Minutes of the 7th Meeting of

Culture, Leisure & Social Affairs Committee (2012-13)

Central and Western District Council(C&W DC)

Date / : /

7February 2013(Thursday)

Time / : / 2:30 pm
Venue / : / Conference Room
14/F., HarbourBuilding
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong

Present:

Chairman

Mr CHAN Chit-kwai, BBS, JP*

Members

Mr CHAN Choi-hi*

Mr CHAN HO-lim, Joseph(2:30 pm – 2:45 pm)

(5 pm – end of the meeting)

Mr CHAN Hok-fung*

Ms CHENG Lai-king*

Mr CHEUNG Kwok-kwan(2:41 pm – 4:00 pm)

Mr CHEUNG Yick-hung, Jackie(3:05 pm – 5:15 pm)

Mr HUI Chi-fung*

Mr IP Kwok-him, GBS, JP(5:05 pm – 5:52 pm)

Mr KAM Nai-wai, MH*

Dr Malcolm LAM*

Mr LEE Chi-hang, Sidney*

Miss LO Yee-hang*

Mr MAN Chi-wah, MH*

Mr NG Siu-keung, Thomas, MH*

Mr WONG Kin-shing*

Mr YIP Wing-shing, BBS, MH, JP*

Co-opted Members

Mr CHAN Wing-hang*

Ms LEUNG Shuk-yi, Emily*

Mr Edward CHEUK*

Mr WONG Sai-kit*

Mr YEUNG Hoi-wing*

Remarks: *Members that attended the whole meeting

( )The time of attendance of the member

Guests
Item 4
Mr CHU Ho, Larry / Assistant Secretary (Harbour)1, Development Bureau
Mr LO Wai-kei / Engineer/Housing and Planning 2, Transport Department
Mr WilliamCHEUNG / Engineer/8 (Harbour Area Treatment Scheme), Drainage Services
Department
Ms CHOW Pui-shan, Cindy / Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) Central and
Western, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Item 5
Mr CHEUNG Wing-fat / Senior School Development Officer(CWS)2, Education Bureau
Item 6
Mr HUNG Wai-lun / Assistant District Social Welfare Officer (Central Western, Southern
and Islands)2, Social Welfare Department
Ms YEUNG Lai-ching, Regent / Senior Executive Officer (District Management), Central and Western District Office
Ms LAI Yuen-ping, Rita / District Secretary, Central and Western District Office
Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Daphne / Senior Librarian (Central and Western), Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Ms LI Ting, Jacqueline / Librarian(Shek Tong Tsui Public Library), Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Miss CHAN Wing-han, Grace / Senior Labour Officer (Employment Services)(Policy),
Labour Department
Item 7
Mr CHEUNG Wing-fat / Senior School Development Officer(CWS)2, Education Bureau
Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Daphne / Senior Librarian (Central and Western), Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Ms LI Ting, Jacqueline / Librarian(Shek Tong Tsui Public Library), Leisure and Cultural
Services Department
Item 8
Mr Oscar TAN / Senior Mediator, Financial Dispute Resolution Centre Limited
Ms Rosa CHAK / Communications Manager, Financial Dispute Resolution Centre Limited
Ms Margarita HO / Communications Officer, Financial Dispute Resolution Centre Limited
Mr David YOUH / Case Officer, Financial Dispute Resolution Centre Limited
Item 9
Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Daphne / Senior Librarian (Central and Western), Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Ms LI Ting, Jacqueline / Librarian(Shek Tong Tsui Public Library), Leisure and Cultural
Services Department
Ms YEUNG Lai-ching, Regent / Senior Executive Officer (District Management), Central and Western District Office
Ms LAI Yuen-ping, Rita / District Secretary, Central and Western District Office
Item 10
Ms CHOW Pui-shan, Cindy / Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) Central and
Western, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Item 11
Miss WONG Shuk-fan, Elisa / Senior Manager (Cultural Services)Hong Kong West, Leisure and
Cultural Services Department
Ms LEE Wing-yee, Winnie / Manager(Hong Kong West) Marketing, Programme and District
Activities, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Item 12
Miss LEE Lai-kwan, Queenie / Assistant Secretary (Heritage Conservation) 3, Development Bureau
Ms LEE Mei-wah, Mabel / Assistant Curator I (Building Conservation)3, Antiquities and
Monuments Office
Item 13
Mr NG Chan-hing, Sam / Senior Systems Manager (Digital Inclusion)3, Office of the Government Chief Information Officers
Miss Autumn LEUNG / Senior ProgrammeManager, WebOrganic

