For discussion PWSC(98-99)15
on 23 September 1998
ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
HEAD 707 - NEW TOWNS AND URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT
Housing - Rural housing improvement
Transport - Roads
18HH - Village improvements and development schemes in the New Territories
446TH - Improvement, reconstruction and extension of village access roads in the New Territories
- the upgrading of part of 18HH, entitled "Village improvements and development schemes in the New Territories: 1998-99 Supplementary Programme", to Category A at an estimated cost of $9.3 million in money-of-the-day prices;
- the upgrading of part of 446TH, entitled "Improvement, reconstruction and extension of village access roads in the New Territories: 1998-99 Supplementary Programme", to Category A at an estimated cost of $18.8 million in money-of-the-day prices; and
- the retention of the remainders of 18HH and 446TH in Category B.
PROBLEM
Some villages in the New Territories (NT) lack basic amenities and infrastructure and suffer problems arising from pollution and local flooding.
PROPOSAL
2. The Director of Home Affairs (DHA), with the support of the Secretary for Home Affairs, proposes to upgrade parts of 18HH and 446TH to Category A at a total estimated cost of $28.1 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices to implement additional works in 1998-99 under the Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (RPIS) in the rural New Territories.
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
3. The scope of RPIS works comprises -
- works related to infrastructural improvement or development within village layouts and the provision of serviced land for village expansion;
- the provision of sewerage networks and treatment plants to unsewered developments within the village confines (major sewers relating to the implementation of the Sewerage Masterplan Studies carried out by the Environmental Protection Department are excluded from the RPIS);
- improvements and extensions to existing village roads and van tracks with footpaths, passing places and associated drainage;
- incorporation of new amenities such as sitting-out areas, children's playgrounds and gardens in existing village layouts;
- works related to land drainage, river training and flood protection schemes for villages;
- the provision and improvement of communal irrigation and field drainage facilities as well as farm access in selected agricultural areas; and
- other related works endorsed by the RPIS Minor Works District Working Groups and approved by the RPIS Minor Works Steering Committee.
4. Details of the proposed works are at Enclosures I and II.
JUSTIFICATION
5. We need to improve the environmental conditions of some rural villages in the New Territories which have deteriorated due to local flooding and pollution arising from human, animal and industrial sources. The RPIS is a coherent strategy endorsed by the Executive Council in 1989 to improve the basic amenities and infrastructure in the rural areas in the New Territories. The strategy focuses on the implementation of a 10-year programme of infrastructural development and environmental improvement. We implement improvement projects every year under the RPIS in the rural New Territories, where the cost of each works item does not exceed $15 million.
6. The Finance Committee approved the 1998-99 programme for RPIS on 27 February 1998. For the benefit of the economy, we plan to advance some additional district-based environmental improvement projects for implementation under the 1998-99 Rural Planning and Improvement Programme. These are projects which require little planning and design and can be implemented quickly.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
7. We estimate the total capital cost of the additional works items in 1998-99 at $28.1 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 8 below), made up as follows -
| Item | District | $ million
|
|---|
| (a) 18HH | (i) Islands | 0.9
|
| |
Due to insufficient in-house resources, DHA proposes to employ temporary staff to supervise the project. A breakdown by man months of the estimate for temporary staff cost is at Enclosure III.
8. Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure as follows-
|
Year
|
$ million
(Dec 1997)
|
Price
adjustment factor
|
$ million
(MOD)
|
|---|
|
18HH
|
|
446TH
|
|
18HH
|
|
446TH
|
|---|
|
1998 - 1999
|
4.5
|
|
8.3
|
1.06000
|
4.8
|
|
8.8 |
|
1999 - 2000
|
3.9
|
|
8.7
|
1.14878
|
4.5
|
|
10.0 |
|
_____
|
_____
|
|
_____
|
|
_____
|
|
_____ |
|
Total
|
8.4
|
|
17.0
|
|
9.3
|
|
18.8 |
|
_____
|
_____
|
|
_____
|
|
_____
|
|
_____ |
9. We have derived the MOD estimates on the basis of the Government's forecasts of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1998 to 2000. The proposed works consist of 17 small improvement projects. We will tender the projects under fixed-price lump-sum contracts, which will be managed by the works teams of NT District Offices.
10. We estimate the annually recurrent expenditure to be $1.20 million at December 1997 prices.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
11. We consulted five NT Provisional District Boards between August and September 1998. All indicated their support to the proposed projects. Details of the consultations with the relevant Provisional District Boards are at Enclosure IV.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
12. The RPIS programme involves small scale works in rural areas and in general, their implementation will improve the rural environment. As they are minor projects, there will be no adverse environmental impacts during operation. Moreover, we will design and implement the projects in accordance with the
"RPIS Minor Projects Environmental Guidance Note" issued by the Director of Environmental Protection. For short-term impacts during construction, we will implement environmental pollution control measures under the relevant works contracts to mitigate noise, dust and site run-off nuisances.
