(Translation)

Minutes of the First Meeting of the Planning and District Facilities Management Committee (2020) of Council

Date: 6 March 2020 Time: 2:30 p.m. – 6:20 p.m. Venue: K&T DO Conference Room

Attendee Time of Arrival Time of Departure (p.m.) (p.m.)

Mr SIN Ho-fai (Chairman) Start of Meeting End of Meeting Mr KWOK Tsz-kin (Vice-chairman) Start of Meeting End of Meeting Mr CHAN Chi-wing Start of Meeting 5:18 Mr CHEUNG Man-lung Start of Meeting End of Meeting Mr HON Chun-yin Start of Meeting 5:48 Mr HUI Kei-cheung 2:48 End of Meeting Miss KWOK Fu-yung Start of Meeting 5:26 Mr LAM Siu-fai Start of Meeting End of Meeting Ms LAU Kwai-mui Start of Meeting End of Meeting Mr LEUNG Kam-wai 2:32 End of Meeting Ms LEUNG Kar-ming Start of Meeting 5:26 Mr LEUNG Kwok-wah Start of Meeting 5:58 Mr LEUNG Wing-kuen Start of Meeting End of Meeting Miss LO Yuen-ting 2:35 End of Meeting Mr SIN Chung-kai, SBS, JP 2:52 End of Meeting Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren Start of Meeting End of Meeting Mr TONG Ho-man 2:38 End of Meeting Mr TSUI Hiu-kit Start of Meeting End of Meeting Mr WONG Bing-kuen 3:05 End of Meeting Mr WONG Chun-tat Start of Meeting End of Meeting Miss WONG Pit-man Start of Meeting End of Meeting Mr WONG Tin-yan Start of Meeting End of Meeting

In Attendance Ms LIM Ting-ting, Sylvia Chief Leisure Manager (New Territories West), Leisure and Cultural Services Department Mr FUNG Hon-wa, Harris District Leisure Manger (Kwai Tsing), Leisure and Cultural Services Department Mr LEE Wai-man, Jimmy Senior Librarian (Kwai Tsing), Leisure and Cultural Services Department Ms CHU Ching-han, Heidi Chief Manager (Festivals and Audience Development), Leisure and Cultural Services Department Ms WONG Fan-ni, Jasmine Senior Manager (New Territories South) Promotion, Leisure and Cultural Services Department Ms WONG Kit-yi, Pat Senior Manager (Community Programmes), Leisure and Cultural Services Department Mr KONG Tze-man, Stephen Contract Project Coordinator/6 (West), Civil Engineering and Development Department Mr CHAN Chung-yun, Stephen Senior Town Planner/Kwai Tsing, Planning Department Mr YIM Wai-Hung, Vincent Administrative Assistant/Lands (District Lands Office, and Kwai Tsing), Lands Department Mr CHEUNG Wai-lun Engineer/ New Territories West (Distribution 4),Water Supplies Department Mr CHAU King-man Senior Estate Surveyor/Kwai Tsing1 (District Lands Office, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing), Lands Department Mr YAU Wai-yip Senior Property Services Manager/Sham Shui Po & Tsuen Kwai, Architectural Services Department Mr LEUNG Kin-wai Property Services Manager/ (Acting), Architectural Services Department Ms TSE Fung-chi Housing Manager/ 3, Housing Department Ms HUI Ka-wai, Minerva Architect (Works)5, Home Affairs Department Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie Assistant District Officer (Kwai Tsing), Kwai Tsing District Office Mr WU Chi-yin, Victor Senior Inspector of Works (Kwai Tsing), Kwai Tsing District Office Mr CHAN Chi-kong Inspector of Works (Kwai Tsing), Kwai Tsing District Office Ms WONG Lai-kuen, Jenny Senior Executive Officer (District Management), Kwai Tsing District Office Mr CHOW Kai-sing, Thomas Liaison Officer i/c Kwai Chung (C&S), Kwai Tsing District Office Ms LEUNG Pui-shan, Emily Liaison Officer (General 3), Kwai Tsing District Office Miss CHANG Hiu-hung, Regin Executive Officer (District Council) 2, Kwai Tsing District Office Miss YUEN Yee-lam, Kathy Executive Officer (District Council) 5, Kwai Tsing (Secretary) District Office

Absent with Apologies Mr CHEUNG Kwan-kiu, Steve (Without prior notice) Mr CHOW Wai-hung, Rayman (Without prior notice) Mr LAU Chi-kit (With prior notice) Mr LEUNG Chi-shing (With prior notice) Mr WONG Yun-tat, Ivan (With prior notice) Responsible Department

Opening Remarks

The Chairman welcomed Members and representatives of government departments to the first meeting of the Planning and District Facilities Management Committee (the Committee) (2020) of Kwai Tsing District Council (K&T DC).