In Attendance:

Miss CHOW Ho-kiu, Cheryl, JPDistrict Officer (Central and Western)

Miss KEI Lai-ting, GraceAssistant District Officer (Central and Western)

Ms WONG Ming-wai, CynthiaSenior Executive Officer (District Council),

Central and Western District Office

Mr HUNG Wai-lunAssistant District Social Welfare Officer (Central Western,

Southern and Islands)2,

Social Welfare Department

Ms Doris CHUNSenior Community RelationsOfficer,

Regional Office (Hong Kong West/Islands),

Independent Commission Against Corruption

Mr CHEUNG Wing-fatSenior School Development Officer(CWS)2,

Education Bureau

Dr JaimeSINSenior Medical and Health Officer (Community Liaison),

Department of Health

Mr LAI Fai-keungNeighbourhood Police Co-ordinator,

Police Community Relations Office, Central District,

Hong Kong Police Force

Mr TSOI Kwok-mingNeighbourhood Police Co-ordinator,

Police Community Relations Office, Western District,

Hong Kong Police Force

Mr FAN Ka-yinNeighbourhood Police Co-ordinator,

Police Community Relations Office, Western District,

Hong Kong Police Force

Miss WONG Shuk-fan, ElisaSenior Manager (Cultural Services)Hong Kong West,

Leisure and Cultural Services Department

1

S:\Vetting Completed\11DO.M125_C&W_7th CLSAC dd 7.2.2013_e.docx

Ms LEE Wing-yee, WinnieManager(Hong Kong West) Marketing, Programme and

District Activities,Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Ms CHOW Pui-shan, CindyDeputy District Leisure Manager (District Support)

