XN000022-1982-04-23 — Page 2

FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1982

NT LICENCE AND PERMIT FEES REVISED

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED AN INCREASE OF FEES FOR A NUMBER OF LICENCES AND PERMITS ISSUED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE AND PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT ORDINANCE WITH EFFECT FROM JUNE 1.

THE REVISED FEES, WHICH APPLY TO GENERAL RESTAURANTS, LIGHT REFRESHMENT RESTAURANTS, FOOD FACTORIES AND OTHER FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, FACTORY CANTEENS, FRESH PROVISION SHOPS, SIU MEI AND LO MEI SHOPS, OFFENSIVE TRADES, SWIMMING POOLS, CINÉMAS OR THEATRES, PUBLIC BOWLING ALLEYS, PUBLIC TABLE TENNIS OR BILLIARD SALOONS AND PUBLIC SKATING RINKS, ARE PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

THE INCREASES BRING THE FEES IN LINE WITH THOSE IN THE URBAN AREA AND COVER MOST OF THE COST OF PROVIDING THE LICENSING SERVICES, SAID A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

THE MAJORITY OF LICENCE FEES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAVE NOT BEEN REVISED SINCE 1976 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME RESTAURANT LICENCE FEES WHICH WERE INCREASED IN 1979 AND FACTORY CANTEEN LICENCES WHICH WERE FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1980.

THE SPOKESMAN REVEALED THAT NEW LICENCE FEES REPRESENTED A FLAT RATE CHARGE PER SQUARE METRE FOR FOOD PREMISES, TO REPLACE THE EXISTING SLIDING SCALE OF CHARGES WHICH SUBSIDIŠES SMALL OPERATORS AT THE EXPENSE OF LARGER BUSINESSES.

THE RATIONALE FOR THIS WAS TO STANDARDISE THE BASIS OF THE CHARGES SO THAT THE LARGER PREMISES WOULD NOT BE SUBSIDISING THE SMALLER ONES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

MUCH OF THE LARGE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN FEES APPLICABLE TO SMALL FOOD PREMISES RESULTS FROM THE REMOVAL OF THIS SUBSIDY, AND THE INCREASE IN MONEY TERMS IS STILL LESS THAN FOR LARGE PREMISES.

IN RELATION TO THE ANNUAL OPERATING COSTS OF SUCH BUSINESSES, THE INCREASE IS SMALL AND IS NOT LIKELY TO CAUSE HARDSHIP TO THE OPERATORS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE REVISED AND EXISTING ANNUAL FEES OF VARIOUS LICENCES AND PERMITSI

EXISTING FEES

REVISED FEES

GENERAL AND MARINE RESTAURANT

$200

-

$35000 $840

$42 000

LIGHT REFRESHMENT RESTAURANT

$150

$5.000 $600

$30 000

FOOD FACTORY

$200

$3.000 $840

$42.000

/FRCZEN CONFECTION