Page 4 of 95
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 1990, were confirmed.
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of March 1990.
STATEMENT
MR. PAO PING-WING, CHAIRMAN OF THE CAPITAL WORKS SELECT COMMITTEE (in English):-Mr. Chairman, Members are aware that the Standing Committee of the Whole Council has recently approved a new approach to regulate the capital works expenditures for the coming four years, i.e. from 1990-91 to 1993-94, at about 15% of the anticipated revenue for the period. This, in terms of cash expenditures, will mean about $520m will be spent on average annually on capital works.
Under the new approach, a priority system for capital works projects has been introduced to categorise projects into respective 'High', 'Medium' and 'Low' priorities, and it is proposed to proceed with projects rated 'High' and 'Medium' only in order to achieve the target capital expenditure at about $520m annually.
Out of the total 151 projects currently in the Urban Council 5-year Capital Works Programme, only 26 projects are rated 'Low' in priority and these projects will be deferred by one year in their anticipated start date. The factors taken into account in according a 'Low' priority to any project include:
(a) adequacy of similar facilities in the District or Region, (b) the public demand for such facilities,
(c) the degree of the urgency in having them as reflected by comments from the community; and
(d) the readiness of the projects to go ahead having regard to land availability etc.
In this connection, it is relevant to note that 13 of these 'Low' priority projects are scheduled to start construction in 1991-92, 7 in 1992–93 and 6 in 1993–94. In other words, the impact of the priority system will only be felt in the year after 1991-92. Notwithstanding, it must be pointed out that the priority of all capital works projects would be subject to regular reviews of the Council and their priorities adjusted accordingly, should the circumstances so require.
All functional Select Committees have carefully examined the impact of the deferment of these 26 projects and are satisfied that they should have no adverse effect on the services provided by the Council. Planning works for these projects will proceed as normal except the commencement of construction will be deferred by one year. Regular reviews will also be carried out by the Capital Works Select Committee to assess and adjust the priority of all projects in the Programme, and this, when coupled with the normal processing of planning works, will ensure that no urgent project will be delayed.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
QUESTIONS
1. MR. ARTHUR CHAM YAU-TONG asked the following question (in Cantonese): Can the Council be informed on the time period when hot water is provided in the public bathhouses and is there sufficient flexibility to accommodate extreme cold weather outside that time period?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-Mr. Chairman, Mr. CHAM's question inquires about the hours of supplying hot water in our public bathhouses.
Hot water is provided to public bathhouses when the temperature first drops to 20°C or below in November. The supply of hot water ceases in April in the following year when the temperature at 7.00 a.m. is recorded at 25°C or above continuously for 3 days.
The Department, having regard to the prevailing weather condition, exercises discretion in providing hot water to public bathhouses outside the normal supply period between November and April in the following year. In general, flexibility is applied to the public's convenience.
Mr. CHAM may also be interested to know that some of our public bathhouses are not well utilized. There are altogether 42 public bathhouses in the urban area. The average usage rate per day for each bathhouse is about 20 to 25 persons. For some of the less used bathhouses, the Department may examine on individual merits to phase out some of them if the usage rate is low. The cost of keeping and maintaining a bathhouse is about $3,000 a month. If we really want to look at value for money, then we have to think very seriously about some of the bathhouses with a lower usage rate.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
(Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG and Mr. Frederick K. K. FUNG arrived at 2:33 p.m.)
Page 4 of 95
Page 4 of 95
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 1990, were confirmed.
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and
Secertary, Urban Council, for the month of March 1990.
STATEMENT
MR. PAO PING-WING, CHAIRMAN OF THE CAPITAL WORKS SELECT COMMITTEE (in English):Mr. Chairman, Members are aware that the Standing Committee of the Whole Council has recently approved a new approach to regulate the capital works expenditures for the coming four years, i.e. from 1990-91 to 1993-94, at about 15% of the anticipated revenue for the period. This, in term of cash expenditures, will mean about $520m will be spent on average annually on capital works.
Under the new approach, a priority system for capital works projects has been introduced to categorise projects into respective 'High', 'Medium' and 'Low' priorities, and it is proposed to proceed with projects rated 'High' and 'Medium' only in order to achieve the target Capital expenditure at about $520m annually.
Out of the total 151 projects currently in the Urban Council 5-year Capital Works Programme, only 26 projects are rated 'Low' in priority and these projects will be deferred by one year in their anticipated start date. The factors taken into account in according a 'Low' priority to any project include:
(a) adequacy of similar facilities in the District or Region, (b) the pubic demand of such facilities,
(c) the degree of the urgency in having them as reflected by comments from
the community; and
(d) the readiness of the projects to go ahead having regard to land
availability etc.
In this connection, it is relevant to note that 13 of these 'Low' priority projects are scheduled to start construction in 1991-92, 7 in 1992–93 and 6 in 1993–94. In other words the impact of priority system will only be felt in the year after 1991-92. Notwithstanding, it must be pointed out that the priority of
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 4 of 95
3
all capital works projects would be subject to regular reviews of the Council and their priorities adjusted accordingly, should the circumstance so require.
All functional Select Committees have carefully examined the impact of the deferment of these 26 projects and are satisfied that they should have no adverse effect on the services provided by the Council. Planning works for these projects will proceed as normal except the commencement of construction will be deferred by one year. Regular reviews will also be carried out by the Capital Works Select Committee to assess and adjust priority of all projects in the Programme, and this when coupled with the normal processing of planning works, will ensure that no urgent project will be delayed.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
QUESTIONS
1. MR. ARTHUR CHAM YAU-TONG asked the following question (in Cantonese): Can the Council be informed on the time period when hot water is provided in the public bathhouses and is there sufficient flexibility to accommodate extreme cold weather outside that time period?
DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-Mr. Chairman, Mr. CHAM'S question inquires about the hours of supplying hot water in our public bathhouses.
Hot water is provided to public bathhouses when the temperature first drops to 20°C or below in November. The supply of hot water ceases in April in the following year when the temperature at 7.00 a.m. is recorded at 25°C or above continuously for 3 days.
The Department, having regard to the prevailing weather condition, exercises discretion in providing hot water to public bathhouses outside the normal supply period between November and April in the following year. In general, flexibility is applied to the public's convenience.
Mr. CHAM may also be interested to know that some of our public bathhouses are not well utilized. There are altogether 42 public bathhouses in the urban area. The average usage rate per day for each bathhouse is about 20 to 25 persons. For some of the less used bathhouses, the Department may examine on individual merits to phase out some of them if the usage rate is low. The cost of keeping and maintaining a bathhouse is about $3,000 a month. If we really want to look at value for money, then we have to think very seriously about some of the bathhouses with lower usage rate.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
(Miss Cecilia L. Y. YEUNG and Mr. Frederick K. K. FUNG arrived at 2.33 p.m.)
Page 4 of 9
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