Minutes of the 8th Meeting of the Southern District Council (SDC) (2016-2019) Date : 19 January 2017 Time : 2:30 p.m. Venue : SDC Conference Room Present: Mr CHU Ching-hong, JP (Chairman) Mr CHAN Fu-ming, MH (Vice-Chairman) Mr AU Lap-sing, MH Mr AU Nok-hin Mr CHAI Man-hon Mrs CHAN LEE Pui-ying Ms CHEUNG Sik-yung, MH Mr CHU Lap-wai Mr FUNG Se-goun, Fergus Mr LAM Kai-fai, MH Ms LAM Yuk-chun, MH Mr LO Kin-hei Dr MAK TSE How-ling, Ada, MH Mr TSUI Yuen-wa Ms YAM Pauline Mr Paul ZIMMERMAN Absent with Apologies: Ms CHAN Judy Kapui Secretary: Ms YIP Wai-see, Priscilla Senior Executive Officer (District Council), Southern District Office, Home Affairs Department 1 In Attendance: Mr CHOW Chor-tim, JP District Officer (Southern), Home Affairs Department Miss TSE Nga-lap, Lilian Assistant District Officer (Southern), Home Affairs Department Mr CHAN Ip-to, Tony Senior Executive Officer (District Management), Southern District Office, Home Affairs Department Ms LO Mun-wah, Cindy Senior Liaison Officer (1), Southern District Office, Home Affairs Department Miss CHOW Suk-yee, Jessica Senior Liaison Officer (2), Southern District Office, Home Affairs Department Mr LEE Kan-fat District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent (Southern), Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Mr CHEUNG Wing Keung, District Leisure Manager (Southern), Wicky Leisure and Cultural Services Department Mr HSU Kam-lung, Virgil Cheif Manager/M (HKI), Housing Department Mr HO Kwan-hang, Albert Chief Transport Officer/HK, Transport Department Mr SIN Chi-sing Deputy District Commander (Western), Hong Kong Police Force Mr LO Yee-chung Training & Staff Relations Officer (Western District) Hong Kong Police Force Mr Anka LEUNG Senior Engineer/SIL 1, Highways Department Mr Johnny CHAN Senior Engineer/Priority Railway 3, Transport Department Mr Edmund WONG Operations Manager – SIL, for agenda MTR Corporation Limited item 3 Mr Thomas LI Senior Construction Engineer – Civil, MTR Corporation Limited Ms Samantha SIU Public Relations Manager - Projects & Property, MTR Corporation Limited 2 Ms CHOI Suk-kuen, Shirley Senior Manager (Cultural Services) Hong Kong West, Leisure and Cultural Services Department Miss LAI Ching-yee, Olivia Senior Librarian (Southern), Leisure and Cultural Services Department Miss LAU Sin-yan, Irene Assistant Manager (Hong Kong West) Marketing, Programme and District for agenda Activities, Leisure and Cultural item 5 Services Department Ms CHAN Siu-kuen, Catalina Librarian, Aberdeen Public Library, Leisure and Cultural Services Department Ms HA Chung-wan, Joanne Deputy District Leisure Manager, (District Support) Southern, Leisure and Cultural Services Department Ms Winnie YIP Cluster General Manager (Administrative Services), Hong Kong West Cluster, Hospital Authority Ms Pinky MAK Senior Hospital Manager (Planning and Commissioning), Queen Mary Hospital for agenda Mr Jimmy WONG Public and Community Relations item 6 Officer, Queen Mary Hospital Ms Julia CHIU Hospital Administrator II (Public and Media Relations), Queen Mary Hospital Opening Remarks: The Chairman welcomed Members and regular government representatives to the meeting. 2. The Chairman advised the meeting that Ms CHAN Judy Kapui had submitted an application for absence from this meeting due to confinement (i.e. applicable to a meeting scheduled within a period of up to 10 weeks inclusive of a period of two weeks or more, but less than four weeks before the expected date of confinement and a period of six weeks or more, but less than eight weeks after the actual date of 3 confinement). Ms CHAN Judy Kapui’s leave application was now accepted in accordance with Order 51 of the Southern District Council Standing Orders. 3. The Chairman continued that the meeting would be conducted in accordance with the established arrangement, under which each Member would be allotted a maximum of two three-minute slots to speak in respect of each agenda item. He also reminded Members to speak as concise as possible. The electronic timer would beep when it reached two minutes 30 seconds and three minutes of each speaking slot respectively. The suggested duration for discussion of the agenda items had also been e-mailed to Members before the meeting (Reference Paper 1). The Secretary estimated that the meeting would come to a close no sooner than 5:40 p.m., and if Members wished to leave earlier, they should inform the secretariat staff as early as possible. Part I – Items for Discussion Agenda Item 1: Confirmation of the draft minutes of the 7th SDC meeting held on 17 November 2016 [2:34 p.m. - 2:35 p.m.] 4. The Chairman said that prior to the meeting, the draft minutes of the 7th SDC meeting had been circulated to Members for comments. The Secretariat had not received any amendment proposals so far. 5. The Chairman asked Members to endorse the minutes of the 7th SDC meeting. 