WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1986
+THIS WILL FREE THE URBAN COUNCIL FROM FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES FOR A FEW YEARS TO COME,+ MISS TAM SAID.
NOTING THAT THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF THE URBAN COUNCIL HAD INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE YEARS, SHE SAID ITS SERVICES WERE EXPANDING BOTH IN SCOPE AND VOLUME.
+I TRUST THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE URBAN COUNCIL'S CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN ITS FIRST CENTENARY YEAR IN 1985 WILL AGREE THAT HONG KONG IS NO LONGER A CULTURAL DESERT.
+AND THOSE OF US WHO FREQUENTLY HAVE TO DRIVE OR WALK IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE URBAN AREA SHOULD NOTICE THE INCREASED NUMBER OF CASES OF SITTING-OUT AREAS AND PLANTING AREAS WHICH SOFTEN THE LANDSCAPE OF THIS 'CONCRETE JUNGLE',+ MISS TAM SAID.
SHE SAID THE URBAN COUNCIL WAS STILL TACKLING THE OLD PROBLEM OF HAWKER CONTROL AND WOULD HAVE TO TACKE NEW PROBLEMS SUCT AS BILLIARD-SALOON LICENSING.
+BUT WITHIN THE LAST THREE YEARS THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS MANAGED TO PROVIDE EXPANDING SERVICES WHILE REDUCING ITS STAFF,+ MISS TAM ADDED.
REFERRING TO THE SPEECHES BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ON THE
BILL, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE SAID THAT THE DIFFICULT APPROACH TO A SENSITIVE RATING AMENDMENT BILL HAD BEEN MUCH EASED BY THE UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH COUNCILS IN GENERAL, AND THE IR CHAIRMEN IN PARTICULAR.
THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, WAS AWARE OF POSSIBLE PROBLEMS LOOMING FOR THE REGIONAL COUNCIL IN THE LATE 1980'S, AND THAT ADVANCED CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION WOULD CERTAINLY BE NEEDED IN 1987.
EARLY CONSIDERATION OF RC'S FINANCIAL NEEDS URGED
*****
THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE EARLY CONSIDERATION TO THE LONG- TERM FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND REVIEW THE PROPOSED INTERIM MEASURE AT THE BEGINNING OF 1987 AT THE LATEST, THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE OF THE RATING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHEUNG SAID THE REGIONAL COUNCIL MUST BE PROVIDED WITH SUFFICIENT REVENUE TO COVER THE COST OF ITS ACTIVITIES IF IT WAS TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AND TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA WITH ALL THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES THEY REQUIRED.
HE SAID ..