Minutes of the 7Th Meeting of the Vetting Committee Eastern District Council

Minutes of the 7th Meeting of the Vetting Committee Eastern District Council

Date : 28 February 2017 (Tuesday) Time : 2:30 pm Venue: Eastern District Council (EDC) Conference Room

Present Time of Arrival Time of Departure (pm) (pm) Mr TING Kong-ho, Eddie 2:30 end of meeting Mr WONG Chi-chung, Dominic 2:30 end of meeting Mr WONG Chun-sing, Patrick 2:30 end of meeting Mr KU Kwai-yiu 2:30 end of meeting Mr HO Ngai-kam, Stanley 2:30 end of meeting Mr LAM Sum-lim 2:30 end of meeting Mr LAM Kei-tung, George 2:30 3:30 Mr HUNG Lin-cham 2:30 end of meeting Mr CHUI Chi-kin 2:45 end of meeting Mr CHEUNG Kwok-cheong, Howard 2:35 end of meeting Mr LEUNG Siu-sun, Patrick 2:30 end of meeting Mr LEUNG Kwok-hung, David 2:30 end of meeting Mr MAK Tak-ching 2:30 end of meeting Mr WONG Kin-pan, BBS, MH, JP 2:30 4:10 Mr YEUNG Sze-chun 2:30 end of meeting Mr CHIU Ka-yin, Andrew 2:30 end of meeting Mr CHIU Chi-keung 2:30 end of meeting Mr LAU Hing-yeung 2:30 end of meeting Mr CHENG Chi-sing 2:30 end of meeting Mr LAI Chi-keong, Joseph 2:30 end of meeting Mr NGAN Chun-lim, MH 2:30 end of meeting Mr LO Wing-kwan, Frankie, MH (Chairman) 2:30 end of meeting Mr FAN Hai-tai (Co-opted Member) 2:30 end of meeting

Absent with Apologies

Mr HUI Lam-hing (Vice-chairman) (absent with consent) Mr NG Kwan-yuk (Co-opted Member)

1 In Regular Attendance (Government Representatives)

Miss NGAI Lai-ying, Angora Assistant District Officer (Eastern)1, Eastern District Office Miss WAH Pui-yee, Vivian Senior Executive Officer (District Council), Eastern District Office Miss HAU Tsun-tsun, Kenix Executive Officer I (District Council)1, (Secretary) Eastern District Office

In Attendance by Invitation (Representatives from the Government and Organisations)

Miss TANG Wai-yan, Zoe Manager (Hong Kong East) Marketing, Programme and District Activities, Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Opening Remarks

The Chairman welcomed all Members and Government representatives to the meeting.

I. Confirmation of the draft minutes of the 6th meeting of the Vetting Committee (“VC”)

2. VC confirmed the above draft minutes without any amendments.

II. Review of the Guidelines on the “Eastern District Community Involvement Project Subsidy Scheme” under District Council Funds (VC Paper No. 8/17)

3. The Secretary briefed the meeting on Paper No. 8/17.

4. The Chairman invited Members to declare their interests.

(i) Suggestions made by VC and its working group (Annex 1)

Standards for Reviewing Individual Activity Fund Applications which might be Duplicated

2 Action

5. The Chairman added that VC had considered Paragraph 6.3.9 (n) of the Guidelines on the “Eastern District Community Involvement Project Subsidy Scheme” under District Council Funds (“Guidelines”) in the past year in vetting the funding applications by individual organisations which carried out similar activities and that future applications could still be vetted according to the relevant standards.

6. After discussion, VC resolved to keep the original provisions unchanged.

Arrangements for Sale / Distribution of Tickets

7. The Chairman added that with regards to the concern of Member(s) over the arrangements for the sale/distribution of tickets in private housing estates in the past year, the Secretariat suggested requesting applicant organisations to provide, in their funding applications, an account of the arrangements for the sale/distribution of tickets, publicity and promotion, including whether or not it was not necessary to apply for permission for the sale/distribution or such application had been approved (refer to item (X) of Annex 2 of this Paper). He also used those “three-nil” buildings (i.e. buildings which do not have an owners’ corporation or any form of residents groups and have not engaged any property management company) as an example and pointed out that it was not necessary to apply for permission in some of the places where tickets were sold or distributed.

