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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
237
MR. ERIC Wong Chung-ki (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
Chairman (in Cantonese):—Mr. LAM Man-fai will move an amendment to the original motion and speak.
(4) (c) Mr. Lam Man-fai moved an amendment under Standing Order 21(13) as follows:—
RESOLVED that the Council urge the Urban Services Department to review its establishment and organizational structure systematically, in order to enhance operational efficiency and optimize resources for implementing the future plans of the Select Committees. In conducting the review, the Department should adequately consult the relevant Select Committees. In future, if necessary, the Council may consider appointing a consultancy firm to give assistance."
He said (in Cantonese):-I move the amendment standing in my name.
The workload of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department is getting heavier and our various Select Committees will formulate their Five-Year Plans within the year. To correspond with the Council's changes in policy, there is a need to conduct reviews on staff establishment and structure so that efficiency may be enhanced and resources may be better utilized to cope with our future plans of development. My motion is in common with Mr. Chan Choi-hi's motion and the amendments by Ms. Ada Wong Ying-kay in this respect.
However, as far as the method and approach of reviews are concerned, the Council should in fact formulate policies so as to carry out our function of monitoring. The Department should also take up the role in conducting the review. In fact, in the past, the Administration Select Committee has been monitoring the establishment and organizational structure of the Department and this system has been operating well. However, to meet future development, we hope that there will be a systematic review. I therefore do not agree with Ms. Ada Wong that my amendment is more conservative. Nevertheless, I am not in support of proceeding with the review by commissioning a consultancy firm in the initial stage.
There are about 17,000 posts in the Urban Services Department and the cooperation between the Department and the Council has always been good. If the Council unilaterally decides on commissioning a consultancy firm to review the Department's establishment, there will be negative effects on the Department and its staff and there will also be substantial financial implications. At this stage, when we do not see any serious errors on the part of the Department, there is no need for the Council to commission a consultancy firm immediately for a review. Rather, we can carry out systematic reviews in the light of the future demands of various Select Committees. If
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