Chairperson S Message

Newsletter 1/2006

Chairperson’s Message

Greetings for the Year of Dog

I am pleased to continue the chairmanship of the Board in 2006 and would like to report to you our work in 2005.

As at 1 January 2006, the number of Registered Professional Planners (RPPs) stands at 252, same as the figure for last yyear’s figure. In 2005, 245 registrations were renewed, 7 registrantsations were did not submitted for renewal whilst the same number of new applications was approved. The Board has maintained a healthy financial situation, with a reserve of $471,110.

The Board continued to take part in the working group comprising representatives from the Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP) to discuss with the National Administration Board of Professional Planners System (NAB) (全國城市規劃執業制度管理委員會) on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications’ issues. An agreement between Hong Kong and the Mainland was signed on 24 May 2005 in Beijing. Two examinations were subsequently conducted in October and November 2005 for Hong Kong and Mainland planners, respectively.

With a view to streamlining the application process for renewal of registration, we have modified the application form to make clarifications to the previous format, in particular on the “Relevant Professional Experience” and “Declaration” sections. The modified application forms were already put to used in the registration exercises in 2005. RPPs are reminded that sufficient information should be provided for the Board to consider a renewal application and a minimum total of 1 year’s Hong Kong experience within the last 3 years from the date of application would be necessary to fulfill the relevant registration requirements.

[Kenneth, the above 2 paragraphs were drafted on the basis of the Minutes of the PRB Meetings in Jan, May and Dec 2005. Please add other remarkable events in 2005, if any.]

We will look forward to your continuous support to achieve another successful year in 2006.

TO Lap-kee, Kenneth

Chairperson

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Members of PRB

Following an election of the key-office bearers at the Board’s meeting on 18 January 2006, the composition of the Board for the year 2006 is as follows:-

Chairperson: Mr. TO Lap-kee, Kenneth

Vice-Chairperson:Ms. MAK Hoi-cheung, Eunice

Treasurer:Mr. SUN Che-yung, Derek

Members:Ms. HO Siu-fong, Betty

Mr. LEUNG Shu-ki

Dr. TANG Bo-sin

Miss WONG Yuen-sheung, Ophelia

Mr. CHAN Kim-on

Mr. LING Kar-kan

Ms. CHENG Wan-ying, Johanna

Mr. CHIA Si-wai*

Registrar:Ms. YANG Ching, Channy

* member appointed by the Chief Executive of the HKSARG

Committee of PRB

The following committee has been formed under the Board:-

Registration Committee

Ms. MAK Hoi-cheung, Eunice

Ms. HO Siu-fong, Betty

Mr. LEUNG Shu-ki

Dr. TANG Bo-sin

Mr. CHAN Kim-on

Appointment of Hon. Legal Adviser and Hon. Auditor

Subject to their acceptance, Mr. Anthony ISMAIL and KPMG will continue to be our Hon. Legal Adviser and Hon. Auditor respectively. Thanks for their kind assistance to the Board in 2005 and we look forward to their continuous support in 2006.

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Treasurer's Report

The Income and Expenditure Account of the PRB for the year ended 31 December 2005 prepared by the Treasurer is at Annex B.

The Board has endorsed the account on 18 January 2006 for submission to KPMG for auditing.

Highlights of the PRB Meeting on 18 January 2006

At the request ofOn a formal request from the Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP), the Board agreed in-principle to reviewincrease the annual financial contribution to the HKIP to reflect the change in the cost of sharing services. The outcome of the review will be available later this year.The extent of the increase will be subject to the HKIP’s provision of an account of sharing services between the Board and them, the actual increase in the rental of the premises in May 2006 and the Board’s review of the basis for the current contribution..

In connection with the above, the Board also agreed to explore engaging the HKIP’s website service provider to make the PRB’s website more user-friendly.

Highlights of the PRB Meeting on 1015 August May 20076

Applications for Renewal of Registration and First Registration as Registered Professional Planner (RPP)New Website Service Provider

In the end of July, tAt its meeting on 10 May 2006, the PRB considered 92 applications for renewal of registration as RPP and approved 91 applications thereof, the remaining one application was subsequently withdrawnnot not subject to further supplementary submission. In addition, the PRB also considered and approved 2 applications for first registration as RPP.he Board invited 4 companies to submit quotations for revamping the website of the Board. Two quotations were subsequently received. In the Board meeting on 15 August, the Board vetted and selected DigitalOne Limited based on a lower-cost principle.