2. The Committee unanimously endorsed the application for absence by Mr LAU Chi-kit, Mr LEUNG Chi-shing, and Mr WONG Yun-tat, Ivan.

Confirmation of Minutes of the First Special Meeting (2020)

3. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren moved a motion to confirm the minutes. The motion was seconded by Mr HON Chun-yin and the Committee endorsed the said minutes unanimously.

Discussion Papers

Regular Meeting Schedule of the Planning and District Facilities Management Committee in 2020 (Proposed by the Kwai Tsing District Council Secretariat) (PDFMC Paper No. 1/D/2020)

4. Members endorsed the above arrangement.

Endorsement of the Establishment of Working Groups under the Planning and District Facilities Management Committee in 2020 and 2021 and Election of Respective Chairmen (Proposed by Mr SIN Ho-fai) (PDFMC Paper No. 2/D/2020)

5. The Chairman introduced the above paper.

6. The Committee unanimously endorsed the establishment of the following working groups in 2020-2021 and their terms of reference:

(i) Works and Development Working Group (WDWG)

(ii) Community Building Working Group (CBWG) 4 Responsible Department

7. The Chairman invited nominations for Chairman of WDWG.

8. Mr LAM Siu-fai nominated Mr KWOK Tsz-kin, which was seconded by Mr HON Chun-yin. Mr KWOK Tsz-kin accepted the nomination.

9. As there was only one candidate, Mr KWOK Tsz-kin was elected as the Chairman of WDWG.

10. The Chairman invited nominations for Chairman of CBWG.

11. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren nominated Mr SIN Ho-fai, which was seconded by Miss WONG Pit-man. Mr SIN Ho-fai accepted the nomination.

12. As there was only one candidate, Mr SIN Ho-fai was elected as the Chairman of CBWG.

Plan on the Promotional Activities of Public Libraries in Kwai Tsing District to be Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department between April 2020 and March 2021 (Proposed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department) (PDFMC Paper No. 3/D/2020)

13. Mr LEE Wai-man, Jimmy, Senior Librarian (Kwai Tsing) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), introduced the paper.

14. Mr LEUNG Kam-wai enquired about the installation progress of UV book sterilisers in view of the pandemic.

15. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) How LCSD would promote the captioned activities.

(ii) LCSD's criteria for book selection. Some books relating to sexual minorities which were classified as children's books overseas required parental accompaniment in .

16. Mr LEE Wai-man, Jimmy gave a consolidated response as follows:

5 Responsible Department (i) LCSD would purchase UV book sterilisers this year and would install one sterilizer in each library.

(ii) Activities would be promoted online and through printed publications.

(iii) Book acquisitions are subject to the endorsement of the Collection Development Board of Hong Kong Public Libraries, prior to being incorporated into the library collections.

17. Mr KWOK Tsz-kin enquired about the estimated number of participants and whether the budget would be adjusted in response to the pandemic.

18. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) Classifying books relating to sexual minorities as books which required parental accompaniment was not conducive to promoting equal opportunities for people of different sexual orientations.

(ii) He requested LCSD to provide supplementary information on their criteria for book selection after the meeting.

19. Mr LEUNG Kam-wai put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) The month when LCSD would have completed the installation of UV book sterilisers.

(ii) Whether the above-mentioned sterilisers would be available at all libraries.

20. The Chairman enquired about the models and the costs of UV book sterilisers.

21. Mr LEE Wai-man, Jimmy gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) Pursuant to LCSD's procurement policies, the Department could not specify the model number of UV book sterilisers when they raised purchase requisition so information on the models and the costs could not be provided at the moment.

(ii) The above-mentioned sterilisers would be available at all three libraries in Kwai Tsing District. The installation date had not been confirmed, but he 6 Responsible Department believed that it would be completed within this year.

(iii) The number of participants was merely the highest estimates. The number of sessions and basic hourly wage for tutors of activities like “Storytelling for Children” had been fixed, so there should not be a significant discrepancy between the actual expenditure and the estimates. The unspent balance would be returned to the District Council (DC).

(iv) LCSD would provide supplementary information on procurement of library books after the meeting.

(Post-meeting note: LCSD advised information on Hong Kong Public Libraries’ procurement of library materials and collection development had been disseminated to Members after the meeting.)

22. The Committee supported the activity proposals and funding applications in the above paper in principle. The actual amount of funding was subject to the endorsement by the DC.

Plan on the Recreational and Sports Programmes to be Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in Kwai Tsing District between April 2020 and March 2021 (Proposed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department) (PDFMC Paper No. 4/D/2020)

23. Mr. FUNG Hon-wa, Harris, District Leisure Manger (Kwai Tsing) of LCSD, introduced the paper.

24. Miss WONG Pit-man pointed out that roads and passages in Tsing Yi were venues of various cycling championships. She believed that cycling facilities in Tsing Yi could meet the professional standard and suggested the Department organise more cycling activities in the District.

