ENG-1999 — Page 286

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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Among service improvements, a Cross District Search service was introduced in January to enable customers to conduct a one-stop search for properties in the New Territories at the Central Search Office in the Queensway Government Offices. The Hong Kong Street Index for urban areas was also released on a CD-ROM in January. This has replaced the traditional bulky bound volumes and allows users to search data more conveniently through personal computers.

The Land Registry is committed to applying modern technology to provide the most efficient and cost-effective services to its customers. To this end, a Strategic Change Plan (SCP) was developed to advance the registry into the next millennium after a review of current operations in 1998. Under the SCP, the Land Registry envisages the amalgamation of nine existing district registration offices into a single central land registration office to provide a 'one stop' search service without geographic restrictions, and the replacement of the existing system of deeds registration with a simpler and more secure system of title registration. In May, a consultant was appointed to conduct an Information Systems Strategy Study to recommend an information technology strategy for implementing the SCP as cost effectively as possible. The study was completed in October.

Land Registration statistics are given in the Appendices.

Government Conveyancing

The Legal Advisory and Conveyancing Office of the Lands Department provides professional legal services to the Government in respect of all government land transactions and associated matters. It is responsible for the drafting of all government land disposal and acquisition documents, the apportionment of government rents (other than rents under the Government Rent (Assessment & Collection) Ordinance) and premia, and the recovery of outstanding arrears of government rents.

It provides conveyancing services to The Financial Secretary Incorporated for the extension of non-renewable leases, and The Secretary for Home Affairs Incorporated for the purchase of accommodation for welfare purposes in private developments.

The office is also responsible for processing applications for the sale of units in uncompleted developments which are subject to the Lands Department Consent Scheme and for the approval of Deeds of Mutual Covenant which, among other things, set out the rights and obligations as between the manager and co-owners of a development. In 1999, 39 applications for the sale of units in uncompleted developments involving 25 357 residential units and 55 Deeds of Mutual Covenant were approved.

To speed up the processing of applications, a circular which consolidates all the current requirements for consents to sell and another circular which contains updated guidelines for formulation of Deeds of Mutual Covenant were issued to the legal profession in June. These can also be down-loaded from the Lands Department web site by the solicitors and their clients as well as members of the public for easy reference as to current requirements. The office has continued to contract out to private solicitors some applications for approval of Deeds of Mutual Covenant.