LAND ACQUISITION
13. No land acquisition or clearance is required for the works proposed under this programme.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
14. We included 18HH and 446TH in the Public Works Programme in October 1990 for the implementation of a rolling programme of infrastructural development and environmental improvement works in the rural New Territories as formulated in the RPIS, at that time under the co-ordination of the Director of Territory Development. The Director of Home Affairs took over responsibility for the administration and co-ordination of RPIS Minor Works project items in October 1994.
15. We revised the scopes of 18HH and 446TH in December 1991 and January 1994 respectively to include improvement works falling within country park areas and rural areas that are within new towns. We upgrade works under these two items to Category A on an annual programme basis. The Finance Committee approved the 1998-99 implementation programme on 27 February 1998.
16. To advance some additional district-based improvement projects, we plan to commence the construction of the proposed works items in December 1998 for completion by December 1999.
Home Affairs Bureau
September 1998
Enclosure I to PWSC(98-99)15
Proposed project list
18HH - Village improvements and development schemes in the New Territories
|
Item
|
District
|
Project Title |
|
1.
|
Islands
|
Improvement to embankment at Wang Tong River, Mui Wo |
|
2.
|
Tai Po
|
Improvement to stream embankment at Lam Tsuen River, Lam Tsuen |
3.
|
Tai Po
|
Improvement to stream embankment at Ping Long |
|
4.
|
Tuen Mun
|
Construction of drainage channel at west of Li Uk, So Kwun Wat |
Enclosure II to PWSC(98-99)15
Proposed project list
446TH - Improvement, reconstruction and extension of village access roads in the New Territories
|
Item
|
District
|
Project Title |
|
1.
|
Islands
|
Improvement to footpath at Mong Tung Wan, South Lantau |
|
2.
|
Islands
|
Improvement to footpath leading to San Tau, Tai O |
|
3.
|
Kwai Tsing
|
Improvement to footpath at Shing Mun Lower Village |
|
4.
|
Kwai Tsing
|
Construction of footpath at Pumping Station Village, Kau Wah Keng, Kwai Chung |
|
5.
|
Kwai Tsing
|
Construction of footpath at Cheung Hang, Kwai Chung |
|
6.
|
Tai Po
|
Improvement to van track at north of Wong Chuk Yeung, Sai Kung North |
|
7.
|
Tai Po
|
Construction of vehicular bridge and turning place at Ta Tit Yan |
|
8.
|
Tai Po
|
Construction of footpath at Lai Chi Hang, Tai Po Kau |
|
9.
|
Tai Po
|
Improvement to footbridge at Tong Min Tsuen |
|
10.
|
Tsuen Wan
|
Construction of van track at Tai Pak Tin Village, Sheung Kwai Chung |
|
11.
|
Tsuen Wan
|
Improvement to vehicular bridge at Pai Min Kok |
|
12.
|
Tsuen Wan
|
Improvement to footpath at Tso Wan, North East Lantau |
|
13.
|
Tuen Mun
|
Construction of footpath at Chung Wong Toi |
Enclosure III
Breakdown of the estimate for temporary staff cost
18HH - Village improvements and development schemes in the New Territories
|
|
Estimated
man
months
|
MPS*
salary
point
|
Estimated
cost
($ million)
|
|---|
|
Works Supervisor II
|
|
96
|
9
|
1.3
______ |
|
Total temporary staff cost
|
1.3
______ |
446TH - Improvement, reconstruction and extension of village access roads in the New Territories
|
|
Estimated
man
months
|
MPS*
salary
point
|
Estimated
cost
($ million)
|
|---|
|
Works Supervisor II
|
|
180
|
9
|
2.4
______ |
|
Total temporary staff cost
|
2.4
______ |
*MPS = Master Pay Scale
Notes
1. At 1.4.97, MPS pt. 9 = $13,515 p.m.
Enclosure IV to PWSC(98-99)15
Public consultation for the implementation of Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy
(1998-99 additional items)
|
District
|
Date
|
Mode of consultation
|
Remarks |
|
Islands
|
31 August 1998
|
Provisional District Board circulation of papers
|
Project supported |
|
Kwai Tsing
|
29 August 1998
|
Provisional District Board circulation of papers
|
Project supported |
|
Tai Po
|
27 August 1998
|
Provisional District Board Environmental Improvement & Works Committee circulation of papers
|
Project supported |
|
Tsuen Wan
|
25 August 1998
|
Provisional District Board Environmental Affairs Committee circulation of papers
|
Project supported |
|
Tuen Mun
|
14 August 1998
|
Provisional District Board Environmental Improvement & District Development meeting
|
Project supported |
