XN000022-1978-03-15 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1978

LEGCO APPROVES RATE PERCENTAGES FOR NT

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A MOTION TO GIVE LEGISLATIVE EFFECT TO THE RATE PERCENTAGES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES FOR 1978-79 WAS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MOVING THE MOTION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID UNDER THE RATING ORDINANCE, THE LEGISLATIVE.. COUNCIL MAY, BY RESOLUTION, DETERMINE FROM TIME TO TIME THE. PERCENTAGE OF THE RATEABLE VALUE OF TENEMENTS TO BE CHARGED AS GENERAL AND URBAN COUNCIL RATES.

HE STRESSED THAT THE SOLE OBJECT OF THE RESOLUTION IS TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE EXISTING POLICY ON THE PHASING. IN.OF THE RATE CHARGES FOR NEWLY RATED AREAS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND, SAID NO CHANGE IN EITHER THE GENERAL RATE OR THE URBAN COUNCIL RATE WAS PROPOSED FOR 1978-79.

MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY FOR THE EXTENSION OF RATING TO THE DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE GENERAL RATE FOR NEWLY ASSESSED AREAS, FROM AREA F ONWARDS, IS BEING PHASED IN ON A GRADUAL BASIS - THAT IS TO SAY. IN THE FIRST YEAR 50 PER CENT OF WHATEVER THE GENERAL RATE FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES MIGHT BE, IN THE SECOND YEAR 60 PER CENT, IN THE THIRD YEAR 70 PER CENT AND SO ON UP TO 100 PER CENT . IN THE SIXTH YEAR.

HE SAID THE GENERAL RATE FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES IS 11 PER CENT. FOR 1978-79, THE PERCENTAGE TO BE APPLIED TO AREAS F TO M (FOR THEIR THIRD YEAR OF ASSESSMENT) IS, THEREFORE, 70 PER CENT OF 11 PER CENT, OR EIGHT PER CENT. FOR AREA N (FOR ITS SECOND YEAR OF ASSESSMENT), IT IS 60 PER CENT OF 11 PER CENT, OR SEVEN PER CENT.

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MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID THE SCHEDULE IN THE MOTION ALSO INCLUDES 12 NEW AREAS TO BE BROUGHT INTO ASSESSMENT WITH EFFECT FROM APRIL 1, 1978 UNDER THE FIFTH PHASE OF THE EXTENSION OF RATING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

BUT AS THESE 12 AREAS ARE EXTENSIONS TO AREAS F TO N, THE CORRESPOND ING PERCENTAGES WILL APPLY, HE SAID.

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