PWSC(97-98)53
For discussion
on 15 October 1997

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS
SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 708 - CAPITAL SUBVENTIONS AND MAJOR SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT
Education Subventions
Subhead 8023EC - Repairs to slopes of aided schools served with Dangerous Hillside Orders

Members are invited to recommend to the Finance Committee to approve a new commitment of $817.8 million in money-of-the-day prices for repairs to sub-standard slopes under the maintenance responsibility of aided schools.

PROBLEM

Aided schools are responsible for remedial works to sub-standard slopes under their maintenance responsibility. On the recommendation of the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) of the Civil Engineering Department, some aided schools have been served with Dangerous Hillside Orders (DHOs) by the Building Authority (BA). The GEO expects to recommend more DHOs affecting aided schools when more studies under the Accelerated Landslip Preventive Measures Programme are completed. We need to ensure that financial resources are available in good time for the aided schools concerned to carry out remedial works to sub-standard slopes in compliance with the DHOs.

PROPOSAL

2.On the advice of the Director of Architectural Services (D Arch S), Director of Buildings and Director of Civil Engineering, and with the support of the Secretary for Education and Manpower, the Director of Education (D of E) proposes to create a new commitment of $817.8 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices, for aided schools to carry out remedial works to sub-standard slopes under their maintenance responsibility.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3.An aided school which has a private sub-standard slope under its maintenance responsibility will be served a DHO by the BA under the Buildings Ordinance upon advice by the GEO. The school will be required to appoint an Authorized Person registered under the Buildings Ordinance and a qualified geotechnical engineer to prepare proposals for the remedial works, including an investigation report and the landslip preventive works plans, for approval by the BA. In parallel, the D Arch S, as Government's technical adviser on architectural matters affecting aided schools, will vet the school's proposed consultancy agreements, landslip preventive works plans, tender documents and tender recommendations for the ground investigation and stabilisation works. Upon BA's approval of the proposals, the school should engage contractors through tender to carry out the stabilisation works as soon as possible.

4.As at 5 September 1997, arising from the GEO's studies and landslip incidents, the GEO has recommended the BA to serve DHOs in respect of 44 private sub-standard slopes affecting 29 aided schools. The BA has already served 27 DHOs in respect of 29 of such slopes to 19 aided schools and will issue DHOs in respect of the 15 remaining slopes shortly. On the basis of the best information available, the GEO estimates that in addition some 156 private slopes affecting about 100 aided schools would likely be found to be sub-standard and that it would recommend the BA to serve DHOs¹ to the aided schools concerned. Hence, the total number of sub-standard slopes under the maintenance responsibility of aided schools would be about 200. The proposed new commitment is intended to enable the aided schools concerned to engage professionals and contractors to carry out investigation and stabilisation works to these slopes.

JUSTIFICATION

5.Under the Codes of Aid for Primary, Secondary and Special schools, the Government has the responsibility to provide capital grants for major repairs to aided schools. Remedial works to sub-standard slopes fall within this ambit.

6.To ensure the safety of students and staff, it is important that necessary remedial works are carried out as soon as a slope is found to be sub-standard. The approval of this proposal will ensure that financial resources are available for the aided schools concerned to engage the necessary services as soon as possible.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

7.The GEO estimates that the average cost to stabilise a slope is about $3 million at December 1996 prices - $1 million for the consultancy service and supervision in respect of landslip preventive works plans and about $2 million for the ground investigation and stabilisation works. The total cost for the remedial works to the 200 sub-standard slopes is estimated to be $817.8 million in MOD prices, made up as follows-

8.As regards para. 7(a) above, $200 million represents the estimated total fees for Authorized Persons and qualified geotechnical engineers to prepare proposals for ground investigation and landslip preventive works plans. The professionals will also prepare tender documents and tender recommendations for ground investigation and stabilisation works for consideration by the D of E in consultation with D Arch S and will supervise the ground investigation and stabilisation works undertaken by contractors. A detailed breakdown by man-months of the estimate for the consultants' fees is at the Enclosure.

9.As regards para. 7(b) above, $400 million represents the total estimated cost for ground investigation, laboratory testing of soil samples and stabilisation works included in the relevant works contracts which will be subject to competitive tendering. We will determine the actual cost of the works when a precise basis for remeasurement is available following more detailed studies of the individual slopes.