Central andWestern,

Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Secretary

Miss YAU So-shan, SusanExecutive Officer (District Council)5,

Central and Western District Office

Absent with Apologies:
Miss SIU Ka-yi

Mr Ng Wing-yan, MH

Opening Remarks
The Chairman welcomed all to the 7th meeting of the Cultural, Leisure & Social Affairs Committee (CLSAC).
Item 1:Adoption of the agenda
2.As there were no comments fromMembers, the agenda was adopted.
Item 2:Confirmation of the minutes of the 6th CLSAC meeting on 15 November 2012
3.As Members had no comments to the minutes of the 6thCLSAC meeting, the minutes were confirmed.
Item 3:Chairman’s report
4.The Chairman had nothing particular to highlight.
Item 4:Construction of a waterfront promenade at the open space of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park and the site of a temporary carpark at Fung Mat Road
(C&W CLSAC Paper No. 01/2013)
(2:34 pm – 2:49 pm)
5.The Chairmaninvited Members to discuss the paper. Questions and views of Members were as follows:
(i)Mr CHAN Choi-hi urged the Transport Department (TD) to respond to the District Council (DC) and the public’s demands on increasing goods vehicle parking spaces as soon as possible, and asked the TD how it would solve the problem in the coming year.
(ii)Mr CHAN Hok-fung said the departmentsconcerned had pledged to construct a waterfront promenade at the open space outside the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park (open space) as an extension of the Park, but the open space was still being used as a goods vehicle park. The departmentsconcerned had not yet replied on when the open space would be available for development. He was dissatisfied that the TD had failed to proactively increase the number of private car and goods vehicle parking spaces for local residents over the years. He pointed out that the development of a waterfront promenade could not commence unless the TD relocated the car park as soon as possible. He thought that the TD was derelict in its dutyfor having failed to handle the issue of the car park at the open space. He suggested writing to the Secretary for Transport and Housing (STH) and pressed him for the timetable about vacating the car park for the development of the Western District waterfront promenade.
6.Mr Larry CHU, Assistant Secretary (Harbour)1, Development Bureau(DevB) responded that the Bureau’s vision was to construct a waterfront promenade linking the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park and the Western Wholesale Food Market. The Drainage Services Department (DSD) said that the drainage works was expected to complete in March 2015 and part of the waterfront site could be released at that time. The Bureau would study with relevant departments and co-ordinate various departments to conduct a technical feasibility study on the construction of the waterfront promenade.
7.Mr LO Wai-kei, Engineer/Housing and Planning 2 of the TD responded that the department had always been committed to identifying more suitable sites in the Central and Western (C&W) District for additional parking spaces, such as roadside parking spaces, to replace the car park at the open space. It was earlier suggested that temporary parking spaces be provided at the space underneath the flyover at Connaught Road West near Eastern Street. Design-related problems had already been resolved with the Highways Department (HyD). It was hoped that the plan ease the supply of parking spaces in the district. The department would continue to identify an appropriate place for the relocation of car park, and would co-operate with the Bureauon the development of the waterfront promenade.
8.The Chairman asked the TD for the time of completion of the temporary car park at the space underneath the flyover at Connaught Road West near Eastern Street, as well as the number of parking spaces available.He hoped that the department would submit papers to the Traffic and Transport Committee for discussion as soon as possible.
9.Mr LO Wai-kei said the department had just worked out solutions to the designwith the HyD. The Harbourfront Commission had been consulted on the project and some of the problems raised by Members had already been resolved. The HyD would commence the works shortly and the whole project would take about 15 months. It was anticipated that about 20 goods vehicle parking spaces could be provided.
10.The Chairmanstarted the second round of discussion. Questions and views of Members were as follows:
(i)Miss LO Yee-hang pointed out that the project had been discussed for quite a long time to date, so she hoped that the department could finalise the planas soon as possible.
(ii)Mr CHAN Hok-fung was dissatisfied that the department had not mentioned the timetable for relocating the car park. In addition, he pointed out that the temporary car park at the space underneath the flyover at Connaught Road West near Eastern Street was to make up for the reduced number of parking spaces due to the construction of the West Island Line,but not a replacement for the car park at the open space. He thought that the provision of additional roadside parking spaces was not a solution to the fundamental problem of the car park at the open space. He restated his request to write to the Bureau for an account of the issue on the waterfront promenade.
(iii)The Chairmanindicated that the shortage of goods vehicle parking spaces was a longstanding problem in the C&W District. The department should handle the problem with a proactive attitude and comprehensive planning. The 20 parking spaces in the temporary car park would not be of any help to solve the problem.
11.The government representatives responded as follows:
(i)Mr LO Wai-kei responded that the TD would try its best to co-operate with all departments concerned and to tie in its work with the planning schedule of the waterfront promenade.
(ii)Mr Larry CHUadded that the contract of the car park at the open space was renewed quarterly. Once the DSD completed the works, the DevB would consider the developmentof the waterfront promenade as a whole. He believed the timing of the drainage works would align with the renewal of the contract of the car park.
12.Mr CHAN Hok-fungasked the DevB to explain whether the land used by the DSD for drainage works and the open space used by the TDas a car park would be released together in March 2015 for the development of the waterfront promenade.