25. Mr LEUNG Kam-wai asked whether other resources were available for the Department to launch the captioned activities apart from DC Funds.

26. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) How the Department would promote the activities to ethnic minorities. 7 Responsible Department (i) There were many sessions of “Aerobic Dance”, “Social Dance” and “Yoga” but there were very few sessions of skateboarding and balance bike activities. He questioned whether the captioned proposal was designed to appeal to a particular age group whilst the needs of other age groups were ignored.

27. The Chairman put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) Why the estimated expenditure of “Activity for Youth at Risk” in Annex 3 was $0.

(i) Whether the Department would consider adding some new sports activities such as dodgeball to the proposal.

28. Mr. FUNG Hon-wa, Harris gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) Since 2008, the arrangement on 18 District Councils participating in the management of district cultural and leisure facilities and services under LCSD had been fully implemented. All funding for district-wide recreational and sports activities had to be managed and vetted by DC. LCSD did not have extra funding for organizing district-wide recreational and sports activities on a recurrent basis.

(ii) The Department was committed to promoting “Sport for All”. LCSD had liaised with National Sports Associations (NSAs) to promote new sports activities such as cycling. “Track Cycling” was also included in the captioned proposal and its venue was Hong Kong Velodrome Park in Tseung Kwan O. If cycling tournaments were to be organized on the streets of Kwai Tsing District, it would require interdepartmental collaboration, but at the moment, there was no suitable venue in the District. The Department had noted the opinions of Members on increasing the number of cycling activities.

(iii) The Department would liaise with the respective district organisations to promote recreational and sports activities to ethnic minorities. The Department would also consider offering appropriate activities to them, taking into account their economic situation.

(iv) The Department had conducted a survey on the needs for recreational and 8 Responsible Department sports activities of different age groups with a view to devising appropriate activities for different target groups, for instance, activities for the middle-aged, dance activities for the females, activities for children and teenagers at weekends and during summer holidays.

(v) Regarding “Activity for Youth at Risk”, the Department would maintain liaison and collaboration with the respective organisations. The activity cost would be determined and shared by both parties so a detailed breakdown of the costs could not be shown on the captioned proposal at the moment.

29. Miss WONG Pit-man hoped that the Department could build more cycling grounds in Tsing Yi District.

30. Mr KWOK Tsz-kin hoped that the Department could make better use of the current facilities, such as the cycling track at Tsing Hung Road Playground, and arrange activities in every sub-district, thereby benefiting more residents.

31. Mr LEUNG Kam-wai hoped that the Department could revise the paper after listening to Members' opinions and submit a revised paper to the Committee.

32. Mr. FUNG Hon-wa, Harris gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) The captioned proposal was flexible and the number of activities could be fine-tuned based on the suggestions of Members. The Department hoped that the activities could be launched on 1 April as scheduled. He pledged Members’ support in principle for the captioned proposal.

(ii) The current cycling facilities in Tsing Yi District included cycling tracks at Tsing Hung Road Playground and Tsing Yi Northeast Park. If Members wished to have more cycling activities, the Department would study the matter further.

33. Mr KWOK Tsz-kin opined that the Department should trim the number of outdoor activities in view of the pandemic.

34. Mr LEUNG Wing-kuen pointed out that expenditures on “Aerobic Dance”, “Fitness (Multi-gym)” and “Social Dance” were rather high but the paper did not set out the age groups and the genders of the participants nor the popularity of those activities.

9 Responsible Department He questioned whether the Department were prone to organize activities of the same type and asked the Department for more information for Members' reference.

35. Mr WONG Tin-yan opined that the Department did not provide sufficient background information in the paper, apart from the budget. To ensure proper use of DC Funds, Members would need more information for their consideration.

36. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) From what channel ethnic minorities could learn of LCSD’s activities. If the Department only organize special activities for them, they would be further marginalized, which hampered social inclusion.

(ii) He questioned whether the Department gauge public opinion from a single channel, which resulted in uneven distribution of resources. He agreed with the opinions of Mr LEUNG Wing-kuen and opined that the age distribution of participants was not shown on the paper. He also pointed out that the Department did not fully utilize the cycling tracks and skateparks at Tsing Yi Northeast Park to provide appropriate activities for young people.

(iii) Regarding the zero budget for “Activity for Youth at Risk” in Annex 3, he enquired whether the expenditure would be paid by the respective organizations or by virement of funds between budget items.

37. Mr LEUNG Kam-wai put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) He suggested the Department revising the budget of the captioned proposal based on the suggestions of Members.

(ii) He expressed understanding of the urgency of the proposal and suggested the Department divide the budget into two parts for separate discussion and vetting. The first part would be a budget for activities held from April to May and the second part would be a budget for activities held in the remaining months.

38. The Chairman put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) The estimated expenditure of “Activity for Youth at Risk” in Annex 3 10 Responsible Department was $0 whilst the estimated expenditure of the same activity in Annex 4 was $5,526.

