For discussion EC(95-96)78
on 14 February 1996
ITEM FOR ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
HEAD 55 - GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT :
RECREATION AND CULTURE BRANCH
Subhead 001 - Salaries
Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee -
- the re-ranking of the two Deputy Secretary posts in the Recreation and Culture Branch at the D4 and D3 level; and
- the creation of one supernumerary post of Administrative Officer Staff Grade C (D2) ($95,550 - $101,450) in the Recreation and Sports Division of the Branch, to be held against a Principal Executive Officer (D1) ($80,450 - $85,400) post for a period two years from 18 March 1996.
Having regard to recent developments in the policy areas of the Recreation and Culture Branch (RCB), the existing ranking of the Deputy Secretaries does not reflect accurately their level of responsibilities and the level of directorate support in the Recreation and Sport Division is areis inadequate .
2. We propose to -
- re-rank the two Deputy Secretaries (DSs) so that the senior deputy at D4 level is to head the Broadcasting, Entertainment and Administration (BEA) Wing while the D3 deputy is to head the Recreation and Culture (RC) Wing; and
- create a supernumerary Administrative Officer Staff Grade C (AOSGC)(D2) post, to be held against a Principal Executive Officer (PEO)(D1) post, to head the Recreation and Sports (RS) Division of the RC Wing for a period of two years from 18 March 1996.
3. There have been significant developments in the broadcasting and entertainment industries since the Secretary for Recreation and Culture (SRC) took over the responsibilities for the related policy areas from the then Secretary for Administrative Services and Information in 1989. Technological advances and economic affluence have brought about more broadcasting modes and growing entertainment industries. Taking into account the importance and political sensitivity of the broadcasting schedule, SRC considers that there is a need to assign the more senior Deputy Secretary to oversee policy matters in this aspect.
4. On the other hand, with the establishment of statutory bodies on arts, namely Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC), and sports, namely the Hong Kong Sports Development Board (HKSDB), and the transfer of the Music Office functions to the two Municipal Councils (MCs), the extent of involvement and span of activities in the recreation and culture areas that the Branch directly deals with have been somewhat reduced.
5. In view of the above, the SRC considers it more appropriate to re-rank the two posts.
6. The RS Division, under the RC Wing, is presently headed by a PEO. It is responsible for assisting SRC and DS(RC) in the formulation of policies on territory-wide recreation and sports issues as well as the administration of various subventions and funds for recreation and sports. The ranking of the post was previously at D2 level but was downgraded to the present level in 1991 in view of our intention to develop a greater degree of independence within HKSDB. When we set up the statutory Board in 1990, we expected that the Branch from henceforth would play a smaller role in promoting recreation and sports and thus the Division could be headed by a junior directorate officer. However, experience in the past few years has proved that Government needs to maintain its role as the overall policy formulator and co-ordinator in these issuesplayed by the Government. We expect the situation to remain unchanged in the next few years for reasonssituation described in the following paragraphs.
7. Although HKSDB has a statutory responsibility for the promotion and development of sports and recreation in Hong Kong, we need a central co-ordinating body to bring the various parties, i.e. HKSDB, the MCs, the Amateur Sports Federation, the Olympic Committee of Hong Kong and the National Sports Associations (NSAs) together. We have to ensure that the various parties involved realise and accept the distribution of different functions in sports and recreation promotion. The LegCo Recreation and Culture Panel has at its meeting held on 4 January 1996 called on the Government to play a stronger co-ordinating, monitoring and liaison role. This will require attention at a high level.
8. HKSDB has now finalised its second strategic plan for 1996-2000 which is the most important document for the Board to-date. The plan will provide a clear focus for the activities of the Board in the next five years and the funding of its expenses, in the promotion of sports and recreation. RCB's participation is expected to be crucial in steering and monitoring the implementation of the new strategic plan.
9. Other new major policy issues have cropped up recently and we expect the Government to play a stronger co-ordinating role in them. These include:-
- the use of available land for recreational purposes, e.g. ex-military land and landfill sites;
- a review of the planning standards for recreational and sports facilities;
- a review of the use and provision of water sports facilities and stadia;
- the construction and opening of the Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course and the establishment of a statutory body to take over the permanent management of the course; and
- the continuous funding of the Hong Kong Sports Institute and its future role.
10. We expect that at least for the coming two years, the job contents of the head of the RS Division will be no less onerous than those of the other Principal Assistant Secretaries (PASs) at AOSGC level in the Branch. His level of contact both within and outside the Government is at least at D2 level. Many of the subjects are of great public interest and require political sensitivity and an ability to deal with the media, members of LegCo, NSAs and others. We therefore propose to create one post of AOSGC (D2) to be held against the existing PEO (D1) post. We will review the long term requirement of the post in two years time when hopefully the requirement for policy input will be more settled. A copy of the duty list of the post is at Enclosure 1. The revised organisation chart and roles and duties of various divisions of the Branch are at Enclosures 2 and 3.
11. The redistribution of duties and re-ranking of the two Deputy Secretaries posts will have no financial implications. The additional notional annual salary cost of an AOSGC, offset by a PEO, at MID-POINT is -
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|
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$
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No. of Posts
|
|---|
|
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New post (D2)
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1,182,600
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1
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Less
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Post frozen (D1)
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994,200
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1
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188,400
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0
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We have sufficient provision in the 1996-97 draft Estimates to meet the cost of this proposal. There are no other additional staffing and financial implications.
