XN000022-1987-05-16 — Page 6

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1987

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BIGGER BUDGET FOR SOUTHERN DISTRICT BOARD

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THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT BOARD HAS BEEN ALLOCATED $1.56 MILLION FOR 1987-88, AN INCREASE OF ABOUT NINE PER CENT FROM $1.43 MILLION LAST YEAR, A SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

THE BOARD PLANS TO SPEND $903 DOO ON COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROJECTS UNDER THE COMMUNITY BUILDING AND THE SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEES, AND $657 000 ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS UNDER THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, HE SAID.

OF THE $830 000 ALLOCATED TO THE COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMITTEE, $285 000 WILL SERVE AS GRANTS TO LOCAL BODIES AND RESIDENTS ORGANISATIONS FOR ORGANISING ACTIVITIES, WHILE $222 000 WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR SOME 40 PROGRAMMES RUN BY THE DISTRICT'S RECREATION AND SPORTS COUNCIL AND ARTS AND CULTURE ASSOCIATION.

ANOTHER $130 000 ARE BUDGETED FOR PUBLICITY ON THE DISTRICT BOARD VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS.

THE SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE, ON THE OTHER HAND HAS SET ASIDE $35 000 FROM ITS $73 000 ALLOCATION FOR GRANTS TO LOCAL ORGANISATIONS AND FOR ITS OWN AD HOC PROJECTS.

THE REST WILL BE SPENT ON ORGANISING THE DISTRICT'S SOCIAL SERVICES AWARD SCHEME, THE COMMUNITY MEDICAL SCHEME FOR THE ELDERLY, SEA TRIPS FOR HANDICAPPED AND UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN, AND PUBLISHING A DIRECTORY OF SOCIAL SERVICES ORGANISATIONS IN THE DISTRICT.

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE WILL SPEND MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF ITS FUNDS ON AMENITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS SUCH AS BUILDING SITTING-OUT AREAS AND RAIN SHELTERS.

ANOTHER ONE-THIRD WILL BE SPENT ON ACCESS IMPROVEMENT AND SQUATTER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, AND A SMALL AMOUNT HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR THE PROVISION AND REPLENISHMENT OF FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT FOR FIRE WATCH TEAMS IN SQUATTER AREAS.

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