(ii) He agreed with the opinions of Mr LEUNG Kam-wai on vetting the activities held from April to May first.

39. Mr. FUNG Hon-wa, Harris gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) The Department collaborated with the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and other respective organizations in organizing “Activity for Youth at Risk”. Based on the current practice, the Department would only provide venues so the estimated expenditure would be $0.

(ii) Ethnic minorities could apply for LCSD activities through District Leisure Services Offices and through their website. The application forms were available in Chinese and English.

(iii) Due to the overwhelming responses, there would be more sessions of dance training courses.

(iv) The Department would maintain liaison with National Sports Associations. If a suitable venue was available and the public response was positive, they would consider increasing the number of new sports activities and conducting annual reviews.

(v) Due to the implementation challenges, it was difficult to split the budget into two parts.

40. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) Publicity targeting ethnic minorities was inadequate.

(ii) He cast doubts on the sample size and the selection criteria of the survey respondents. He also questioned the representativeness of the survey on the popularity of the activities.

41. Mr KWOK Tsz-kin asked the Department which budget items had to be urgently dealt with.

11 Responsible Department 42. The Chairman asked whether it was possible to endorse the budget for activities held in April and May first.

43. Mr. FUNG Hon-wa, Harris gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) The Department would provide the details and the estimated expenditure on “Activity for Youth at Risk” for Members’ reference after the meeting.

(Post-meeting note: LCSD had provided relevant information after the meeting.)

(ii) The unspent balance resulted from cancellation of activities amid the pandemic would be returned to DC.

(Post-meeting note: LCSD would report the number of activities cancelled due to the pandemic and the amount of unspent balance at the next meeting.)

(iii) The Department had made reference to the recommendations on sports development and new sports by their district offices and the headquarter when devising their proposals, for instance, they would provide activities for the elderly in districts with ageing population and provide appropriate activities to the middle-aged, who did not get enough exercise. Moreover, in order to meet societal needs and to accelerate sports development, the Department also organized new sports activities like skateboarding for young people.

44. The Chairman received the following extempore motion:

Extempore motion: “Various major LCSD events could not take place as scheduled due to the pandemic which showed no signs of slowing. I propose that the budget for activities held in April, May and the remaining months should be put on hold for further discussion.” ______(Proposed by Mr WONG Chun-tat, seconded by Mr CHEUNG Man-lung and Miss WONG Pit-man)

45. Mr TSUI Hiu-kit asked whether the budget for April and May was included therein.

12 Responsible Department

46. Mr WONG Chun-tat replied that the budget for April and May was included therein.

47. The Chairman put the above extempore motion to vote for acceptance.

48. The voting result was as follows:

For: 14 votes Against: 0 vote Abstention:: 2 votes The extempore motion was endorsed.

49. Mr TSUI Hiu-kit put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) Whether the day-to-day operations of recreational and sports facilities would be affected if the budget was not endorsed.

(ii) He suggested DC Members collect opinions from residents and reflect their opinions to the Department afterwards.

50. Mr. FUNG Hon-wa, Harris replied that it would take at least 3 months for them to organize and publicize their activities so it would be difficult for the proposal to be carried over to the next meeting. He asked whether endorsement could be sought from the Committee by circulation.

51. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren suggested the Chairman convene a special meeting to vet the captioned budget.

52. The Chairman put the above extempore motion to the vote.

53. The voting result was as follows:

For: 13 votes Against: 0 vote Abstention:: 6 votes The extempore motion was endorsed.

54. As the extempore motion was endorsed, the Chairman would convene a special 13 Responsible Department meeting.

Proposal on the Free Cultural and Entertainment Programmes to be Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in Kwai Tsing District in 2020/2021 (Proposed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department) (PDFMC Paper No. 5/D/2020)

55. Ms WONG Fan-ni, Jasmine, Senior Manager (New Territories South) Promotion of LCSD introduced the paper.

56. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) The criteria for selection of performing groups. Whether annual review would be conducted.

(ii) He requested LCSD to supply information on the types and attendance record of every cultural and entertainment programme organized last year.

(iii) Whether the cultural and entertainment programmes were designed to appeal mainly to a particular age group as there were many Opera programmes.

57. Mr LEUNG Wing-kuen put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) The expenditure of each programme was approximately $18,000 which was a relatively small amount. He asked whether LCSD would allocate their resources based on the content of the programmes, the patronage rate and the popularity.

(ii) LCSD's publicity work was insufficient. They should actively consult DC Members and the Housing Department (HD).

58. Mr WONG Bing-kuen opined that the past publicity campaigns of LCSD were ineffective. He suggested the Department should take into consideration the patronage rate and audience’s feedbacks of their programmes when devising the proposal.

