1978 — Page 30

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is now 4 o'clock.

MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting held on 9.5.78 were confirmed.

STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN

What has the Council built in the last five years? The select committees concerned would also do well to find out in this examination whether all such new developments have been put to good use, even to determine their percentage utilisation if needed.

In effect, no fewer than 184 building projects were completed. This figure does not include many more small improvement schemes. Neither does it take into account some substantial renovation work and the routine maintenance carried out in this period. Anyway, the Council paid for 149 outright. The Government accounted for 32, according to a commitment previously entered into to do so. And, there were 3 other major projects covered by private donations, although 1 was topped up by the Council.

They were all built to improve basic municipal services or to raise the standard of community life for education and enjoyment. Thus, there are new markets, cooked food centres, hawker bazaars, refuse collection points and the like, just as there are also new parks, gardens, running tracks, swimming pools, games halls and other sports installations. All designed to enrich community life. Yet, much more land is wanted for many such public purposes. Still, land allocation by the Government is a slow and seemingly reluctant process at times while the need is obvious to all.

There are under construction at this moment 31 other works valued at $162 million. Happily, all the money is already in deposit and reserved to pay the costs. Another 195 projects are actually in the pipeline: under planning, about to go out to tender or even ready to start construction. Indeed, the Council is expected to spend $50 million on the average each year from now onwards with the prospect of even much more, now that work is contracted out to the private sector. It is prompted by the wish to hurry up completion of all approved schemes to satisfy public requirements. There is also the swell of inflation to meet, as construction costs rise sharply, menacing all financial projections. The fact remains that this outlay is actually five times the initial allowance for capital expenditure on which the Council's original rate percentage was calculated before given financial autonomy.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

The grand total is 410 different building projects. They have been constructed or are in various stages of execution, since the Council accepted responsibility for its own operations five short years ago. By and large, they are for own account and so paid for out of revenue. In other words, there is no debt at all for this substantial increase in civic assets. Such a satisfactory position requires the efficient application of the Council's financial resources all along the line with a careful ordering of priorities. More so when, contrary to popular belief, there is little or no money to spare.

By any standard, it is a gratifying building record. There is still the promise of an even better performance as the Council breaks into a sprint soon. This achievement did not come about by chance, but with vision and determination all the way. In reality, the Council made a modest start nearly two decades ago. At that time, a particular select committee was given exceptionally an independent block vote for urban amenities. Hence, the many hundreds of public sports and recreation facilities now found all over the urban areas despite serious land shortage. So extensive has been the development since then that the Council was able to hand over 216 separate amenities to the Hong Kong Housing Authority last year. This active use of the block vote continues without diminution. On the contrary, there is an existing commitment of $27.5 million at today's prices for an imaginative collection of small projects intended to make the environment more amenable. This is in addition to the $19.7 million spent in the quinquennium.

Also, the Council took advantage of the recession when it had some money in hand while the Government had a backlog of projects contracted with it before autonomy but had practically decided to defer building them. The Council then offered to start them immediately against counterpart projects to be completed by the Government in better times. This far-sighted exchange of responsibilities made in good faith, called the switch-finance arrangements, means actually that the construction of 22 different essential schemes has been expedited for public benefit with an equal number of other useful projects agreed for development in short order.

While functional select committees determine their respective basic needs and what more they would like to do for a better community life, and another select committee co-ordinates the schemes and keeps track of building progress, it is still the ultimate collegial responsibility of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council to determine priorities through the proper distribution of far from adequate resources. First, there is the question of funds; then, the recruitment and training of manpower with a variety of qualifications. Moreover, the programming of diverse activities to use such new structures to advantage has to be put in hand early.

Thus, the purposeful application of all resources to clearly identified uses with the object of giving the greatest benefit to the people is a management exercise of overriding value for a happy community life here. Moreover, the Council must be a major force in the qualitative transformation of social