The Board is now liaising with DigitalOne Limited on the contractual terms and website development work will start as soon as the contract is signed.

The website revamping will achieve the following:

 improved the overall design of website, e.g. modernized design;

 improved search functions; and

 moreallow additional information of RPPs to be included such as membership status, names of organizations, contacts, etc., apart from the names and no. of RPPs.

New Arrangement for Collecting RPP Certificates

Since mostmany RPPs doid not collect their certificates after the Board has d approved their new applications or renewals of registration, the Board has been keeping many out-dated certificates had been retained at the HKIP office where space available for storage is very limited.

In the Board meeting on 15 August, the Board decidedagreed on the following new arrangements for collecting certificates:

 Certificates will only be provided upon request.

 The request should be made to Miss Monique Tai (Tel: 2519 6212/ email: ) at least one day before collecting the certificate at HKIP Office.

RPPs arewill be informedrequested to collect their old certificates awarded in the past years within 2 months from the date of the notification email, otherwise the Board will dispose of them. As at 1 June 2006, the number of RPP stands at 249. A list of RPP is at Annexthey will be disposed of by the Board subsequently.

A.

(The figures above are subject to SI from RPP No. 318)

for exampleincluding the , in view of some applications not following the Guidelines and requirements of the form..

Maintenance and Updating of the PRB's Website

Proposals for upgrading the PRB's website will be invited from the website service providers in due course.

Storage of Submitted Application Forms

The Board inat its meeting on 14 May 2007 decided not to go for e-submission either for new application for or renewal of registration in view of the complicated process of certification required. ThereforeAs a result, it was expected that the application forms stored in the limited space available in HKIP Office would keep accumulated.continue to accumulate.

The Board discussed in the meetingO on 15 August 2007 andand the Board decided to continue to keep all original forms of new applications whileand proposedidentified somealternative approaches of administrationadministrative mechanisms andfor storage of the annual renewal forms:

(1) Dispose of all renewal forms except the forms ofthose for the current year; or

(2) Scan the renewal forms and keep the electronic copies only; or

(3) Look for document storage facilities available in the market and keep all original forms.

Before deciding on the most appropriate approach, the Board will consult the Legal Advisor which of the above options is more legally acceptable from the legal point of view.

List of RPPs

A list of Registered Professional Planners as at 1 January 2006 is at Annex A. A copy of the Register will be deposited in the PRB Office and the Planning Department at 17/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, Hong Kong, which will be made available to inspection by the public during office hours. Arrangement will also be made to publish the list in the Government Gazette.

Schedule of Registration Committee

The meeting schedule of the Registration Committee in 2006 for consideration of applications for new and renewal of registration as RPP is as follows:-

Deadline for SubmissionRegistration Committee

of ApplicationMeeting

17 March 200612 April 2006

13 October 20068 November 2006

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Application forms for renewal of registration will be issued to current RPPs in February and September. Application forms for new applicants can be obtained from the PRB Office or downloaded from the PRB homepage (

For further enquiry, please contact Ms. Monique TAI at 2915 6212.

Planners Registration Board

February JuneSeptember 2007 2006

Annex AA

List of Registered Professional Planners (As at June 2006)

註冊專業規劃師名單 (2006年6月)

Annex B

Planners Registration Board

Income and Expenditure Account

for the year ending 31 December 2005

(expressed in Hong Kong dollars)

Planners Registration Board

Balance Sheet at 31 December 2005

(Expressed in Hong Kong Dollars)

The table to be inserted pending confirmation from RPP No. 318

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No separate statement of recognized gains and losses have been prepared as the surplus for the year would be the only components of this statement

[1] Registration fee for 7 new RPPs ($600 each)

[2] Including subscription fee for 244 renewal applications ($200 each). Subscription fee for another 1 RPP was deposited in January 2006.

[3] Dinner in honour of Mr and Mrs Tung Chee-hwa attended by the Chairperson on behalf of the Board

[4] Expenses incurred for the meetings in Beijing in March and May 2005 in relation to the reciprocal recognition of professional qualifications