XN000022-1985-11-28 — Page 36

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985

HOWEVER, IN ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES, MISS TAM WARNED THAT ONE MUST RECOGNISE EXISTING TENURE PROBLEMS AND LEGITIMATE INTERESTS.

ONE MUST ALSO ENSURE THAT THE HEUNG YEE KUK AND THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WERE WELL REPRESENTED IN THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD, SHE SAID.

WITH THE RAPID URBANISATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES. MISS TAM SAID HER MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD NO LONGER ADOPT A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS PLANNING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WHOLE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, INCLUDING THE RURAL AREAS, AND SHOULD TRY TO ACHIEVE AN EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF LAND USE IN THE WHOLE TERRITORY.

SHE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD SHOULD LEVY A FEE FOR PROCESSING PLANNING APPLICATIONS, THAT IT SHOULD GIVE REASONS FOR REFUSAL OF PERMISSION AND THAT THE APPROVAL GIVEN TO AN APPLICATION SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY EXPIRE AFTER A SPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME TO AVOID LAND SPECULATION BY DEVELOPERS AFTER OBTA IN ING THE PERMISSION FOR DEVELOPMENT.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS WERE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A SIX-MONTH PERIOD WITHIN WHICH AN AGGRIEVED PERSON MUST APPEAL, AND THAT THE DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD BE CONSULTED BEFORE A STATUTORY DRAFT PLAN WAS PREPARED.

TURNING TO THE SUBJECT ON REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS MISS TAM SAID THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHOULD GIVE SOME CONCRETE PROPOSALS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER (CSO) PILOT SCHEME AND THE SPENT CONVICTION SCHEME BEFORE EMBARKING ON OTHER NEW SCHEMES FOR THE REHABILITATION OF EX-PRISONERS.

MISS TAM SAID THE TWO SCHEMES WERE PROPOSED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND ALTHOUGH THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN NOVEMBER 1984, THE PILOT SCHEME HAD STILL NOT YET BEEN INTRODUCED.

+ONE YEAR HAS GONE AND WE HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER. I AM GLAD TO KNOW AT LEAST THAT PROBATION OFFICERS ARE BEING SENT TO THE U.K. FOR OVERSEAS TRAINING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE HON ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REPLY TO INFORM US OF THE TIMING OF THE LAUNCHING OF THE SCHEME WHICH ALREADY HAS THE SUPPORT OF THIS COUNCIL,+ SHE SAID.

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