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Page 30 of 135 24 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN CHAIRMAN (in English):-Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is now 4 o'clock. MINUTES The minutes of the meeting held on 9.5.78 were confirmed. STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN What has the Council built in the last five years? The select committees concerned would also do well to find out in this examination whether all such new developments have been put to good use, even to determine their percentage utilisation if needed. In effect, no fewer than 184 building projects were completed. This figure does not include many more small improvement schemes. Neither does it take into account some substantial renovation work and the routine maintenance carried out in this period. Anyway, the Council paid for 149 outright. The Government accounted for 32, according to a commitment previously entered into to do so. And, there were 3 other major projects covered by private donations, although 1 was topped up by the Council. They were all built to improve basic municipal services or to raise the standard of community life for education and enjoyment. Thus, there are new markets, cooked food centres, hawker bazaars, refuse collection points and the like, just as there are also new parks, gardens, running tracks, swimming pools, games halls and other sports installations. All designed to enrich community life. Yet, much more land is wanted for many such public purposes. Still, land allocation by the Government is a slow and seemingly reluctant process at times while the need is obvious to all. There are under construction at this moment 31 other works valued at $162 million. Happily, all the money is already in deposit and reserved to pay the costs. Another 195 projects are actually in the pipeline: under planning, about to go out to tender or even ready to start construction. Indeed, the Council is expected to spend $50 million on the average each year from now onwards with the prospect of even much more, now that work is contracted out to the private sector. It is prompted by the wish to hurry up completion of all approved schemes to satisfy public requirements. There is also the swell of inflation to meet, as construction costs rise sharply, menacing all financial projections. The fact remains that this outlay is actually five times the initial allowance for capital expenditure on which the Council's original rate percentage was calculated before given financial autonomy. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 25 The grand total is 410 different building projects. They have been constructed or are in various stages of execution, since the Council accepted responsibility for its own operations five short years ago. By and large, they are for own account and so paid for out of revenue. In other words, there is no debt at all for this substantial increase in civic assets. Such a satisfactory position requires the efficient application of the Council's financial resources all along the line with a careful ordering of priorities. More so when, contrary to popular belief, there is little or no money to spare. By any standard, it is a gratifying building record. There is still the promise of an even better performance as the Council breaks into a sprint soon. This achievement did not come about by chance, but with vision and determination all the way. In reality, the Council made a modest start nearly two decades ago. At that time, a particular select committee was given exceptionally an independent block vote for urban amenities. Hence, the many hundreds of public sports and recreation facilities now found all over the urban areas despite serious land shortage. So extensive has been the development since then that the Council was able to hand over 216 separate amenities to the Hong Kong Housing Authority last year. This active use of the block vote continues without diminution. On the contrary, there is an existing commitment of $27.5 million at today's prices for an imaginative collection of small projects intended to make the environment more amenable. This is in addition to the $19.7 million spent in the quinquennium. Also, the Council took advantage of the recession when it had some money in hand while the Government had a backlog of projects contracted with it before autonomy but had practically decided to defer building them. The Council then offered to start them immediately against counterpart projects to be completed by the Government in better times. This far-sighted exchange of responsibilities made in good faith, called the switch-finance arrangements, means actually that the construction of 22 different essential schemes has been expedited for public benefit with an equal number of other useful projects agreed for development in short order. While functional select committees determine their respective basic needs and what more they would like to do for a better community life, and another select committee co-ordinates the schemes and keeps track of building progress, it is still the ultimate collegial responsibility of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council to determine priorities through the proper distribution of far from adequate resources. First, there is the question of funds; then, the recruitment and training of manpower with a variety of qualifications. Moreover, the programming of diverse activities to use such new structures to advantage has to be put in hand early. Thus, the purposeful application of all resources to clearly identified uses with the object of giving the greatest benefit to the people is a management exercise of overriding value for a happy community life here. Moreover, the Council must be a major force in the qualitative transformation of social Page 30 Page 31 Page 31 of 135

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Page 30 of 135 24 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN CHAIRMAN (in English):-Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is now 4 o'clock. MINUTES The minutes of the meeting held on 9.5.78 were confirmed. STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN What has the Council built in the last five years? The select committees concerned would also do well to find out in this examination whether all such new developments have been put to good use, even to determine their percentage utilisation if needed. In effect, no fewer than 184 building projects were completed. This figure does not include many more small improvement schemes. Neither does it take into account some substantial renovation work and the routine main tenance carried out in this period. Anyway, the Council paid for 149 outright. The Government accounted for 32, according to a commitment previously entered into to do so. And, there were 3 other major projects covered by private donations, although 1 was topped up by the Council. They were all built to improve basic municipal services or to raise the standard of community life for education and enjoyment. Thus, there are new markets, cooked food centres, hawker bazaars, refuse collection points and the like, just as there are also new parks, gardens, running tracks, swimming pools, games halls and other sports installations. All designed enrich community life. Yet, much more land is wanted for many such public purposes. Still, land allocation by the Government is a slow and seemingly reluctant process at times while the need is obvious to all. There are under construction at this moment 31 other works valued at $162 million. Happily, all the money is already in deposit and reserved to pay the costs. Another 195 projects are actually in the pipeline: under planning, about to go out to tender or even ready to start construction. Indeed, the Council is expected to spend $50 million on the average cach year from now onwards with the prospect of even much more, now that work is contracted out to the private sector. It is prompted by the wish to hurry up completion of all approved schemes to satisfy public requirements. There is also the swell of inflation to meet, as construction costs rise sharply, menacing all financial projections. The fact remains that this outlay is actually five times the initial allowance for capital expenditure on which the Council's original rate percentage was calculated before given financial autonomy. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL Page 30 of 135 25 The grand total is 410 different building projects. They have been con- structed or are in various stages of execution, since the Council accepted responsibility for its own operations five short years ago. By and large, they are for own account and so paid for out of revenue. In other words, there is no debt at all for this substantial increase in civic assets. Such a satisfactory position requires the efficient application of the Council's financial resources all along the line with a careful ordering of priorities. More so when, contrary to popular belief, there is little or no money to spare. By any standard, it is a gratifying building record. There is still the promise of an even better performance as the Council breaks into a sprint soon. This achievement did not come about by chance, but with vision and determination all the way. In reality, the Council made a modest start nearly two decades particular select committee was given exceptionally an ago. At that time, a independent block vote for urban amenities. Hence, the many hundreds of public sports and recreation facilities now found all over the urban areas despite serious land shortage. So extensive has been the development since then that the Council was able to hand over 216 separate amenities to the Hong Kong Housing Authority last year. This active use of the block vote continues without diminution. On the contrary, there is an existing commit- ment of $27.5 million at today's prices for an imaginative collection of small projects intended to make the environment more amenable. This is in addition to the $19.7 million spent in the quinquennium. Also, the Council took advantage of the recession when it had some money in hand while the Government had a backlog of projects contracted with it before autonomy but had practically decided to defer building them. The Council then offered to start them immediately against counterpart projects to be completed by the Government in better times. This far-sighted exchange of responsibilities made in good faith, called the switch-finance arrangements, means actually that the construction of 22 different essential schemes has been expedited for public benefit with an equal number of other useful projects agreed for development in short order. While functional select committees determine their respective basic needs and what more they would like to do for a better community life, and another select committee co-ordinates the schemes and keeps track of building pro- gress, it is still the ultimate collegial responsibility of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council to determine priorities through the proper distribution of far from adequate resources. First, there is the question of funds; then, the recruitment and training of manpower with a variety of qualifications. More- over, the programming of diverse activities to use such new structures to advantage has to be put in hand carly. Thus, the purposeful application of all resources to clearly identified uses with the object of giving the greatest benefit to the people is a management exercise of overriding value for a happy community life here. Moreover, the Council must be a major force in the qualitative transformation of social Page 30Page 31 Page 31 of 135

