It has been 20 years since town councils were instituted to take charge of the running of HDB estates. Previously, estates were run by the Housing and Development Board. Town councils were, it was initially hoped, suppose to “function as a form of local government and give residents more say in the estate they live in”, as reported in the Straits Times of 27 June 2009.
However, 20 years on, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, in an interview with the Straits Times, admits there is a “missing link” between residents and their town councils. He was referring to the devolvement of governance of the estate, “to give them (residents) a stake in the process of governance”.
SM Goh said:
I would not say that the direct link has been forged yet between residents and the Town Councils. But Town Councils have been successful in getting the grassroots leaders to understand the linkage between what Town Councils can do and what the people must do.
Mr Lim Boon Heng concurred, saying, “We have not yet imbued the sense of personal and collective responsibility in the residents.”
What are your views of your town council?
Related posts:
- Residents query but PAP town councils keep mum
- KPIs should motivate Town Councils to serve better
- Town councils, anymore skeletons in the closet?
- Why so silent, PAP Town Councils?
- Town Councils – irresponsible to continue ignoring corridor clutter
After two decades, some missing link has been detected at last.
By the way, since when have residents been called to be really involved “to give them (residents) a stake in the process of governance” – other than those usual cliques of those different committees already in the TC & some lesser kakis in the RCs.
Luckily, one of the top honchos has voiced out the ‘missing link’ himself.
Now fire fighters have to dance to a different tune – not an easy job to put out fire coming from surprising direction.
Actually there is another missing link :-
‘Between the grassroot leaders and residents’
I don’t know them and like my MP, I don’t see them at all
i think he failed to understand what is the ‘missing link’ is all about.
residents are getting tired of empty promises but no solutions, high cost of living, jobs lost, influx of FTs, CPF locked up and what else??(that is what ppl are worrying now)
unless changes are made otherwise the ‘missing link’ is not going to improved.
it took 20 years of hindsight to conclude this?
… & i thought we have people in key leadership positions with foresight who anticipate potential issues & problems (not hindsight)?
Lucky for me > I’m am out from HDB to private estate. No more payment to TC or else money will be gone without any returned. All of you still in the HDB estate should ask TC to lower down the SC charges as they have extra money to burn away in investment. Good Luck.
I always wondered, what are the rates that Condo owners have to pay the Management for the upkeep of their estates, and are these rates comparable to Town Council rates? (barring HDB subsidies, I believe the cost of upkeep for a HDB estate is lower, but comparable to a condo estate, given that the amenities nowadays are pretty advanced in most HDB estates)
Furthermore, as a reply to what some people were complaining about earlier, regarding the high reserves in our Town Councils, I spoke to a friend working in the Town Council for her explanation for this. The following is a casual conversation, which is in no way reflective of all the Town Councils in general.
The reason why Town Councils have sinking funds is because it is difficult to accurately predict the expenditure of a Town Council for the NEXT financial year. As such, we decide to err on the side of caution and collect slightly more than what is necessary. With a combination of cost saving efforts and a bit of over-estimation, there will be a surplus in good years. However, this surplus varies from year to year, and sometimes it goes into deficit.
Instead of putting the funds into a bank and earn 0.001% interest, it makes a bit of practical sense to place it in various financial products over a range of risk and return rates. As such, there will be a small amount of the funds in a high risk high return zone (0.4%).
This provides Town Councils with 2 benefits.
1. With the revenue generated from this sinking fund, each resident actually pays less than what is required to run the Town Council. Depending on the different Town Council, the sinking fund might contribute as much as 10-20% to offset operating costs.
2. Costs of running the Town Councils are pretty much fixed (assuming that you maintain the same standard of services even during recession times), but the SC/CC Charges can vary, to offset the tough economic times for some residents. So this is the “rainy day fund” that the Town Councils can tap into during the down times.
I think these points made by her are pretty decent points if you think deep into it. Of course there’s nothing I can do to verify these claims, and there’s even less I can do to prevent the anti-establishment elements on this forum from crying “go back to your PAP masters la, running dogs!”
