URA submits draft Corporate Plan early next week

The Board of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (31 January) resolved to submit the URA's draft five-year Corporate Plan and Business Plan to the Financial Secretary early next week.

At today's meeting, Members decided that it should be forwarded to the Financial Secretary for consideration after careful and thorough deliberations on the proposals.

The URA will continue to work closely with the Government to take the Corporate Plan forward.

The Board also endorsed the appointment of three social service teams to provide assistance and counselling services to residents affected by URA's three early projects in Sham Shui Po Tai Kok Tsui and Wan Chai.

They reviewed the recommendation report of a selection panel of the Community Affairs and Public Relations Committee set up to consider submissions on the appointment of social service teams.

The panel, comprising Board members and co-opt members, earlier invited submissions from 25 non-government organisations which have expressed an interest in operating a social service team. 

Submissions were received from 10 organisations. Through an open and fair tendering process, the panel gave careful deliberations to the various proposals and selected three non-government organisations. They are Salvation Army, Christian Family Service Centre and Methodist Centre.

The URA will maintain good communication with the social service teams at various levels to ensure that all residents affected by URA projects will have access to appropriate assistance and counselling services.

While the social service teams carry out their operations independently, they will work closely with URA's front-line staff to realise the mission of the Authority, which includes redevelopment, revitalisation, preservation and rehabilitation.

The annual funding for operating each social service team includes a fixed lump sum of $600,000 for staff costs and a ceiling cost of $100,000 for programme-related expenses.