XN000022-1986-02-18 — Page 6

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1986

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LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, THE COUNCIL CHAIRMAN SAID THE FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAMME COVERING THE PERIOD 1985-86 TO 1989-90 PROVIDED FOR A TOTAL NUMBER OF 127 MAJOR PROJECTS AND INVOLVED ANTICIPATED CASH EXPENDITURE OF THE ORDER OF $1.57 BILLION.

+AS PART OF THIS RE-STRUCTURED PROGRAMME, PROJECTED EXPENDITURE ON CAPITAL WORKS WILL RISE BY 59 PER CENT IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR TO $330 MILLION, HE SAID.

MR CHEONG-LEEN STRESSED THAT WHILE THE COUNCIL WAS COMMITTED TO PRESS ON WITH ITS LARGE BUILDING PROGRAMME, IT WOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE EXTREME VIGILANCE AND STRINGENT FINANCIAL CONTROL OVER ITS FINANCIAL RESOURCES.

+STAFFING IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN UNDER CONSTANT SCRUTINY BOTH BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE COUNCIL, AND SINCE APRIL 1, 1983, NO FEWER THAN 1921 USD POSTS HAVE BEEN DELETED+, HE ADDED.

COUNCIL TO SEEK DISTRICT BOARDS' VIEWS

ON CONTROL OF BILLIARD PREMISES

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THE URBAN COUNCIL WILL CONSULT ALL URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS ON THE COUNCIL'S POLICY WITH REGARD TO PRIVATE BILLIARD CLUBS AND PUBLIC BILLIARD SALOONS.

AT ITS COMMITTEE STAGE THIS AFTERNOON, THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL DISCUSSED A PAPER FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS SEEKING THEIR VIEWS ON WHETHER PRIVATE BILLIARD CLUBS NEED TO BE CONTROLLED AND, IF THEY DO, IN WHAT WAY.

THE STANDING COMMITTEE WAS TOLD THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE HAD EARLIER AGREED THAT BEFORE THE COUNCIL MADE ANY FINAL DECISION ON THE LICENSING OF PRIVATE BILLIARD CLUBS, THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLIC, AND IN PARTICULAR OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS, SHOULD BE SOUGHT.

THE SELECT COMMITTEE HAD ALSO AGREED THAT IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT CONSULATION WITH DBS WAS CONDUCTED EFFECTIVELY, A PAPER ON THE ISSUE WOULD BE PRESENTED TO THEM FOR DISCUSSION.

THE STANDING COMMITTEE WAS TOLD THAT THE COUNCIL RECOGNISED THAT BILLIARDS AND SNOOKER WERE BOTH HEALTHY GAMES AND IT HAD NO INTENTION TO ACT IN ANY WAY WHICH MIGHT BE SEEN AS OBSTRUCTIVE TO THE PROMOTION OF THE GAMES.

/THE COUNCIL