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# PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
staff to a new workplace as near their residing districts as possible, provided that the operational needs can be met.
In the fifth part of the question, Mr. CHIANG asks whether staff members posted to workplaces relatively far from their residing districts will be given travelling allowance and if yes, the amount of the expenditure in this regard during 1997/98. Under Civil Service Regulations 731, an officer may claim partial reimbursement of the travelling expenses for his home-to-office journey if his place of work is outside the urban area (i.e. Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon). As far as the Urban Services Department is concerned, the absolute majority of the Department's workplaces are in the urban area, and only a small number of staff members who work in the Music Office may be required to work outside the urban area. These staff members may claim partial reimbursement of the travelling expenses for their home-to-office journeys in accordance with the above regulation. During 1997/98, the Urban Services Department's expenditure in this regard was $9,290.
The sixth part of the question asks about the ranks of staff to whom the answers for (a) to (e) are applicable. The answers for (a) to (e) are applicable to all members of the various grades in the Department, including the municipal services grades, e.g. Health Inspectors, Supervisors, Hawker Control Officers, Managers (Cultural Services), Amenities Officers and Recreation and Sports Officers; the General Grades and the Model Scale I grade, as well as staff seconded from other departments.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): Does anyone want to ask further about this question? If not, we now return to question one. Mr. Wu Chi-wai, please.
(1) MR. WU CHI-WAI asked the following question (in Cantonese): 'As Secretary for the Treasury has clearly indicated that the Council's expenditure should be based on the percentage of rates grant established during the 'triennium negotiations on rates revenues', I have the following questions:
(a) Has the Council conducted any independent forecast on the property market in the next two years? If yes, what is the estimated rates revenue? What is the result of the Rating and Valuation Department's forecast on the property market in the next two years? If there are differences in estimations between the two, what are the reasons?
(b) Is the level of the estimated rates revenue lower than the Council's revised budget? If yes, apart from the measures already implemented to raise revenue and cut down costs, are there any further plans of this sort? If yes, what are the concrete plans?'
Mr. Chiang Sai-cheong, Chairman of the Finance Select Committee, replied as follows (in Cantonese): Mr. Wu Chi-wai's question is divided into two parts. The first part concerns whether the Council has conducted an independent forecast on the property market in the next two years and if yes,
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Page 270 of 606
Tage 270 of 606
26-4
PROVISIONAL URBAN council
staff to a new workplace as near their residing districts as possible, provided that the operational needs can be met.
In the fifth part of the question, Mr. CHIANG asks whether staff members posted to workplaces relatively far from their residing districts will be given travelling allowance and if yes, the amount of the expenditure in this regard during 1997/98. Under Civil Service Regulations 731, an officer may claim partial reimbursement of the travelling expenses for his home-to-office journey if his place of work is outside the urban area (i.e. Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon). As far as the Urban Services Department is concerned, the absolute majority of the Department's workplaces are in the urban area, and only a small number of staff members who work in the Music Office may be required to work outside the urban area. These staff members may claim partial reimbursement of the travelling expenses for their home-to-office journeys in accordance with the above regulation. During 1997/98, the Urban Services Department's expenditure in this regard was $9,290.
The sixth part of the question asks about the ranks of staff to whom the answers for (a) to (e) are applicable. The answers for (a) to (e) are applicable to all members of the various grades in the Department, including the municipal services grades, e.g. Health Inspectors. Supervisors. Hawker Control Officers. Managers (Cultural Services), Amenities Officers and Recreation and Sports Officers; the General Grades and the Model Scale I grade, as well as staff seconded from other departments.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-Does anyone want to ask further about this question? If not, we now return to question onc. Mr. Wu Chi-wai, please.
(1) MR. Wu CHI-WAI asked the following question (in Cantonese):- 'As Secretary for the Treasury has clearly indicated that the Council's expenditure should be based on the percentage of rates grant established during the 'triennium negotiations on rates revenues', I have the following questions:
(a) Has the Council conducted any independent forecast on the property market in the next two years? If yes, what is the estimated rates revenue? What is the result of the Rating and Valuation Department's forecast on the property market in the next two years? If there are differences in estimations between the two, what are the reasons?
(b) Is the level of the estimated rates revenue lower than the Council's revised budget? If yes, apart from the measures already implemented to raise revenue and cut down costs, are there any further plans of this sort? If yes, what are the concrete plans?'
Mr. Chiang Sal-cheong, Chairman of the Finance Select CommitteE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-Mr. Wu Chi-wai's question is divided into two parts. The first part concerns whether the Council has conducted an independent forecast on the property market in the next two years and if yes,
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