HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
105
overseas groups through meetings arranged by us. I therefore believe that through staging performances of overseas groups in Hong Kong, it will definitely help to improve the artistic level of local performing companies. Apart from that, it will also enhance the art appreciation standard of the local people as well. This point is equally important.
(2) MISS ADA WONG YING-KAY asked the following question (in Cantonese): The Director of Audit's Report No. 22 and the Legislative Council's Public Accounts Committee Report No. 22 have commented and made a number of recommendations on the operation of URBTIX system, such as the need to achieve full recovery of the operation costs. In this connection, I have the following questions:
(a) Is the principle of seeking gradual full cost recovery of the URBTIX system a policy already approved by the Council? If the answer is 'yes', is it possible at present to set a time-table for achieving full cost recovery?
(b) Of the total tickets sold through the URBTIX system, more than 50% of the tickets sold (approximately 2.15 million tickets) were for the hirers to organise their activities and the majority of these activities were of profit-making nature (such as concerts and the Phantom of the Opera, etc). Given that the Council's subsidy is about $3 for each ticket sold (subsidy rate is 48.5%), may I know whether it is an agreed Council policy to subsidise such profit-making and commercial activities?
(c) Since the Council receives a percentage of the gate receipts as venue hire charges to ensure its income, the expenditure incurred from ticket sale through URBTIX should be regarded as one of the venue management expenses. Why has the Council failed to reflect this in its account and deduct the cost of $6 per ticket from the venue hire charges for inclusion in the income of the URBTIX Office so as to enable the URBTIX system to achieve the principle of cost recovery?
(d) Has the Council reviewed the effectiveness and productivity of the URBTIX system in accordance with the recommendations of the Director of Audit and the Legislative Council and the decision of the Urban Council Public Accounts Committee? Has the improved computer system of the URBTIX come into operation? Is the new system able to increase productivity?
MR. SUEN KAI-CHEONG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This four-part question concerns the recommendations of the Director of Audit's Report No. 22 on the URBTIX System.
The first part of the question asks whether it is the Council's policy to seek a gradual full cost recovery of the URBTIX system and whether it is possible to set a time-table for achieving this.
Page 392 of 485
Page 392 of 485
Page 392 of 485
Page 392 of 485
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
105
overseas groups through meetings arranged by us. I therefore believe that through staging performances of overseas groups in Hong Kong, it will definitely help to improve the artistic level of local performing companies. Apart from that, it will also enhance the art appreciation standard of the local people as well. This point is equally important.
(2) MISS ADA WONG YING-KAY asked the following question (in Cantonese): The Director of Audit's Report No. 22 and the Legislative Council's Public Accounts Committee Report No. 22 have commented and made a number of recommendations on the operation of URBTIX system, such as the need to achieve full recovery of the operation costs. In this connection, I have the following questions:
(a) Is the principle of seeking gradual full cost recovery of the URBTIX system a policy already approved by the Council? If the answer is 'yes', is it possible at present to set a time-table for achieving full cost recovery? (b) of the total tickets sold through the URBTIX system, more than 50% of
the tickets sold (approximately 2.15 million tickets) were for the hirers to organise their activities and the majority of these activities were of profit making nature (such as concerts and the Phantom of the Opera, etc). Given that the Council's subsidy is about $3 for each ticket sold (subsidy rate is 48.5%), may I know whether it is an agreed Council policy to subsidise such profit making and commercial activities?
(c) Since the Council receives a percentage of the gate receipts as venue hire charges to ensure its income, the expenditure incurred from ticket sale through URBTIX should be regarded as one of the venue management expenses. Why has the Council failed to reflect this in its account and deduct the cost of $6 per ticket from the venue hire charges for inclusion in the income of the URBTIX Office so us to enable the URBTIX system to achieve the principle of cost recovery?
(d) Has the Council reviewed the effectiveness and productivity of the URBTIX system in accordance with the recommendations of the Director of Audit and the Legislative Council and the decision of the Urban Council Public Accounts Committee? Has the improved computer system of the URBTIX come into operation? Is the new system able to increase productivity?
MR. SUEN KAI-CHEONG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This four-part question concerns the recommendations of the Director of Audit's Report No. 22 on the URBTIX System.
The first part of the question asks whether it is the Council's policy to seek a gradual full cost recovery of the URBTIX system and whether it is possible to set a time-table for achieving this.
Page 392 of 485
Page 392 of 485
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.