59. Ms. CHU Ching Han, Heidi, Chief Manager (Festivals and Audience Development) of LCSD gave a consolidated response as follows: 14 Responsible Department

(i) LCSD's mechanism to select performing arts groups consisted of two parts. In addition to inviting internationally or locally acclaimed bands, dance troupes or artists to perform, the Department also welcomed performing arts groups to submit programme proposals to them. Performing arts groups who wished to be registered on the list of approved performing arts groups under district cultural and entertainment programmes had to participate in two assessments. The Department would continue to monitor the performance of the respective performing arts groups. They would issue warning letters to arts groups with poor performance or even remove them from the list.

(ii) LCSD had been committed to promoting culture and arts. In addition to the regular programmes, which included diversified and world-class quality charged programmes, they also launched audience building programmes which included arts schemes in schools and community to help nurture a wealth of performing arts talents and enhanced public knowledge of arts.

(iii) Cultural and entertainment programmes covered various art forms. There were 8 sessions of Cantonese opera and Cantonese music programmes in total, which accounted for 13% of all cultural and entertainment programmes. There were also other types of programme, such as music, dance, drama and puppetry.

(iv) Expenditure on each programme was not fixed at $18,000. The actual expenditure was subject to artists’ salaries, the number of performers, costs of acoustic equipment’s, lighting and musical instruments;

(v) Some programmes were held in remote areas which might lead to low patronage, but the Department hoped that arts could reach residents living in remote areas. The Department would further enhance publicity through online platforms.

(vi) A report on the programme types and venues for the subsequent 3 months would be submitted to every PDFMC meeting and Members were welcome to give their opinions.

(vii) They would supply information on patronage in previous years after the 15 Responsible Department meeting.

(Post-meeting note: LCSD advised information on patronage of free cultural and entertainment programmes in Kwai Tsing District in 2019-20 had been disseminated to Members.)

60. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth opinions and enquires as follows:

(i) Whether LCSD would consider allocating fewer resources towards less popular programmes and more on nurturing arts talents.

(ii) There were not many development opportunities for street dance, musicals and theatrical performance in Hong Kong. The existing venues were not sufficient and failed to meet professional standards.

61. Ms CHU Ching-han, Heidi gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) LCSD had launched a one-year School Performing Arts in Practice Scheme which covered different forms of art including stage drama, musicals, dramas and Cantonese Opera, etc in 70 schools. LCSD also collaborated with tertiary institutions and Chung Ying Theatre Company in launching “Community Oral History Theatre Projects”.

(ii) LCSD hoped they could better understand community needs through the suggestions of DC Members. They could consider organizing a wider variety of programmes such as street dance and allocating more resources towards nurturing art talents.

62. The Committee supported the activity proposals and funding applications in the above paper in principle. The actual amount of funding was subject to the endorsement by the DC.

Progress of Retrofitting Lift at Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre

63. Mr WONG Bing-kuen introduced the paper and put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) Whether funding problems still existed.

(ii) Whether the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) could start the 16 Responsible Department design. (iii) Whether the tenancy issues had been resolved.

(iv) Whether the concerns of Gaw Capital Partners (GCP) had been allayed.

64. Mr HUI Kei-cheung put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) The progress of negotiations between the respective departments and GCP.

(ii) Whether ArchSD could provide the plan for Members' reference.

(iii) Whether the terms and conditions of the land lease had been clarified with GCP.

65. Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie, Assistant District Officer (Kwai Tsing) of Kwai Tsing District Office (K&TDO) gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) The negotiations with Link REIT had been difficult but the current progress was satisfactory. The respective departments had clarified the technical issues by the end of 2019. They met with GCP at Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre (TWHECC) in mid-January 2020 to clarify the restrictions on land lease such as Gross Floor Area (GFA), development potential, impact of the construction and other related issues.

(ii) GCP's support in principle was essential to funding approval. Without GCP’s authorization to HD to deal with matters related to land lease, the construction could not commence. The respective departments now awaited GCP's further reply.

(iii) K&TDO originally planned to consult the tenants in September 2019. However, as the negotiation with GCP took time, the above-mentioned consultation was expected to be completed by March 2020.

(iv) The Department would discuss with ArchSD, hoping to provide the illustrative design concept for Members' reference as early as practicable.

(v) If Members would like to ascertain the progress of the captioned projects, they were welcome to consult K&TDO. 17 Responsible Department

66. Mr CHAU King-man, Senior Estate Surveyor/Kwai Tsing1 (District Lands Office, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing) (DLO) of Lands Department gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) The affected area of the captioned project was jointly owned by GCP and Housing Authority (HA). If the construction was in breach of the terms of the land lease, they had to make a joint application for lease modification.

(ii) DLO had not received the said application.

67. Mr YAU Wai-yip, Senior Property Services Manager/Sham Shui Po & Tsuen Kwai of ArchSD gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) The preliminary site plan was only a conceptual diagram, but not the finalized design.

(ii) Relevant land use rights and terms of the land lease would be determined through interdepartmental negotiations. ArchSD would continue to provide technical support for K&TDO to expedite commencement of the project.