8. The views and queries of 15 Members about the issue are summarised as follows:

(a) Mr NGAN Chun-lim pointed out that participants who were interested in the activities might be able to visit the addresses of the organisations situated in units of private housing estates in the capacity of visitors to buy and collect tickets. In addition, he pointed out that should the addresses of the organisations situated in units of private housing estates not be permitted to sell or distribute tickets, the organisations could still arrange for the distribution of tickets by other means, such as by post etc.

(b) Mr KU Kwai-yiu concurred with the amendment proposal. In addition, he proposed to require applicant organisations to provide relevant reasons for not having to apply for permission for VC’s consideration.

Action (c) Mr WONG Kin-pan indicated that Paragraph 9.2 of the Guidelines was intended to oversee whether the organisations could sell or distribute not less than 80 % of the participation or admission tickets publicly and if the organisations were in breach of the requirements of the Guidelines, VC could consider not reimbursing the organisations. He deemed that requiring the applicant organisations to provide, in their funding applications, an account of the arrangements for the sale/distribution of tickets, publicity and promotion and of whether the necessary permission had been obtained could regulate the organisations. He also agreed that the organisations should be required to provide reasons for not having to apply for permission. He also indicated that the organisations could promote their activities through distributing pamphlets and dealing with the sale/distribution of tickets by means such as by post and so forth.

(d) Mr Joseph LAI was worried that if organisations could not obtain the approval of related management units to sell or distribute tickets in private housing estate units, it would render participants interested in the activities unable to buy or obtain participation tickets or admission tickets easily and thus making it difficult for the organisation to comply with the provision of Paragraph 9.2 of the Guidelines that 80 % of the participation or admission tickets had to be sold or distributed at the designated places for the sale/distribution of tickets. Therefore, he was in favour of the proposal.

(e) Mr CHENG Chi-sing was concerned with the organisations’ arrangements in selling or distributing tickets in commercial cum residential buildings.

(f) Mr Dominic WONG thought that VC did not have the authority to interfere with the organisations’ sale/distribution of tickets in private housing estate units. He was worried that the above proposal might cause inconvenience to applicant organisations.

(g) Mr Stanley HO thought that where participants visited the addresses of the organisations situated in units of private housing estates in the capacity of visitors to buy and collect tickets, it was not necessary for them to obtain approval of the management units and if the arrangements of the organisations were in breach of the provisions of the mutual covenants of the estates, related management units could

Action take legal action and such breach should not be dealt with by the District Council. He reiterated that VC should vet whether the organisations would comply with the requirements in the Guidelines for sale/distribution of tickets publicly and ensure that the activities would not only benefit a small group of people.

(h) Mr Andrew CHIU indicated that the practice of individual District Councils to provide guidelines specifying the selling or distribution of tickets must be done at places where the local residents were free to come and go was preferable. He also thought that if it was necessary to pass by the management offices before entering the addresses of the organisations situated in units of private housing estates to buy and collect tickets, it would be difficult for intending participants to buy and collect tickets and in turn making it difficult to meet the requirements of the Guidelines that tickets had to be sold or distributed publicly. He agreed with the related amendment proposal and concurred that the organisations should be required to provide reasons for not having to apply for permission. He concurred that it would not be necessary to obtain permission for sale/distribution of tickets in “three-nil” buildings and that supplementary information submitted would be helpful to the consideration as to whether the requirements of selling or distributing tickets publicly could be met. In addition, he hoped that the Guidelines would provide a more concrete definition of the term “management units” in the proposed amendments so that the organisations could fill in the related items in the application forms correctly.

(i) Mr CHUI Chi-kin indicated that there were different views among VC Members on the definition of “selling or distributing publicly” in the Guidelines. He thought that it was necessary to obtain legal advice.

(j) Mr LAM Sum-lim indicated that whether participants could visit the addresses of the organisations situated in units of private housing estate in the capacity of visitors to buy and collect tickets often depended on whether they would be permitted by the residents of the units rather than on the approval of the management units. It would be unreasonable, in the absence of sufficient grounds, to question the organisations’ inability to comply with the requirement of the Guidelines on selling or distributing tickets publicly.