10.As regards para. 7(c) above, $60 million represents the total contingency provision for 7(a) and 7(b).

11.Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure as follows-

12.We have derived the MOD estimates above based on Government's forecast of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1997 to 2001.

13.The proposal has no annually recurrent financial implications.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

14.We consider public consultation unnecessary because the proposal aims to ensure public safety and should be welcomed by the public.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

15.We will require the schools concerned to specify in all contracts that noise, dust and site run-off nuisances should be controlled during construction to comply with the established guidelines and standards.

LAND ACQUISITION

16.The proposal does not require land acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

17.Under the Accelerated Landslip Preventive Measures Programme, the GEO conducts preliminary studies for pre-1977 man-made slopes to select sub-standard slopes which will require further studies. The GEO has identified, in the vicinity of 2,072 schools, a total of 1,965 government and private slopes out of which 550 (350 private and 200 government slopes) have been selected for further studies. The Government is committed to substantially completing the detailed studies of all 350 private slopes affecting schools by March 1998. The Government has also undertaken to complete investigations and, where necessary, upgrading works for the 200 government slopes affecting schools by March 1999.

18.So far, the GEO has completed detailed studies on 200 of the 550 slopes affecting schools. 114 (66 private and 48 government) slopes have been found to be sub-standard. The GEO is still carrying out detailed studies for the remaining 350 (200 private and 150 government) slopes.

19.As regards the 66 private slopes found to be sub-standard, 44 affect aided schools. As mentioned in paragraph 4 above, the BA has issued 27 DHOs in respect of 29 such slopes to 19 aided schools. In 15 cases, the schools concerned have already proceeded to appoint Authorized Persons and qualified geotechnical engineers to carry out the works required under the DHOs. The remaining 12 cases are being handled by the BA's geotechnical consultants as the schools have not carried out the works required under the DHO within the specified time frame. The BA will recover from the aided schools the cost of the works. The BA is in the process of issuing more DHOs in respect of the remaining 15 private slopes found to be sub-standard.

20.As regards the 48 sub-standard government slopes, the GEO has completed upgrading works to 13 slopes, and is carrying out works at another 14, and will commence works at the remaining 21 as soon as possible.

21.In April 1997, the D of E issued an updated circular on Administrative Procedures for Safety of Schools in the Vicinity of Slopes to inform school owners of the responsibility for maintenance and repairs of slopes and the importance of regular maintenance and timely repairs. The circular also advises schools on the administrative procedures for repair works and routine maintenance to slopes.

22.Normally, a school may need 18 months to complete the investigation and stabilisation works to a sub-standard slope. The BA may take prosecution action under the Buildings Ordinance against the owners of slopes who fail to comply with the requirements of DHOs. In cases of emergency, the BA is also empowered to carry out works deemed necessary to prevent imminent danger of slope failure.

23.We upgraded 8023EC to Category B in August 1997.

24.The aided schools served with DHOs will engage the necessary services to start site investigation and stabilisation works as soon as possible. We expect to complete the works by 2000-01.

Education and Manpower Bureau

1.GEO has completed the selection exercise of the slopes in the vicinity of aided schools and selected another batch of some 180 slopes for detailed stability studies to be completed by March 1998. The actual number of DHOs to be issued to aided schools depends on many factors including the confirmation of maintenance responsibilities, the result of the studies and the landslip incidents affecting aided schools.

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Enclosure to PWSC(97-98)53

DETAILS OF THE CONSULTANTS’ FEES Breakdown of estimates for consultants’ fees

	Consultants�staff costs		Estimated man-months	Average MPS salary point	Multiplier factor	Estimated fee ($ million)
(a)	Stability study including supervision of site investigation works	Professional Technical	164 203	40 16	3.0 3.0	27.25 11.32
(b)	Detailed design for substandard slopes	Professional Technical	164 39	40 16	3.0 3.0	27.25 2.18
(c)	Preparation of tender documents for substandard slopes	Professional Technical	39 39	40 16	3.0 3.0	6.48 2.18
(d)	Assessment of tenders	Professional Technical	39 19	40 16	3.0 3.0	6.48 1.06
(e)	Site supervision by resident site staff employed by the consultant	Professional Technical	395 1 790	40 16	2.1 2.1	45.95 69.90
Total						200.05