all the pools in a complex, having regard to the Council approved manning scales for the deployment of lifeguards and the competency of individual permanent lifeguards to safeguard 150 swimmers (or 100 swimmers for temporary or honorary lifeguards)—Para. 29 of the Report of the Working Group on the Prevention of Accidents in USD Managed Pools. To further illustrate this point, the Pao Yue Kong Swimming Complex in Aberdeen is designed to accommodate 2,100 persons and yet the highest recorded sessional attendance figure for the first week of August in this year was only 369.
Finally, reference was made in the 10 June 1986 meeting of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council to the fact that, 'in some instances the minor pools were closed probably due to the shortage of the number of swimmers'-- para 3(9) of the minutes.
To conclude, I would say that these policies are subject to annual review and I would welcome the views of any Members on this subject, particularly as the time for review approaches with the present swimming season drawing to a close.
MR. WALTER M. SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I am afraid I am going to ask two supplementary questions. One is, do we really consider very carefully the siting of our swimming pools because obviously a swimming pool in Aberdeen could be counterproductive in August when everybody can go to Deep Water Bay instead of to a swimming pool and I was grateful to my friend for confirming to me
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that in fact when we were discussing this it was never mentioned that we would have to close pools; so is that a chicken and egg situation? In other words, we close pools so attendance drops so we close further pools?
MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, for the first question, it is easy to answer. The one in Aberdeen, that is Pao Yue Kong pools, yes, historically I think it was not in a very good site because the population in the catchment is not all that big; also it is heavily competed by Deep Water Bay, Repulse Bay and so on for those beach goers. We have the same problem with the swimming pool in Chai Wan because people have to walk quite a long way up the hill before reaching the pool, so traffic is a bit of a problem. We will certainly look into this when we plan new swimming pools. Second question, whether because we close the pools so that the attendance will drop and as the attendance drops we close further pools; it is a chicken and egg situation. I have already asked the department on this and when we review this next year, we will take this into consideration and may be we should open more pools and see what would happen.
THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, can this Select Committee for next year swimming season study what more can be done to encourage the public to patronize the swimming pools which have such a low attendance? There must be various sources where residents from different districts can be approached through D.BS. or other means to patronize the swimming pools which are not too well utilized now. This can be given some thought between now and the next summer season.
MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, we would certainly like to look into that angle. As some of the sessions during the days is not too convenient, for example, in the afternoon, we do have sessions starting at 4.30 p.m. and finishing at about 7 or 6.30 p.m. This sort of sessions is not good for office workers. Certainly, we will look into ways and means to increase the attendance rate in the coming year.
8. MR. WALTER M. SULKE asked the following question (in English):—I understand that the Lam Tin illegal hawkers when driven out from the housing estate started trading in Ping Tin Street and that according to the newspapers no immediate action against them was taken by the USD on the grounds that other Government departments would have to be consulted before action could be taken. If this is correct, could I please be told why, when the law is obviously being broken, we have to get permission to take action and why immediate action was not taken to remove the hawkers? Also, I would like to know whether the Housing Department liaised with the USD before expelling 'their' hawkers, thus converting them into 'our' hawkers and thereby making a bad hawker situation even worse for us?
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