(iii) ArchSD had reminded K&TDO of the key elements of funding application. If the funding application was endorsed, ArchSD would commission a consultancy study to further explore and plan the project.

68. Ms TSE Fung-chi, Housing Manager/ Kwai Chung 3 of HD replied that HD would submit a joint application on behalf of the two parties after obtaining written authorisaiton from GCP.

69. Mr WONG Bing-kuen put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) GCP's readiness.

(ii) Whether the project was technically feasible and whether fire safety issues had been resolved.

(iii) DLO's estimates of the success rate of the joint application by GCP and 18 Responsible Department HD.

(iv) Whether the research funding issues had been resolved.

70. Mr HUI Kei-cheung put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) The consultation period with GCP.

(ii) Whether DLO had dealt with similar cases before and how long it took to process such application.

(iii) Whether ArchSD could provide a conceptual diagram for public reference.

71. Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) Based on the preliminary inspection, the location of the captioned project was feasible but it would need to be further assessed through ground investigations.

(ii) They received a positive response from GCP. The respective departments had provided all relevant information for their consideration. They were now pending a reply from GCP.

(iii) Meanwhile, the respective departments would notify the tenants, hoping to expedite the ground investigations and other preparatory works.

72. Mr CHAU King-man gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) Subject to the maximum GFA limitation under the lease, if the lift only linked with TWHECC, the GPA of the lift could be counted towards the GFA of TWHECC. If HA decided to provide policy support, DLO could consider a modification or an exemption on the lease conditions and regrant premium.

(ii) Regarding modification or exemption of the terms and conditions of land lease, approval in principle would be granted in 3-6 months in general after submission of application with all required information.

19 Responsible Department 73. Mr YAU Wai-yip gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) ArchSD had taken into account the possibility of emergency vehicular access being affected by the captioned project and submitted a preliminary design option to the Fire Services Department (FSD) through K&TDO. It is learnt that the FSD had not offered comments on the feasibility of the option.

(ii) ArchSD confirmed the feasibility of the captioned project and would continue to coordinate with the respective departments in order to prepare a funding application.

(iii) ArchSD and the Home Affairs Department (HAD) had studied four proposals and adopted the current proposal in accordance with the advice of the HAD. Based on their current assessment, there appear to be no insurmountable technical barriers in the current proposal.

Information Papers

Report on the Management of Recreational, Sports and Leisure Facilities in Kwai Tsing District by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (PDFMC Paper No. 7/I/2020)

74. Mr FUNG Hon-wa, Harris introduced the paper.

75. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) Whether Tsing Yi Northeast Park would be cordoned off as the roof construction would commence in early October.

(ii) He hoped to ascertain the work progress of the barrier-free access linking Nga Ying Chau Garden and Villa Esplanada Shopping Centre.

76. Mr FUNG Hon-wa, Harris replied that the areas affected by the construction would be cordoned off to ensure public safety.

77. Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) K&TDO and LCSD were conducting a preliminary study on the 20 Responsible Department captioned project. They would study the installation location of the facilities and future maintenance.

(ii) The project progress would be set out in the Report of Works and Development Working Group. DC members could make further enquires to the works section of K&TDO.

78. Mr TSUI Hiu-kit put forth opinions and enquiries as follows:

(i) Some residents reflected that water temperature of Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool was too low, but according to LCSD’s website, it should be a heated swimming pool. He suggested LCSD provide explanation at the signboard by the pool.

(ii) The temperature and water pressure of the shower facilities in Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool was too low. He suggested LCSD liaise with ArchSD to resolve the water pressure issue as early as practicable, as the usage rate was relatively low amid the pandemic.

79. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) The date of cordoning off Tsing Yi Northeast Park.

(ii) The procedures of endorsing District Minor Works (DMW) projects and whether the Department would consult the respective stakeholders in advance.

80. Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) Upon receiving a DMW project proposal, the Department would assess consequences of the project on private premises, its technical feasibility and the required inter-departmental coordination.

(ii) Regarding the barrier-free access at Nga Ying Chau Garden, representatives of affected private premises had acknowledged the project but official permission had not been granted. Hence, only preparatory work could be conducted at the moment.

81. The Chairman suggested Mr Warren TAM raise the issue later again at the 21 Responsible Department Briefing Session on DMW.

82. Mr LAM Siu-fai put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) When LCSD would remove the honeycomb at Shek Lei Street.

(ii) Whether LCSD could provide Members with weekly information on the opening hours of LCSD venues during the pandemic.

83. Mr LEUNG Kwok-wah put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) The arrangement for cleaning and disinfection of LCSD outdoor venues and facilities.

(ii) Whether Cleaners had sufficient protection gear.

84. Miss LO Yuen-ting enquired about the reopening date of Tsing Yi Sports Ground.

85. Mr KWOK Tsz-kin put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) The usage rate of Tsing Hung Road Playground had increased. He asked if LCSD had monitored the usage rate of their venues and enhanced cleaning during the pandemic.

