XN000022-1986-02-04 — Page 4

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1986

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NEARLY $1 BILLION MORE SOUGHT FOR PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING

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THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL BE ASKED TOMORROW TO APPROVE AN ADDITIONAL SUM OF $976 MILLION FROM THE DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S PUBLIC RENTAL PROJECTS FOR THE FOUR YEARS FROM 1986-87 TO 1989-90.

THIS WILL ENABLE THE AUTHORITY TO DRAW UP TO $3 194 MILLION FOR ITS PROJECTS FOR THE PERIOD, AND WILL INCLUDE $622.7 MILLION TO BE SPENT ON REDEVELOPMENT OF STRUCTURALLY DEFECTIVE PUBLIC HOUSING BLOCKS.

WORK ON CLEARING THE 26 BLOCKS UNDER THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S EXTENDED REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME HAS ALREADY BEGUN AND WILL EXTEND TILL JULY 1989. A TOTAL OF 14 519 NEW FLATS WILL BE BUILT, ON THE CLEARED AREAS OVER THIS PERIOD, AND THIS WILL BE IN ADDITION TO THE 30 000-PLUS RENTAL FLATS THAT WILL BE BUILT EACH YEAR.

THE $3 194 MILLION WILL ENABLE THE AUTHORITY TO ACHIEVE THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM OF MAINTAINING AN OVERALL ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF AT LEAST 40 000 FLATS, INCLUDING THOSE BUILT BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, AND THOSE BUILT BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME.

THE LATEST REQUEST WILL BRING TO $14 241 MILLION THE AMOUNT OF LOANS MADE BY THE DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND FOR HOUSING AUTHORITY RENTAL PROJECTS SINCE JUNE 1977.

ANOTHER REQUEST BEFORE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL BE FOR 3256 876 000 AS SUPPLEMENTARY EDUCATION PROVISION LARGELY FOR MEETING INCREASES IN STAFF SALARIES OF ORGANISATIONS SUBVENTED ON A DEFICIENCY GRANT BASIS, SUCH AS AIDED SCHOOLS, IN LINE WITH THE REVISED CIVIL SERVICE PAY SCALES WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT FROM APRIL 1 LAST YEAR.

OTHER SUMS SOUGHT ARE:

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$66 494 000 FOR ADJUSTMENTS TO PAY SCALES IN A NUMBER OF SUBVENTED MEDICAL ORGANISATIONS:

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$51 860 000 TO MEET SOCIAL WELFARE COSTS FOR THE INCREASED CASELOAD UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME

* $33 533 000 FOR SALARY ADJUSTMENTS IN SUBVENTED

SOCIAL WELFARE ORGANISATIONS:

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$8 129 000 AS SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION FOR THE CITY POLYTECHNIC

/* $25 480 000