6. SDC confirmed the minutes of its 7th meeting. Agenda Item 2: Matters Arising (SDC Paper No. 8/2017) [2:35 p.m.] 7. The Chairman asked Members to note the contents of the paper. 8. Members noted the contents of the paper. 4 (Mr Anka LEUNG, Mr Johnny CHAN, Mr Edmund WONG, Mr Thomas LI and Ms Samantha SIU joined the meeting at 2:35 p.m.) Agenda Item 3: Issues relating to the South Island Line (East) Scheme (SDC Paper No. 9/2017) [2:35 p.m. – 3:57 p.m.] 9. The Chairman welcomed the following representatives of the government departments concerned and MTR Corporation Limited (MTRC) to the meeting: (i) Mr Anka LEUNG, Senior Engineer/South Island Line 1 of the Highways Department (HyD); (ii) Mr Johnny CHAN, Senior Engineer/Priority Railway 3 of the Transport Department (TD); (iii) Mr Edmund WONG, Operations Manager - SIL of MTRC; (iv) Mr Thomas LI, Senior Construction Engineer - Civil of MTRC; and (v) Ms Samantha SIU, Public Relations Manager - Projects & Property of MTRC. (Mr TSUI Yuen-wa joined the meeting at 2:36 p.m.) 10. The Chairman was delighted to learn of the successful commissioning of the South Island Line (East) (SIL(E)) on 28 December 2016. As further follow-up on certain matters relating to this Scheme was required, HyD, TD and MTRC were invited to send representatives to this meeting for joining the discussion. Also, this SDC meeting was the final regular session for MTRC representatives to report on the SIL(E) Scheme. 11. The Chairman suggested that the order for discussion on this agenda item should start with a briefing by MTRC representatives on the contents of the paper, and then proceed to discuss the contents of the paper concerned in conjunction with the follow-up items contained in the table of Reference Information - 2 and matters relating to SIL(E). The Chairman continued that just like other agenda items, two speaking slots would be given to each Member who might speak for up to three minutes in each round of speaking. The Chairman asked Members whether approval would be given to the above arrangement. 12. Members did not raise any objection. 5 13. The Chairman invited the MTRC representatives to brief Members on the contents of the paper. (Mr AU Nok-hin and Mr FUNG Se-goun joined the meeting at 2:38 p.m.) 14. Ms Samantha SIU, with the aid of PowerPoint presentation (PowerPoint - 1), briefed Members on the progress of the construction works of SIL(E), the temporary traffic management schemes (TTMSs) and the community liaison activities. She said that SIL(E) had formally commenced service on 28 December 2016. On the whole, the railway enjoyed smooth operation with about 110 000 passenger trips recorded daily. She continued that MTRC had also organised a series of community liaison activities, including “Our Thanks to the Community Ceremony” on 17 December 2016 in gratitude for the support of the Community Liaison Group and other partner organisations of the SIL(E) Scheme, inviting Members for a trial ride before the commissioning of the railway in December 2016, “South Island Line Stations Open Day” on 24 December 2016 for residents and members of the public to preview the stations and familiarise themselves with the operation of station facilities as well as a ceremony to celebrate the commissioning of the railway on the first day of service on 28 December 2016. She supplemented that it was inevitable that some teething problems might arise during early stages of railway operation. MTRC had already formulated contingency measures and handling mechanism in an effort to reduce the inconvenience caused to passengers. She thanked the community for their support and understanding. 15. The Chairman asked Members to raise comments or enquiries on the contents of the paper, follow-up items contained in the table of Reference Information - 2 and matters relating to the SIL(E) Scheme. 16. Regarding item 9 of Reference Information - 2 “Enquiry on compensatory tree planting between Yuk Kwai Shan Plant Building and the stone wall”, Mr LAM Kai-fai, MH enquired about details of the planting of trees along the sidewalk in front of Yuk Kwai Shan Plant Building at Lee Nam Road. 17. Ms CHEUNG Sik-yung, MH raised comments and enquiries as follows: (i) she opined that the actual daily ridership of SIL(E) should exceed 110 000 passenger trips; and 6 (ii) regarding the suggestions made by quite a number of residents on the departure time of the first train from South Horizons Station, she said that currently, interchanging commuters on the first departure from South Horizons Station at 6:00 a.m. were often unable to catch the train towards Chai Wan at Admiralty Station, and had to wait a few more minutes before boarding on the next train. In response to the public’s request, MTRC was urged to advance the departure time of the first train from South Horizons Station earlier, enabling interchanging commuters to catch the train towards Chai Wan at Admiralty Station.