Action (k) Mr HUNG Lin-cham indicated that the current guidelines were based on the “Manual on the Use of DC Funds” of the Home Affairs Department and would be amended in due course. He thought that the above proposal could be approved at this stage first and appropriate amendments could be made according to circumstances later. He stressed that if a funding application did not comply with the provisions of the Guidelines, VC could reject that application.

(l) Mr Eddie TING expressed his understanding of the concern of some of the Members over the sale/distribution of tickets in private housing estate units, but thought that in the absence of substantive evidence, it should not be concluded that the organisations had failed to meet the Guidelines’ requirement of selling or distributing not less than 80% of participation tickets or admission tickets. In addition, he thought that VC could consider allowing the organisations to sell or distribute the tickets by post.

(m) Mr CHIU Chi-keung indicated that after the implementation of the proposed amendments, the effects of the implementation could be reviewed. He also indicated that generally speaking, intending participants visiting private housing estate units in the capacity of visitors for collecting tickets would not be obstructed and thought that if there was true and solid evidence to show that the organisations could not sell or distribute not less than 80 % of participation tickets or admission tickets in the designated places publicly, VC could reject their funding applications.

(n) Mr Howard CHEUNG thought that the relevant department(s) should obtain legal advice for Members’ reference.

(o) The Chairman indicated that the current guidelines had been in use for many years and had been effective all along. Also, the amendments on the Guidelines did not involve legal issues and therefore, it was not necessary to obtain legal advice. He thought that VC had the authority to request the organisations to sell or distribute not less than 80% of participation tickets or admission tickets publicly, but had no authority to stop the organisations from carrying out the activities of selling or distributing tickets in the private housing estate units; relevant matters ought to be dealt with by the corresponding management units. In addition, he indicated that with regards to commercial buildings,

Action buildings of both commercial and residential use as well as private housing estates, the purchase or collection of tickets by participants at the above premises in the capacity of visitors would not be subject to the restriction of the management units. He also thought that the organisations could decide on their own means of selling or distributing participation tickets or admission tickets, such as by collecting the ticket(s) at the organisations’ addresses in person, by post or email etc. The organisations would report in the activity reports whether related guidelines had been complied with. He was in favour of the amendment proposal of requiring the organisations to provide reasons for not having to apply for permission. With regards to the term “management unit(s)”, he thought that the term was sufficient to cover units such as mutual aid committees, owners’ committees, owners’ corporations as well as management companies.

9. After discussion and voting, the amendments of the requirements under item (X) of Annex 2 of this Paper that the applicant organisations had to provide, in their funding applications, an account of the arrangements for sale/distribution of tickets, publicity and promotion and of whether or not it was not necessary to obtain permission or permission had been obtained and in the circumstances of not having to apply for permission, provide reasons therefor was passed by VC with 15 votes in favour, 0 against and 1 abstention.

(ii) Amendment proposal put forward by the Secretariat of EDC

10. The views and queries of 3 Members about the issue are summarised as follows:

(a) Mr Andrew CHIU indicated that the expenses on promotional banners would vary according to their sizes, and the amount of the current subsidy should not be applicable to banners much smaller than 3 feet x 8 feet.

(b) Mr David LEUNG queried whether the movable plate placed on the window(s) of coach(es) could show the name(s) of the travel agencies which undertook the activities.

(c) Mr KU Kwai-yiu pointed out that the fee(s) of coach(es) had been revised under item (viii) and enquired whether the amount of the related subsidy would be increased this year.

Action

11. The Chairman indicated that the maximum amount of subsidy set out in Schedule 1 to the Guidelines was applicable to promotional banners with the common size of 3 feet x 8 feet and the actual amount of the subsidy would be reimbursed to the organisations on the basis of actual amount spent and reported. The Secretary added that currently, the movable plate placed on the window(s) of coach(es) showed the name(s) of the travel agencies which undertook the activities. In addition, the fee amendment proposal under item (viii) was to update the current actual maximum amount of the subsidy of each of the vehicle carrying 40 people or more. The relevant maximum amount of the subsidy had not been increased.