13.Mr Larry CHU responded that the Bureau’s vision was to construct a waterfront promenade linking the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park and the Western Wholesale Food Market. Whether the whole car park would be available for the waterfront promenade had to be discussed with the TD. The TD would reply Members in due course.
14.The Chairman said that the Committee would write to the STH for an account of the development of the Western District waterfront promenade after the meeting. He thanked the government representatives for attending the meeting.
Item 5:Is it workablefor school education without homework?
(C&W CLSAC Paper No. 02/2013)
(2:49 pm – 3:00 pm)
15.The Chairmaninvited Members to discuss the paper. Questions and views of Members were as follows:
(i)Mr CHAN Choi-hinoted that the Education Bureau (EDB) had formulated a new set of homework guidelines for schools, but was not clear on how schools implement the guidelines. He hoped the Bureau would provide information on the quantity of homework in the C&W District under the recommendation of the guidelines. He said that he had received complaints from parents about excessive homework, which had put both parents and students under stress. He supportedhappy learning,while agreeing that an appropriate amount of homework would help students to learn. He therefore suggested introducinga systemcalled “Homework Contract” which was widely used in overseas countries. “Homework Contract” was an agreementon the amount of homework made between schools and parents as well as parents and students. It could help students, parents and teachers clearly understand their homework responsibilities. He thought that a pilot scheme could be carried out at one or two primary schools in the C&W District. If the results were remarkable, then it could be a model to all schools in Hong Kong.
(ii)Mr MAN Chi-wah believed that parents generally would not oppose the homework policy, except thatthey were worried about the stress of excessive homework on students. Therefore, clear homework guidelines and an appropriate amount of homework with sufficient support to students would enable them to gain new insights through studying the old materials.
(iii)Mr Sidney LEE said that as a parent, he hoped that teachers would give his children enough homework. If parentsfound that there was not enough homework for their children, they would purchase supplementary materials. He said that according to his experience as a member of a Parent-Teacher Association, there were more complaintsfrom parents on the shortage of homework than on excessive homework. He believed that the best solution to reliefstudents’homework stress should be letting parents knowthat homework was not the only channel of learning.
16.Mr CHEUNG Wing-fat, Senior School Development Officer(CWS)2 of the EDB responded as follows:
(i)The EDB had already provided schools with guidelinesto devise an appropriate consolidated homework policy with emphasis on quality rather than quantity andthat the amount of homework assigned should not make students feel exhausted. Schoolsshould work out the homework policy in consultation with the teaching staff and parents,and should review the policy constantly so that a balance is maintained between the demands of various subjects and the learning needs of the students.
(ii)Through the provision of Basic Education CurriculumGuide, “Professional Development Programmes”, “Curriculum Development Visits”to different schools, meeting with various stakeholders of the “Focus Group Interview”, etc., the EDB would request schools to take into account the students’physical and emotional development and their use of after-school time when schoolsdevised a homework policy. The head of school should monitor the homework policy with an aim to arrange appropriate homework. Teachers should exercise their professional judgment to arrange meaningful homework and should avoid homework involving repetitive copying.
(iii)Regarding the requests of some Members to have a better understanding of the homework arrangements of primary schools in the C&W District and to review the homework policy developed by schools based on their specific situation, the Bureau would provide professional advice to schools through training, school visits and other channels. The Bureau did not have a plan for data collection regarding homework arrangements of schools in the C&W District schools at the stage.
(iv)Regarding the spirit of the “Homework Contract” proposed by Mr CHAN Choi-hi, it was believed that schools would consult different stakeholders in its formulation of a homework policy, and would assign an appropriate amount of homework according to the ability of students. Moreover, teachers would follow up the situation according to the ability and homework performance of individual students, such as by meetings with parents or providing individual tutoring.
17.The Chairman thanked the EDB representatives for attending the meeting.
Item 6:Request to install “Job Explorer” Vacancy Search Terminals at the community halls and public libraries
(C&W CLSAC Paper No. 03/2013)
(3:00 pm – 3:10 pm)
18.The Chairmaninvited Members to discuss the paper. Questions and views of Members were as follows:
(i)Mr CHAN Hok-fung asked about the location of the new “Job Explorer” Vacancy Search Terminals (VST) to be installed in the Kennedy Town Community Complex by the Labour Department (LD). He agreed that there were already computer facilities in public libraries, it was not necessary to set upVSTs there. However, he suggested providing instructions to guide users on how to access the LD’s webpage of searching job vacancies. In addition, he pointed out that some people might find it difficult to operate the VST. He suggested that the departments concerned provide sufficient guidance to ensure that users could manage. He added that there wasthe problem of manpower mismatch. He hoped that after the installation of VSTs, communication between employers and employees could be enhanced so that job seekers could find a job earlier.
(ii)Mr YEUNG Hoi-wingwelcomed the installation of a VST in the Kennedy Town Community Complex by the LD. He asked the department when the VST would be put into service.
19.Ms Grace CHAN, Senior Labour Officer (Employment Services)(Policy) of the LDresponded as follows:
(i)The department would put an instruction for use near the VST, and duty staff could also provide assistance to the users when required.