(ii) The progress of installation of insect killers.

86. The Chairman enquired about the progress of mosquito control work in Tivoli Garden Tower 1 and 2 trigged by the construction project of Tsing Yi Sports Ground.

87. Mr FUNG Hon-wa, Harris gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) Upon receiving the finalised project schedule from the respective departments, they would send the schedule to Members.

(ii) The normal water temperature of the heated pool in Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool was between 25°C-28°C. Indoor air might affect the water temperature but they would make an effort to maintain the water temperature at 28°C. 22 Responsible Department

(iii) The Department would follow up on the water pressure and the temperature of the shower facilities at Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool with ArchSD.

(iv) The Department would arrange for removal of the honeycomb at Shek Lei Street as early as practicable.

(v) DC Members might visit the LCSD website to obtain information on the opening hours of LCSD venues. LCSD would also provide the latest information to DC Members.

(vi) Outdoor venues were still open. They had stepped up cleaning and disinfection in adherence to the recommendations by the Centre for Health Protection. Contractors were responsible for distributing protective gears such as masks to the cleaners. The Department had maintained close liaison with the contractors, so if contractors failed to meet the demands of the cleaners for protective gears, LCSD could assist.

(vii) The construction project at Tsing Yi Sports Ground was progressing smoothly. The Department would follow up on the mosquito problems and strengthened their mosquito control measures.

Report on the Promotional Activities and the Utilisation of Public Libraries in Kwai Tsing District by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (PDFMC Paper No. 8/I/2020)

88. Mr LEE Wai-man, Jimmy introduced the paper.

89. Miss WONG Pit-man suggested LCSD introduce more information technology education and online reading to help children from less well-off families with their studies.

90. Mr LEE Wai-man, Jimmy replied that LCSE organised “Enjoy Easy Life @ Internet” workshops every month to teach the public how to use information technology. Introductory sessions on electronic resources and educational events on information technology were also held every month to meet societal needs.

23 Responsible Department 91. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth opinions and enquiries as follows: (i) LCSD's assessment criteria for the effectiveness of their activities.

(ii) In the case of thematic workshops, whether the low patronage resulted from ineffective publicity or unattractiveness of the activity.

92. Mr LEE Wai-man, Jimmy gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) The four storytelling for children sessions at Tsing Yi Public Library, for instance, attracted a total patronage of 72 people, which should be considered as reasonable having regard to the fact that extension activities room could only accommodate 20 people.

(ii) As there was only one tutor for each “Storytelling for Children” session, a high ratio of tutor to child participants would not be ideal.

Work Report on the Cultural Activities Organised in Kwai Tsing District by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (PDFMC Paper No. 9/I/2020)

93. Ms WONG Fan-ni, Jasmine introduced the paper.

94. Mr TSUI Hiu-kit suggested LCSD regularly inform Members about the latest arrangements of their recreational and sports facilities.

95. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren asked whether the unspent balance resulted from the cancellation of activities from February to March would be returned to DC.

96. Ms WONG Fan-ni, Jasmine gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) The Cultural and Entertainment Programme Division, the Library Division and the Recreational and Sports Facilities Division would regularly notify DC Members of the latest arrangement of LCSD facilities.

(ii) The unspent balance resulted from the cancellation of activities due to the pandemic would be returned to DC.

(Post-meeting note: LCSD had notified DC Members of the latest arrangements of LCSD facilities after the meeting.) 24 Responsible Department

Progress Report of Kwai Tsing District Works Projects (PDFMC Paper No. 10/I/2020)

97. Mr CHAN Chung-yun, Stephen introduced the paper.

98. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren put forth enquiries as follows:

(i) Whether the widening of Tsuen Wan Road, expansion of Texaco Road Flyover and relevant junction improvement projects had been gazetted.

(ii) Ground investigations of the above-mentioned projects would be completed by 2022. The construction time was far too long. Government departments undertook that they would provide relevant information but he had not received it yet.

(Post-meeting note: Highways Department (HyD) pointed out that the captioned projected had not been gazetted. Ground investigations were currently underway. HyD consultants had completed traffic volume calculation and traffic modelling. They were currently exploring feasible options to implement the project and were proceeding with traffic impact assessment, and environmental impact assessment. They would devise a proposal and prepare a preliminary design. During the research period, HyD would report their findings and consult the relevant Committee on the proposal. Upon endorsement from DC, pursuant to Roads (Works, Use And Compensation) Ordinance (Cap. 370), they would gazette the proposed road scheme. HyD would need reasonable lead time to ensure all relevant procedures would have been duly completed, so the above-mentioned ground investigation works were expected to be completed by 2022.)

