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TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1985
U.C. LOOKS INTO FUTURE FINANCES
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THE URBAN COUNCIL IS TO CONSIDER SETTING UP A WORKING PARTY TO REVIEW THE MEMORANDUM OF ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS, IN PARTICULAR CONCERNING THE COUNCIL'S FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE GOVERNMENT,
THIS WAS DECIDED AT TODAY'S MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL AT WHICH THE QUESTION OF THE COUNCIL'S FUTURE FINANCIAL SITUATION WAS EXTENSIVELY DISCUSSED.
THE M.A.A. IS THE AGREEMENT DRAWN UP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNCIL WHICH WENT INTO OPERATION ON APRIL 1, 1973 AND WHICH LAYS DOWN THE POWERS OF THE COUNCIL, IN PARTICULAR THE EXTENT OF ITS FINANCIAL AUTONOMY.
A COUNCIL SPOKESMAN SAID AFTER THE MEETING: IT MUST BE MADE CLEAR THAT WHAT THE COUNCIL IS CONCERNED ABOUT IS ITS FINANCIAL SITUATION AFTER THE 1985-86 FINANCIAL YEAR
IN OTHER WORDS, FROM 1986-87 ONWARDS.
+THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION TO ASK THE GOVERNMENT FOR ANY INCREASE IN THE COUNCIL'S SHARE OF THE RATE IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR, FOR 1985-86.
+BUT, WITH OUR RESERVES ABOUT TO BE EXHAUSTED, WE MUST TAKE A REALISTIC LOOK AT OUR LIKELY FINANCIAL POSITION FROM 1986-87 ONWARDS.+
THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FINANCE SELECT COMMITTEE, TO BE CHAIRED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE WHO IS ALSO THE COUNCIL VICE-CHAIRMAN, MR H.M.G. FOR SGATE, WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 30. IT IS EXPECTED TO BE A WELL ATTENDED AND LENGTHY MEETING SINCE ALL COUNCILLORS CONCERNED ABOUT THE COUNCIL'S FUTURE FINANCIAL SITUATION WILL BE ATTENDING, WHETHER MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE SELECT COMMITTEE OR NOT.
THE FINDINGS OF THE FINANCE SELECT COMMITTEE WILL GO BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL, TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5. THIS MEETING IS TO BE ATTENDED BY ALL COUNCILLORS AND CHAIRED BY THE COUNCIL CHAIRMAN, MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, AND FOLLOWING AN ALMOST CERTAIN LENGTHY DISCUSSION ITSELF WILL THEN DECIDE THE NEXT STEPS TO BE TAKEN ON THE SUBJECT.
+THIS MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE WILL ALSO DECIDE WHETHER AN OPEN PUBLIC MEETING ON THE COUNCIL'S FUTURE FINANCIAL SITUATION IS WARRANTED, + SAID THE SPOKESMAN.
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+ IF SUCH AN OPEN DEBATE IS AGREED ON, IT WOULD BE HELD SOME TIME LATER IN THE MONTH BUT IT WOULD BE PREMATURE AT THIS EARLY STAGE TO SPECULATE ON WHETHER SUCH A DEBATE WILL BE AGREED ON OR NOT.+
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