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(b) Have effective steps been taken to ensure the maximum liaison and co-operation with Sports Bodies in the utiliza- tion and development of sporting amenities? (c) Is the Council satisfied with the staffing and management arrangements in its Recreational and Amenities areas of responsibility, and is the Council planning any further expansion of activities in this field?

MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):

In reply to part (a) of the question, it has always been the Council's policy to encourage the most effective use of Recreation and Amenities facilities, and to make such facilities readily available to the maximum number of people for training and recreation purposes. To this end, booking procedures for the various facilities are frequently reviewed in order to ensure that they operate fairly and encourage maximum utilization. For example, proposals for streamlining the procedure for booking indoor games halls, will be put to the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee later this month. Furthermore, recreational facilities, such as swimming pools and football pitches, are offered either free or at a concessionary rate to recognized sports bodies for training purposes.

I should add that the Council's budget for "Public Recreation" has been increased from $0.5 million in the last financial year to $2 million this financial year, thereby enabling the Council to promote or sponsor a large number of recreational and training programmes, including athletics, tennis, football coaching, gymnastics, baseball and volley. ball coaching, learn-to-swim classes, cycling, tai chi, and other popular games and sports.

In reply to part (b) of the question, to ensure maximum liaison and co-operation with various sports bodies, the Council has set up a Recreation Sub-Committee, as well as 8 "Standards" Sub-Committees, on which various recognised sports bodies, the Recreation and Sport Service and the physical Education Section of the Education Department,

as

well as Urban Councillors and USD staff are represented. Their function is to advise the Council, through the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee, on the optimum utilization and development of various

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sporting facilities. Staff of the Urban Services Depart- ment maintain close working contacts with sports bodies and other Government Departments concerned, to ensure that there is effective co-ordination and good co-operation at the operational level.

In reply to part (c) of the question regarding staffing and management arrangements, the senior management of the Department maintains a close watch on staffing needs and management techniques, and takes steps to bring about improvements wherever this is found to be necessary. For example, there is an active programme for the training of officers in the Amenities Grade. 3 Amenities Officers will be sent to the U.K. for training in Park and Recreational Management this September, while another 3 will be returning from Australia next February after an intensive horticultural training course. Other local training courses are organized from time to time.

On the question of staffing needs, a Chief Executive Officer post has been proposed to head the Recreation and Amenities grade, so as to facilitate co-ordination of services at present divided between the Gardens, Recreation and Swimming sections of the Department. When the post is approved and an officer has been appointed, it is intended that he should conduct an overall review of the staffing and management arrangements as soon as possible, and to make recommendations to the Director of Urban Services for the improvement and further development of the Council's Recreation and Amenities services.

MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-May I ask, in the light of the increased budget, whether any plan of development in sports and recrea- tional facilities and training has yet been presented to the Standing Committee?

MR. Lo (in English):—Mr. Chairman, not for the Standing Com- mittee, but I believe that the Recreation Sub-Committee, of which Mr. F. K. HU is Chairman, is actively looking into the matter.

MR. MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, in view of the importance of this area of activity, would it not be appropriate for other members of the Council, through the Standing Committee, also to be invited to comment?

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