12. After discussion, VC approved all the provisions and amendments put forward as well as the amended arrangement on the declarations of interests in the vetting of applications for District Council Funds.

(Post-meeting Note: EDC endorsed in the meeting of 7th March 2017 the relevant amended arrangement on the declaration of interests in the vetting of funding applications.)

(iii) Arrangements for Delegation of Authority Previously Approved and Newly Added by VC (Annex 3)

13. The views and queries of 3 Members about the issue are summarised as follows:

(a) Mr Andrew CHIU proposed to add under item 2 of delegation of authority the provision that where the Chairman or Vice-Chairman could not attend individual activities, he/she could appoint Member(s) to oversee such activities.

(b) Mr Joseph LAI enquired whether the Member(s) on duty still needed to be responsible to complete an activity report where the Chairman or Vice-Chairman had arranged the Member(s) on duty to attend activities and to play the role of monitoring such activities.

(c) Mr CHUI Chi-kin was concerned about the method of handling the discrepancies between the activity report of the Member(s) on duty and the opinions of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman.

Action 14. The Chairman replied that item 2 of delegation of authority meant that in addition to the Member(s) on duty, the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman could supervise individual activities where necessary to strengthen monitoring, and VC had agreed on the related arrangements for delegation of authority in the past. He indicated that if the Chairman and Vice-Chairman had any views after attending activities, he/she could put them forward to the Secretariat and in the end, VC would still rely on the activity report of the Member(s) on duty as the basis.

15. After discussion, VC approved to continue with the arrangements for delegation of authority under item 1 to item 4 and the newly added arrangements for delegation of authority proposed under item 5 in the Paper, which meant authorising the Chairman or the Vice-Chairman of VC to review the revised estimated number of participants (more than or less than 25 % of the original estimated number of participants); details of sale/distribution of tickets; and applications for payment in advance to simplify the handling of relevant application procedure, whereas changes relating to revisions of less than 25 % of the estimated number of participants would only need to be recorded on file.

(Post meeting Note: The Secretariat uploaded the Guidelines on the “Eastern District Community Involvement Project Subsidy Scheme” under District Council Funds of the year 2017/18 onto the webpage of the EDC in March 2017.)

III. Discussion on how to Handle Cases Which Do Not Meet the Criteria for Reimbursement of Expenses (VC Paper No. 1/17)

16. The Secretary briefed the meeting on Paper No. 1/17.

17. The Chairman invited Members to declare their interests.

(i) Regarding cases in which the Acknowledgement to commercial and personal sponsors were placed before the names of EDC or the Home Affairs Department

“Nang Fung Sun Chuen Autumn Tour 2016” by “The Incorporated Owners of Nan Fung Sun Chuen” (Application No.: 160226)

Action 18. The Secretary indicated that in accordance with Paragraph 5.1.5 of the Guidelines, EDC would only subsidise the travelling expenses of participants of the travelling activities organised by mutual aid committees, owners’ committee and owners’ corporations. The abovementioned organisation did not apply for funding for the expenses on promotional materials and the $8,000 granted was subsidy for travelling expenses.

19. The views and queries of 3 Members about the case are summarised as follows:

(a) Mr Howard CHEUNG indicated that he bought tickets to participate in the abovementioned activity as a resident. He urged the Secretariat to provide photos of promotional materials which had violated the Guidelines so that he could remind the organisation concerned to pay attention to the related provisions of the Guidelines when organising activities in the future.

(b) Mr KU Kwai-yiu enquired whether the words, “Sponsored by the Eastern District Council” must be placed before other commercial or personal sponsors.

(c) Mr Andrew CHIU thought that the explanation that the change of personnel of the organisation before the commencement of the activity leading to violations of the provisions of the Guidelines was far-fetched, and a reminder should be sent to the organisation. In addition, he proposed that where there were several sponsors to be acknowledged, the Secretariat could provide sample(s) of promotional materials showing their sequence of acknowledgement for the reference of applicant organisations.

