HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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(c) Licenses and permits
(d) Admission and hire charges (e) Bank interest
$130 million.
$316 million.
$125 million.
Mr. Chairman, in conclusion I would like to thank all the chairmen and members of our various committees who have carefully considered their respective budgets. On your behalf, I would also like to thank the Director of Urban Services, the Assistant Director (Finance) and staff of the Urban Services Department who have contributed towards this budget professionally prepared and now laid before Members. In fact, they have also tried to achieve savings as far as possible in their day-to-day operation, so that every dollar spent by the Council is accountable to the public and value for money.
I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(2) MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE moved the following motion (in Cantonese):—
'RESOLVED that (a) a declaration be made under Section 79(1) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132, to amend further the declaration of markets in the Urban Council area, first published in the Gazette as Government Notice No. 1620 of 1960; and (b) the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Public Markets, Designation and (Amendment of Tenth Schedule) Order 1995 be made under Sections 79(3) and (5) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.'
He said (in Cantonese):—As Chairman of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, I rise to move the motion standing in my name:
'RESOLVED that (a) a declaration be made under Section 79(1) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132, to amend further the declaration of markets in the Urban Council area, first published in the Gazette as Government Notice No. 1620 of 1960; and (b) the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Public Markets, Designation and (Amendment of Tenth Schedule) Order 1995 be made under Sections 79(3) and (5) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.'
The purpose of the declaration is to declare under Section 79(1) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132, the Causeway Bay Market as a market to which the principal Ordinance applies and to amend the schedule to the Declaration of Markets in the Urban Council accordingly, whereas the Order aims at adding the Causeway Bay Market to the Tenth Schedule to the Ordinance, in compliance with the legal requirements.
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MR. JUSTIN WONG CHUN, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE (in English):-I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
(3) CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, moved the following motion:-"THAT this Council endorse the Statement of Aims for 1995/1996.'
He said (in English):—I rise to move the motion standing in my name.
This will be the last time I address the Council in the Annual Conventional Debate in the capacity of an Appointed Member. With the abolition of all appointed seats in the Council, 32 newly Elected Members will join the Council after the March 1995 Municipal Councils Election. Enough has been said in this Council about the Government's electoral reform package in so far as it affects the composition of the Municipal Councils. I have no wish to dwell further on the subject today, apart from expressing the hope that a fully elected Council will better reflect the needs of the community, be more accountable to the people of Hong Kong and be able to further enrich the quality of lives to all those who call this lovely city of Hong Kong their home.
I shall confine myself this afternoon to highlighting a number of significant developments which are of general interest to the Council and the public.
Openness of the Council
In line with the development of Open Government, the Urban Council is firmly committed to achieve greater transparency in the conduct of its business as well as to facilitate more ready access of its services to members of the public.
The Member's Duty Roster System, which has provided an additional avenue for the public to air their grievances or express their views on the work of the Council, has been working well since its implementation in December 1991. All requests for meeting with Duty Councillors have normally been entertained within a week of their receipt by the Council Secretariat and the suggestions referred to the department or the subject Select Committee for consideration soon after the interview.
The telephone hot-line system has proven to be another effective channel through which members of the public can get prompt response to enquiries and action to deal with complaints. The telephone lines are manned from 8.00 a.m. to midnight throughout the year and, on average, 2,500 calls are received per month. Additional telephone lines will be installed if the present facilities prove to be inadequate.
Since November 1991, all non-confidential discussion items of Select Committees and the Standing Committee of the Whole Council have been open to the public and the media, and from September last year, similar discussion items of all Sub-Committees and Working Groups are also open to the public. Furthermore, all committee papers which are debated at these open meetings are also made available
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