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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
## ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English): -Ladies and gentlemen, it is now 2.30 and we will continue the debate on the "Statement of Aims for 1976" adjourned from Tuesday.
THE HONOURABLE R. H. LOBO (in English):-Mr. Chairman, in April 1973, almost three years ago, this Council was given its own financial autonomy and we became responsible for the implementation of our own capital works programme. Now then, what have we done?
We created a Departmental Planning and Development Unit and set up a Works Planning Committee to ensure that all our projects proceeded on a co-ordinated basis and that the limited resources of land and finance were focused on projects of immediate importance to the community at large.
Our start was somewhat slow because of the rephasing of the Public Works programme and, in particular, because we had to take time to set out priorities.
This work limited our progress in 1974 and only 14 projects comprising 5 major capital works and 9 items financed from the Urban Amenities Block Vote were completed at a total cost of $11.165 million.
However, because we took time out to lay a good working plan, we have since gained tremendous momentum.
We have now drawn up and approved a 10-year capital works programme covering some 138 projects valued at nearly $300 million at 1974 prices.
We have been able to plan and allocate resources, both staff and finance, and proceed towards a forward-looking policy to cover all the area under this Council's responsibilities and ensure that every sector of the public within this area was not left unprovided for.
We have, during these last 9 months, completed 26 projects valued at $3.8 million and we have another 29 projects valued at $63.756 million currently under construction. To name a few, we have 2 swimming pool complexes, 3 indoor games halls, 2 recreation grounds, 1 park, 1 market, 1 hawker bazaar, the Urban Council Chamber and Offices, improvement to the Cheung Sha Wan and Kennedy Town Abattoirs, and 14 items financed from the Urban Amenities Block Vote.
Furthermore, we have another 20 projects valued at $46.99 million expected to start work in the next 2 to 3 months. These projects include the Morrison Hill Indoor Games Centre; extension to the Victoria Park Swimming Pool; 2 markets at Chai Wan and Smithfield; a hawker bazaar at Centre Street; and a funeral depot at Winslow Street.
The list of projects completed, under construction and due to start work soon, is impressive by any standard and is surely something to be proud of. But what is more gratifying is that, by being able to achieve this very impressive list of projects within this financial year, the Council was able to take full advantage of the present low construction costs and thus acquire savings against approved estimates on contracts let to the order of $13.5 million—a large sum which would help this Council pay for additional facilities and services.
Perhaps I should explain how things have been worked out. To take advantage of lower cost of material and construction, the Council entered into agreement with Government on what has become known as Switch Finance—in other words, a "swap". The Council would build without undue delay what Government had agreed initially to construct, all in all some 45 projects, and later, when the pressure on Government's purse is reduced, Government would then pay for other projects, thus benefiting all concerned. This plan has been the outstanding reason for the Council's progress in building. Otherwise, the list I have mentioned would not have been so impressive.
So far, from the 45 projects I have just mentioned, Government has completed 4 and 9 are under construction, and this Council took over 14 on Switch Finance.
There has been much talk at various levels of our community in regard to finances and the vast sum of money this Council has at its disposal. This is not so. This Council's main source of revenue is the 6% from the total sum of rates paid by landlords or their tenants and the only other sources of income come from various licences and fees. Therefore, after the projects on our list are completed, the Council's coffers will be somewhat dried up.
We must not forget that whatever we build and no matter what kind of amenities we provide means extra expense on manpower and maintenance, all of which will add to our recurrent expenditure in the future.
It may seem to some that undue emphasis is placed on providing recreation and amenity facilities. This indeed is so, partly because land for recreational development is more readily available, but also because
Page 123 of 154
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211
Page 123 of 154
211
210
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English): -Ladies and gentlemen, it is now 2.30 and we will continue the debate on the "Statement of Aims for 1976" adjourned from Tuesday.
THE HONOURABLE R. H. LOBO (in English):-Mr. Chairman, in April 1973, almost three years ago, this Council was given its own financial autonomy and we became responsible for the implementation of our own capital works programme. Now then, what have we done?
We created a Departmental Planning and Development Unit and set up a Works Planning Committee to ensure that all our projects proceeded in a co-ordinated basis and that the limited resources of land and finance were focused on projects of immediate importance to the community at large.
Our start was somewhat slow because of the rephasing of the Public Works programme and, in particular, because we had to take time to set out priorities.
This work limited our progress in 1974 and only 14 projects com- prising 5 major capital works and 9 items financed from the Urban Amenities Block Vote were completed at a total cost of $11.165 million.
However, because we took time out to lay a good working plan, we have since gained tremendous momentum.
We have now drawn up and approved a 10-year capital works programme covering some 138 projects valued at nearly $300 million at 1974 prices.
We have been able to plan and allocate resources, both staff and finance, and proceed towards a forward-looking policy to cover all the area under this Council's responsibilities and ensure that every sector of the public within this area was not left unprovided for.
We have, during these last 9 months, completed 26 projects valued at 3.8 million and we have another 29 projects valued at 63.756 million currently under construction. To name a few, we have 2 swimming pool complexes, 3 indoor games halls, 2 recreation grounds, 1 park, 1 market, 1 hawker bazaar, the Urban Council Chamber and Offices, improvement to the Cheung Sha Wan and Kennedy Town Abattoirs, and 14 items financed from the Urban Amenities Block Vote.
Furthermore, we have another 20 projects valued at $46.99 million expected to start work in the next 2 to 3 months. These projects
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
include the Morrison Hill Indoor Games Centre; extension to the Victoria Park Swimming Pool; 2 markets at Chai Wan and Smithfield; a hawker bazaar at Centre Street; and a funeral depot at Winslow Street.
The list of projects completed, under construction and due to start work soon, is impressive by any standard and is surely something to be proud of. But what is more gratifying is that, by being able to achieve this very impressive list of projects within this financial year, the Council was able to take full advantage of the present low construction costs and thus acquire savings against approved estimates on contracts let to the order of $13.5 million-a large sum which would help this Council pay for additional facilities and services.
Perhaps I should explain how things have been worked out. To take advantage of lower cost of material and construction, the Council entered into agreement with Government on what has become known as Switch Finance in other words, a "swap". The Council would build without undue delay what Government had agreed initially to construct, all in all some 45 projects, and later, when the pressure on Government's purse is reduced, Government would then pay for other projects, thus benefiting all concerned. This plan has been the out- standing reason for the Council's progress in building. Otherwise, the list I have mentioned would not have been so impressive.
So far, from the 45 projects I have just mentioned, Government has completed 4 and 9 are under construction, and this Council took over 14 on Switch Finance.
There has been much talk at various levels of our community in regard to finances and the vast sum of money this Council has at its disposal. This is not so. This Council's main source of revenue is the 6% from the total sum of rates paid by landlords or their tenants and the only other sources of income come from various licences and fees. Therefore, after the projects on our list are completed, the Council's coffers will be somewhat dried up.
We must not forget that whatever we build and no matter what kind of amenities we provide means extra expense on manpower and maintenance, all of which will add to our recurrent expenditure in the future.
It may seem to some that undue emphasis is placed on providing recreation and amenity facilities. This indeed is so, partly because land for recreational development is more readily available, but also because
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