20. The Chairman replied that Paragraph 8.3.4 of the Guidelines had provided that “When acknowledging commercial or personal sponsors in promotional materials, their names must not be placed before that of the District Council or the Home Affairs Department”.

21. After discussion, VC acknowledged that the expenses on the promotional materials used in the activity which had violated the provisions of the Guidelines were not a subsidised item and approved the reimbursement of the travelling expenses of the activity in the sum of $8,000. However, a reminder would be sent to that organisation.

Action

IV. Report on cases not meeting the reimbursement criteria for the first time and approved by Chairman/Vice Chairman with Committee’s authorization (VC Paper No. 2/17)

22. The Secretary briefed the meeting on Paper No. 2/17.

23. The Chairman invited Members to declare their interests.

24. After discussion, VC noted the report.

V. Report on the 5th meeting of Vetting Working Group (VC Paper No. 3/17)

VI. Vetting of funding application regarding “Arts and Cultural” projects under the “Eastern District Community Involvement Project Subsidy Scheme” (VC Paper No. 4/17)

25. Mr Dominic WONG, the Chairman of the Working Group briefed the meeting on Paper Nos. 3/17 and 4/17.

26. The Secretary added that since VC was reviewing the Guidelines of the year 2017/18 in the meeting in which activity applications during the period from April to May 2017 would be reviewed, VC was invited to continue to vet the funding applications in this meeting according to the 2016/17 Guidelines.

27. VC endorsed the above proposal.

28. The Chairman invited Members to declare their interests.

29. Mr Andrew CHIU enquired about the application of the Jane Goodall Institute (Hong Kong).

30. The Secretary added that the Vetting Working Group discussed in the meeting of 9th February this year the eligibility of the abovementioned organisation in making its application and agreed that the organisation be invited to submit

Action supplementary information about its activities and only after the submission of the information would its eligibility in making the application be reviewed again.

31. After discussion, VC noted the report of the 5th meeting of the Working Group and resolved that Hong Kong Inter School Inline Skating Association was eligible for making an application for District Council Funds. In addition, VC approved an application for “Arts and Cultural” projects with a total amount of $10,078. Details are set out in Annex 1.

(Post meeting Note: As of 15 March 2017 (i.e. the application deadline for first-time applicant organisations of the Vetting Working Group), the Secretariat had not yet received the application form or supplementary information of the abovementioned organisation.)

VII. Vetting of funding applications regarding projects from “Mutual Aid Committees, Owners Committees and Owners’ Corporation” under the “Eastern District Community Involvement Project Subsidy Scheme” (VC Paper No. 5/17)

32. The Secretary briefed the meeting on Paper No. 5/17.

33. The Chairman invited Members to declare their interests.

34. After discussion, VC approved 3 funding applications from “Mutual Aid Committees, Owners’ Committees and Owners’ Corporation” with a total amount of $19,990. Details are set out in Annex 2.

VIII. Vetting of funding applications regarding projects from “Designated Organisations” under the “Eastern District Community Involvement Project Subsidy Scheme” (VC Paper No. 6/17)

35. The Secretary briefed the meeting on Paper No. 6/17.

36. The Chairman invited Members to declare their interests.

Action (i) Applications Submitted in Advance

37. VC approved 2 applications submitted in advance (Application No.: 170019 and 170021).

(ii) “Eastern District Teenagers and Children Cantonese Opera Training Troupe 2017” of Eastern District Arts Council Limited (Application No.: 170022)

38. Mr MAK Tak-ching enquired about the details of the enrolment fee of the activity, the reason for the time for renting the venue exceeding the time of the tutorial class by one hour in respect of each lesson as well as the number of activity assistant(s) and the nature of their work.

39. The Chairman replied that time was set aside before the beginning of the lessons to prepare for the props and the decoration of the venue and for having to tidy up the venue after lesson. Therefore, the time for renting the venue was longer than the time of the tutorial class by one hour in respect of each lesson.