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Page 30 of 135

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is now

4 o'clock.

MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting held on 9.5.78 were confirmed.

STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN

In effect, no fewer than 184 building projects were completed. This figure does not include many more small improvement schemes. Neither does it take into account some substantial renovation work and the routine main tenance carried out in this period. Anyway, the Council paid for 149 outright. The Government accounted for 32, according to a commitment previously entered into to do so. And, there were 3 other major projects covered by private donations, although 1 was topped up by the Council.

They were all built to improve basic municipal services or to raise the standard of community life for education and enjoyment. Thus, there are new markets, cooked food centres, hawker bazaars, refuse collection points and the like, just as there are also new parks, gardens, running tracks, swimming pools, games halls and other sports installations. All designed enrich community life. Yet, much more land is wanted for many such public purposes. Still, land allocation by the Government is a slow and seemingly reluctant process at times while the need is obvious to all.

There are under construction at this moment 31 other works valued at $162 million. Happily, all the money is already in deposit and reserved to pay the costs. Another 195 projects are actually in the pipeline: under planning, about to go out to tender or even ready to start construction. Indeed, the Council is expected to spend $50 million on the average cach year from now onwards with the prospect of even much more, now that work is contracted out to the private sector. It is prompted by the wish to hurry up completion of all approved schemes to satisfy public requirements. There is also the swell of inflation to meet, as construction costs rise sharply, menacing all financial projections. The fact remains that this outlay is actually five times the initial allowance for capital expenditure on which the Council's original rate percentage was calculated before given financial autonomy.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 30 of 135

The grand total is 410 different building projects. They have been con- structed or are in various stages of execution, since the Council accepted responsibility for its own operations five short years ago. By and large, they are for own account and so paid for out of revenue. In other words, there is no debt at all for this substantial increase in civic assets. Such a satisfactory position requires the efficient application of the Council's financial resources all along the line with a careful ordering of priorities. More so when, contrary to popular belief, there is little or no money to spare.

By any standard, it is a gratifying building record. There is still the promise of an even better performance as the Council breaks into a sprint soon. This achievement did not come about by chance, but with vision and determination all the way. In reality, the Council made a modest start nearly two decades particular select committee was given exceptionally an ago. At that time, a independent block vote for urban amenities. Hence, the many hundreds of public sports and recreation facilities now found all over the urban areas despite serious land shortage. So extensive has been the development since then that the Council was able to hand over 216 separate amenities to the Hong Kong Housing Authority last year. This active use of the block vote continues without diminution. On the contrary, there is an existing commit- ment of $27.5 million at today's prices for an imaginative collection of small projects intended to make the environment more amenable. This is in addition to the $19.7 million spent in the quinquennium.

While functional select committees determine their respective basic needs and what more they would like to do for a better community life, and another select committee co-ordinates the schemes and keeps track of building pro- gress, it is still the ultimate collegial responsibility of the Standing Committee of the Whole Council to determine priorities through the proper distribution of far from adequate resources. First, there is the question of funds; then, the recruitment and training of manpower with a variety of qualifications. More- over, the programming of diverse activities to use such new structures to advantage has to be put in hand carly.

1978 — Page 30

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