99. Mr WONG Bing-kuen pointed out that according to an Ombudsman's report on the issue of idle flyovers, the half-finished flyover at Tai Wo Hau had been idled for many years. (Post-meeting note: HyD pointed out that in the fourth quarter of 2017, HyD consulted Traffic and Transport Committee of K&TDC on the traffic review and improvement plans of the Tsuen Wan Road and the related junctions. During the consultation, Members requested that the reserved flyover section be linked to the ground level of Texaco Road to relieve the traffic at Tsuen Tsing Interchange. 25 Responsible Department Transport Department then commissioned HyD to conduct study on the proposed connection works. HyD engaged a consultant to conduct ground investigations on the project. Related investigative work commenced in mid-2019. For the latest development of the project, Members might refer to the post-meeting note above.)

100. Mr LAM Siu-fai asked whether the Lift and Pedestrian Walkway System between Castle Peak Road and Kung Yip Street, Kwai Chung would not be completed in the second quarter of 2023, as scheduled, due to the pandemic.

(Post-meeting note: HyD pointed out that according to the latest situation and project progress, HyD believed that the Lift and Pedestrian Walkway System between Castle Peak Road and Kung Yip Street would have been completed by the second quarter of 2023. HyD would continue to monitor the impact of the pandemic on the project, with a view to completing the project as scheduled.)

101. Mr KONG Tze-man, Stephen replied that he would follow up on the above-mentioned issues with HyD and other respective departments.

Briefing Session on District Minor Works

102. Ms HUI Ka-wai, Minerva, Architect (Works)5 of HAD, Ms LEUNG Pui-shan, Emily, Liaison Officer (General 3) of K&TDO, Mr WU Chi-yin, Victor, Senior Inspector of Works (Kwai Tsing) of K&TDO and Mr CHAN Chi-kong, Inspector of Works (Kwai Tsing) of K&TDO gave a presentation on DMW.

103. Mr WONG Bing-kuen asked whether DC Members could submit two micro works projects instead of one DMW project.

104. Mr LAM Siu-fai enquired about the definition of local personalities.

105. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren asked whether the Department would discuss the land title issues with the owners' corporations prior to conducting feasibility studies and ground investigation works of barrier-free access linking Nga Ying Chau Garden and Villa Esplanada Shopping Centre.

106. Miss WONG Pit-man asked whether DC Members could submit a few DMW projects proposals and to have some knowledge of the budget for each project before making the final decision.

26 Responsible Department 107. Mr TSUI Hiu-kit suggested that priorities of DMW projects should be solely dependent on existing DMW project types in the district, but not whether DC Members had their proposals endorsed before. Otherwise, this would cause unfairness to re-elected DC Members.

108. Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie gave a consolidated response as follows:

(i) If DC Members were not certain about the estimated cost of each project, they could consult K&TDO on the preliminary estimates. However, according to past experience, the final cost of many projects was significantly higher than the preliminary estimates due to the construction difficulties found in ground investigations. Hence, DC members were allowed to make a revision to the original project.

(ii) The Nga Ying Chau project concerned private land titles. Preparatory work was underway but public consultation had not been launched. They would consult the respective landowners when public consultation commenced. If alteration works had to be carried out on private land, such expenditure would not be settled by DC Funds.

(iii) If the respective departments confirmed the feasibility of the proposals regarding district facilities submitted by residents, they would be regarded as local personalities.

109. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren asked why the Department did not launch public consultation and ascertain the land titles prior to submitting the project to the Committee.

110. Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie replied that in general, only few projects did not involve land conflicts and ground investigations. There would be no budget resources for ground investigations if the project had not been initiated. The Lead Department would not only conduct ground investigations on the proposed site but also in the vicinity of the site with a view to identifying a feasible alternative location..

111. Mr TAM Ka-chun, Warren enquired about the administrative costs of ground investigations.

112. Ms HUI Ka-wai, Minerva replied that such figures were not available at the moment.

27 Responsible Department 113. Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie gave a consolidated response as follows: (i) The cost of ground investigations did not constitute a large proportion of the total project cost.

(ii) “District Minor Works Scheme” was implemented on an annual basis. As ground investigations took time, in order to avoid a huge backlog of DMW projects and to expedite construction process, DC Members were only allowed to submit one revision to the original proposal.

Any Other Business

114. Mr WONG Bing-kuen requested K&TDO to follow up on the following issues:

(i) The newly built rain shelter opposite to TWHECC was deficient and the construction of benches had not commenced.

(ii) The existing rain shelter was found to be damaged.

(iii) The planter at Tak Tai Path Sitting-out Area, Tai Wo Hau needed repairment.

115. Miss YIM Yik-huen, Bonnie replied that they had not conducted acceptance tests on the rain shelter opposite to TWHECC. But she welcomed DC Members to participate in the acceptance tests later.

Date of Next Meeting

116. The next meeting was scheduled to be held on 21 April 2020 (Tuesday).

Kwai Tsing District Council Secretariat April 2020

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