(iii) “Eastern District Teenager and Children Choir Training Programme I 2017-2018” of “Eastern District Arts Council Limited “(Application No.: 170023)

40. Mr MAK Tak-ching enquired about the detailed arrangement for the working hours of the activity assistant(s).

41. According to the related funding application forms, for “Eastern District Teenagers and Children Cantonese Opera Training Troupe 2017” (Application No.: 170022), it was planned to engage one activity assistant to assist in the work such as programme and venue arrangements, taking telephone enquiries, preparation for meetings, liaison with parents, preparation for necessities for the training programme and handling documents, assisting in the conduct of the activity and so forth; whereas the activity assistant in “Eastern District Teenagers and Children Choir Training Programme I 2017-2018” (Application No.: 170023) would be expected to work 20 hours a week for six months.

42. After discussion, VC approved 12 funding applications of “Designated Organisations” with a total amount of $613,435. Details are set out in Annex 3.

Action IX. Vetting of funding applications regarding projects from “non-governmental Organisation” under the “Eastern District Community Involvement Project Subsidy Scheme” (VC Paper No. 7/17)

43. The Secretary briefed the meeting on Paper No. 7/17.

44. The Chairman invited Members to declare their interests.

(i) “Mu Lan Cantonese Operatic Songs Concert” of “China Hong Kong Mu Lan Quan Association (Chai Wan Chapter)” (Application No.: 170004)

45. The views and queries of 4 Members about the case are summarised as follows:

(a) Mr KU Kwai-yiu enquired about the details of the distribution of tickets and the method of promotion of the activity and how the activity would achieve the expected effectiveness. In addition, he thought that the activity was only a singing programme and asked whether the maximum subsidy amount should be given to the performance fee.

(b) Mr MAK Tak-ching enquired whether the organisation would promote the activity publicly and how the organisation could ensure that it would meet the requirement of the Guidelines that there would be 70 % of the participants being elderly of 60 years old or above in the elderly activity.

(c) Mr CHIU Chi-keung indicated that the organisation possessed many years of experience in organising activities under the “Community Involvement Project Subsidy Scheme” and the DC would also send its personnel to oversee the proceedings of the activity to see whether the activity would comply with the provisions of the Guidelines. In addition, he thought that if the subsidy amount the organisation applied for did not exceed the limit of the Guidelines, it would be unreasonable not to grant the subsidy.

(d) The Chairman suggested that where necessary, the issue could be discussed again on the basis of the activity report of the Member(s) on duty.

Action 46. The Secretary responded that the organisation indicated that it organised the activity quarterly in the District and at the end of each activity, it would promote the coming activity to the participants. Besides, the organisation would put up posters in the stalls in market(s) to promote the activity.

47. After discussion, VC supported the abovementioned funding application.

(ii) “The 4th Hong Kong Inter-School Inline Speed Skating Championship and Roller Skating Carnival” of “Hong Kong Inter School Inline Skating Association” (Application No.: 170002)

48. Mr MAK Tak-ching enquired about the details of the distribution of tickets.

49. The Secretary added that the activity did not involve the distribution of tickets and persons interested in participating in the competition could enrol by visiting the address of the organisation in person or by post.

50. After discussion, VC supported the abovementioned funding application.

(iii) “Mother’s Day Carnival” of “Chai Wan Women’s Association” (Application No.: 170018)

51. The views and queries of 3 Members about the case are summarised as follows:

(a) Mr MAK Tak-ching was worried that only 3 hours was not enough for the distribution of tickets. In addition, he enquired how the organisation could ensure that it would meet the requirement of the Guidelines that there would be 70 % of the participants who would be elderly people of 60 years old or above in the related elderly activity.

(b) Mr KU Kwai-yiu enquired in which community hall would the activity be held.

(c) The Chairman thought that the length of the time for the distribution of tickets varied from one activity to another and one could not conclude that three hours would not be enough.

52. The Secretary responded that VC could arrange a Member to attend the activity to monitor whether the requirement of 70% of the participants should be

Action elderly had been complied with. In addition, the Secretariat would ask the organisation to notify the confirmed venue of the activity.

53. After discussion, VC supported the abovementioned funding application and agreed to arrange for a Member to monitor the activity concerned.

54. Lastly, VC confirmed 6 funding applications of non-governmental organisations with a total amount of $613,435. Details are set out in Annex 4.

