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2.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, move the following motion:-
'RESOLVED that the Hawker (Urban Council) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bylaw 1994 be made under section 83A of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132,'
He said (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, I rise to move the motion standing in my name.
The Hawker (Urban Council) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bylaw 1994 revise the fees for hawker licences and for the allocation of fixed pitches with effect from 1 April 1994.
The new fees for the issue and renewal of hawker licences are shown under Part I of the amended schedule to the principal By-laws, while the new fees for the allocation of fixed pitches are shown under the Part III of the same schedule.
The proposed fees revision has taken into consideration various factors including:
-the increase in cost since the last review relating to managing licensed hawkers, estimated at $258.9 million for the year 1994/95; and the estimated deficit incurred by the Council, which will be $193.1 million if the fees are not revised;
-the impact on the financial deficit of revising fees, bearing in mind the desirability of containing the extent of this deficit as far as might be practicable;
--the affordability of the fee increases to those concerned; and
-the general price increases since the last revision of hawker licence fees in April 1993.
The proposed fee increases are moderate. In dollar terms, the revised fees would mean an additional cost of only $0.4 per day for most licensed itinerant hawkers, $1.2 per day for most licensed fixed pitch hawkers; and $17.00 per day for licensed cooked food stall operators. The impact of the fee increases on general price levels will be minuscule.
The revised fees will bring an additional revenue of approximately $5.1 million for a 12-month period and reduce the projected deficit on the management of licensed hawkers to $188 million.
Mr. Chairman, the revised hawker licence and pitch fees now proposed have been agreed by the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, the Finance Select Committee and the Standing Committee of the Whole Council.
Sir, with these remarks, I beg to move.
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MR. STEPHEN LAU MAN-LUNG (in Cantonese):-I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT 3.58 p.m.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-That concludes the business of today's meeting. Members are reminded that an extraordinary Meeting of the Council to debate on UC/SDB relationship will be held on Tuesday, 22 February 1994 at 2.30 p.m. Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 22 February 1994 at 2.30 p.m. Thank you for your attendance.
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