XN000022-1985-09-10 — Page 9

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1985

MARKET DESIGN AND RENTAL POLICY UNDER REVIEW

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A REVIEW ON THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF FUTURE URBAN COUNCIL MARKETS INCLUDING THE TYPES OF HAWKERS PROPOSED TO BE RESITED INTO THESE MARKETS IS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE COUNCIL'S WORKING PARTY TO REVIEW HAWKER AND RELATED POLICIES.

AND THE FINDINGS WILL BE INCLUDED IN ITS REPORT TO BE RELEASED FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION WHEN COMPLETED.

THIS WAS STATED BY MRS ELSIE ELLIOTT TU, CHAIRPERSON OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE WHEN REPLYING TO QUESTIONS BY MR JOSEPH CHAN AT THE COUNCIL'S OPEN MEETING TODAY.

MRS ELLIOTT TU NOTED THAT THE MONTHLY AVERAGE NUMBER OF VACANT STALLS IN URBAN COUNCIL MARKETS BETWEEN JULY LAST YEAR AND JULY THIS YEAR WAS 717, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 9.5 PER CENT OF THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TOTAL OF 7 523 STALLS PROVIDED IN UC MARKETS.

SHE TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE CAUSES FOR UNSATISFACTORY OCCUPANCY RATE OF STALLS ARE MANY AND VARIED.

+LOCATION OF THE MARKETS WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND OF THE STALL WITHIN THE MARKET, COMPETITION FROM NEARBY HAWKERS AND FRESH PROVISION SHOPS, DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE MARKET, AS WELL AS THE RENT ARE ALL, AMONG OTHER THINGS, CONSIDERED TO BE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS AFFECTING THE VIABILITY OF A MARKET WHICH IN TURN HAS A DIRECT BEARING ON THE OCCUPANCY RATE OF THE STALLS PROVIDED THEREIN.

+ IT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT, OF ALL THESE FACTORS, MARKET DESIGN AND LOCATION RATHER THAN THE RENT, ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IN THIS RESPECT.+

TURNING TO THE COUNCIL'S MARKET STALL RENTAL POLICY, MRS ELLIOTT TU SAID THAT UPON THE EXPIRY OF A STALL TENANCY AT PRESENT, RENTALS ARE INCREASED BY 100 PER CENT UP TO A MAXIMUM OF THE FAIR MARKET RENTAL AS ASSESSED BY THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT.

IF AFTER THE INCREASE THE RENTAL IS STILL LESS THAN HALF OF THE FAIR MARKET RENTAL, IT WOULD BE INCREASED BY ANOTHER 50 PER CENT OF THE OLD RENTAL IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE NEW TENANCY.

/HOWEVER,