12. The Recreation and Culture Branch was established on 1 September 1989 and consists of two functional wings each headed by a Deputy Secretary, ranked at D4 and D3 respectively. The Broadcasting, Entertainment and Administration (BEA) Wing is headed by the Deputy Secretary (Broadcasting, Entertainment and Administration), DS(BEA), and is supported by two PASs. The Wing has policy responsibility for entertainment and broadcasting issues, oversees the policies of the two executive departments of the Branch, namely Radio Television Hong Kong and Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority, and co-ordinates branch administration. The Recreation and Culture (RC) Wing, headed by the Deputy Secretary (Recreation and Culture), DS(RC), comprises the Culture Division and Recreation and Sports Division and assumes policy responsibility for culture, recreation and sports. It is also responsible for liaison and legislative matters relating to the Municipal Councils. These two divisions are headed by a PAS and a PEO respectively.
13. The RS Division under the RC Wing is responsible for formulating policies on territory-wide recreation and sports issues, and administering various subventions and funds for recreation and sports, e.g. the subventions to the HKSDB, voluntary agency camps and Outward Bound School, and the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation (SDTFR). It has policy responsibility for such organisations as the HKSDB, Hong Kong Sports Institute and Ocean Park Corporation. The division also provides secretariat service to the Sir David Trench Fund Committee which advises on disbursements from the SDTFR and applications under the Jockey Club Grant for Permanent Recreational Facilities for Youth. The head of the RS Division is underpinned by both professional Recreation and Sport Officer Grade staff and Executive Grade staff. The professional staff are mainly responsible for providing technical advice on recreation and sports matters and keeping in close contact with the sports community. The Executive Grade staff provide administrative support and undertake the necessary research work, and are also responsible for division administration.
14. Civil Service Branch agrees that the re-ranking of the two Deputy Secretaries of the Recreation and Culture Branch is appropriate and that the Head of the Recreation and Sports Division of the Branch should be up-graded from D1 to D2 on a supernumerary basis for two years.
15. As the upgrading of the post is proposed on a supernumerary basis, its creation, if approved, will be reported to the Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service in accordance with the agreed procedure.
Recreation and Culture Branch
February 1996
Enclosure 1 to EC(95-96)78
- To recommend, formulate and implement policies and legislation for developing recreation and sports in Hong Kong.
- To plan, co-ordinate and advise on major territory wide recreational and sports facilities and projects, and to liaise with various recreational and sports organisations, the Municipal Councils and other government departments on matters concerning the development of recreation and sport.
- To handle matters relating to the Hong Kong Sports Development Board, the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the Ocean Park Corporation and the Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course, including their strategic plans and budgets; and to act as the main point of contact in RCB.
- To handle matters, including subvention, relating to the Outward Bound School and Voluntary Agency Camps.
- To administer the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation and applications under the Jockey Club Grant for Permanent Recreational Facilities for Youth.
- To oversee public safety issues in recreation, including shark attacks, fireworks displays and the use of pyrotechnics for theatrical performances.
- To manage the Recreation and Sports Division, comprising the Recreation and Technical Services Section (4 staff) and the Policy Support, Subventions and Administration Section (17 staff).
Enclosure 3 to EC (95-96)78 78
I. Broadcasting, Entertainment and Administration Wing
(a) Broadcasting Division: responsible for
policy on broadcasting (radio and television) including legislation and liaison with licensees; and
house-keeping for RTHK.
(b) Film & Entertainment Division: responsible for
policy on film censorship and development, control of obscene and indecent articles, public entertainment and amusement rides safety, licensing amusement games centres, public dance halls and dancing schools, including related legislations and regulatory framework;
house-keeping of TELA; and
policy on Hong Kong-Canada Film and TV Co-production MOU.
(c) Administration Division: responsible for
resource management;
interpretation and translation services;
accounting, finance;
supplies;
general administration;
establishment matters and
personnel management (including staff relations, welfare and discipline);
II. Recreation and Culture Wing
(a) Culture Division: responsible for
policy on the development and promotion of the arts in Hong Kong;
policy on preservation and conservation of Hong Kongs human heritage;
policy on, liaison with and subvention of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts;
policy on, liaison with and administration of the Jockey Club Music & Dance Fund;
policy on, liaison with and administration of the Antiquities Advisory Board and the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust;
liaison with local and overseas cultural organizations, consulates and other agencies;
liaison and legislative matters relating to the Municipal Councils; and
management of the Antiquities & Monuments Office.
(b) Recreation and Sports Division: responsible for
policies and legislation relating to territory-wide recreation and sports issues;
planning and coordination of territory-wide recreational and sports project;
liaison with various recreation and sports organizations, such as the Sports Development Board, Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee and National Sports Associations and the Municipal Councils, and other government departments on matters concerning the development of recreation and sports;
subvention to the Sports Development Board, Outward Bound School and voluntary agency camps;
matters relating to Ocean Park Corporation and Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course;
administration of the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation and Jockey Club Grant for Permanent Recreational Facilities for Youth; and
fireworks displays and theatrical pyrotechnics.
Last Updated on 3 December 1998