(Post meeting Note: (1) According to the activity report of the members on duty, “Mu Lan Cantonese Operatic Songs Concert” of “China Hong Kong Mu Lan Quan Association (Chai Wan Chapter)” (Application No.: 170004) included fist fighting arts and Cantonese opera performance.

(2) “Chai Wan Women’s Association” confirmed that “Mother’s Day Carnival” (Application No.: 170018) was held in the Yue Wan Community Hall.

X. Any Other Business

(i) Applications for change of the dates of activities and confirmations of the venues of activities

55. A Member proposed that the Guidelines provide for the arrangement for making applications for change of the dates of activities in special circumstances such as inclement weather in which it was necessary to change the dates of activities in a short period of time. In addition, there were cases where individual organisations did not inform the Member(s) on duty as soon as possible after the venues of the activities had been confirmed, thus he proposed the organisations be reminded that they should provide details of the activities to the Member(s) on duty as soon as possible to facilitate him/her to monitor the activities.

56. After discussion, VC agreed to authorise the Chairman to review applications for change of the dates of activities which were submitted in less than 2 weeks before the commencement of the activities. The Secretariat would remind the organisations to provide the confirmed details of the activities to the Member(s) on duty as soon as possible.

Action (ii) Arrangement for being unable to attend District Council meetings due to monitoring subsidised activities

57. A Member indicated that the administrative arrangement for the Member(s) on duty being unable to attend District Council Meetings due to monitoring subsidised activities should be reviewed.

58. The Chairman responded that the related arrangement could be discussed when the Standing Orders were reviewed.

Declaration of Interests

59. Members declared the following interests during discussion of the meeting documents:

Name of Paper No., Application No. and Interests in the Members Organisations Involved Mr LO Wing-kwan, Paper No. 6/17; Member, Eastern District Arts Frankie 170021 - 023 Council Limited Mr CHENG Paper No. 6/17; Business Advisor, Eastern District Chi-sing 170006 - 011 Recreation and Sports Advancement Association Limited Paper No. 6/17; Member, Eastern District Fire 170019 Safety Committee

Mr CHEUNG Paper No. 1/17; Resident of Nan Fung Sun Chuen Kwok-cheong, 160226 Howard Paper No. 5/17; Park Vale Owners’ Committee 170017 (Park Vale belonged to Nan Fung Constituency) Dr. CHIU Ka-yin, Paper No. 6/17; Honorary Advisor, Eastern District Andrew 170006 - 011 Recreation and Sports Advancement Association Limited Mr HUNG Paper No. 6/17; Honorary Advisor of Eastern Lin-cham 170006 - 011 District Recreation and Sports Advancement Association Limited Paper No. 7/17; Honorary Advisor, Chai Wan 170018 Women’s Association

Action Mr LAM Sum-lim Paper No. 6/17; Advisor, Eastern District 170006 - 011 Recreation and Sports Advancement Association Limited Paper No. 6/17; Honorary Advisor, Shaukiwan 170019 Fishery Merchants Association

Honorary Advisor, Chai Wan Fishermen’s Recreation Club

Mr LAU Paper No. 6/17 Member, Eastern District Fire Hing-yeung 170019 Safety Committee Paper No. 7/17; Chairman, Youth Infinity 170015 Paper No. 7/17; Honorary Advisor, Chai Wan 170018 Women’s Association Mr LEUNG Paper No. 7/17; Honorary Advisor, Chai Wan Kwok-hung, David 170018 Women’s Association Mr NGAN Paper No. 6/17; Advisor, Eastern District Chun-lim 170006 - 011 Recreation and Sports Advancement Association Limited Mr WONG Paper No. 6/17; Honorary Advisor, Eastern District Chi-chung, 170006 - 011 Recreation and Sports Dominic Advancement Association Limited Mr WONG Kin-pan Paper No. 6/17; Advisor, Eastern District 170006 - 011 Recreation and Sports Advancement Association Limited

XI. Date of Next Meeting

60. The meeting ended at 4:30 pm. The 8th meeting of the VC would be held at 2:30 pm on 9 May 2017 (Tuesday).

Eastern District Council Secretariat May 2017