56) XGGX on June 29th, 2009 5.58 pm
“Of course there’s nothing I can do to verify these claims, and there’s even less I can do to prevent the anti-establishment elements on this forum from crying “go back to your PAP masters la, running dogs!””
You have said it yourself (about verifying these claims and also on the part about running dogs) – you sure know how you smell. Why speculate it so much yourself. Why must they leave so many doubts hanging in the air.
Lay the accounts for all to see and I am sure people who are experienced in these areas will give their own analysis / side of the debate.
Now have you heard of the “missing link” – “to give them (residents) a stake in the process of governance”. Just for added effect, to give them (residents) a stake in the process of governance”.
#XGGX56;;; The picture painted by the PAPy masters and their running dogs, during the last few decades, have always been rosy and smells sweet, but scratch the surface a bit you’ll see a big lump of turd with accompanying smell.
Dear Brother, we shouldn’t complain about Town Concils cause it still cheao $50 as compare to Condo Maintenance of $200 to $300. But is worth if you drive a car of parking $90.
We should complain abt HDB prices! Prices does not go with our pay increased but foreigners intake. A couple earning 2, 3K. How to afford to pay back the loan!
Hope Singapore population will extinct in future!
I pitty the new generation flat buyers, condo buyers while those injoying the bubble may not feel the pain. but if the music stops?
Well… the Town Councils do handle complaints from residents pretty well… and they rent out badminton courts for 5 bucks per session… the wonderful lil things that the Town Council does.
They are at it again, playing with words and tricks, to cover the facts that town council pocketted huge amount of money in the last 20 years but delivered sub-standard kind of services.
Also there is the missing link of town council uses sinking funds to buy risky products and the town council accountability to the residents for the funds used.
#56) XGGX on June 29th, 2009 5.58 pm
What XGGX heard from the friend who supposedly work in TC sounds reasonable. It is indeed difficult to estimate how much budget is required, thus the tendency to “over budget” just a little which brings in higher possibility of surplus. It also makes sense that this surplus be invested for higher returns instead of getting the miserable less than 1% interest.
However, the benefits mentioned by XGGX seems out of place.
“1. With the revenue generated from this sinking fund, each resident actually pays less than what is required to run the Town Council. …”
Are we paying less than what is required now? How much do we really need to manage a Town?
“2. Costs of running the Town Councils are pretty much fixed (assuming that you maintain the same standard of services even during recession times), but the SC/CC Charges can vary, to offset the tough economic times for some residents. So this is the “rainy day fund” that the Town Councils can tap into during the down times.”
If the cost of running the town Councils are pretty much fixed, then the budget estimate will no longer be that difficult which means tendencies of “over budgeting” should be less too. Furthermore, when was the last time any residents enjoy SC/CC rebate to offset the tough times?
XGGX, I feel that your friend who works in TC really fits into the description of “missing link between TC and residents”. TC seems to be working so hard on how best to manage funds but forgotten to communicate with residents on what residents really do want in their towns.
If there is any TC members or decision makers reading this, don’t forget this one thing, you are not a fund manager. You are an estate manager. Reach out to your residents (clients) and find out what they really need or want. Deliver if it is within your means and explain, in details, if you can’t.
I’m never impressed with TC who proclaim how much savings/surplus/funds they have. I’m only impressed with TC who can make claims about how much they have done for the residents with so little funds. I’m even more impressed if the residents themselves tell me how much their TC has done for them.
For a response to 63) Ape, I quote an earlier comment.
59) TrueBlood Singaporean on June 29th, 2009 11.07 pm
Dear Brother, we shouldn’t complain about Town Concils cause it still cheao $50 as compare to Condo Maintenance of $200 to $300. But is worth if you drive a car of parking $90.
From $200 (low end) to $50. And I think most of Singapore’s HDB estates are of the same standard as condo estates, if not better. Furthermore, it is more difficult to maintain a HDB estate’s cleanliness due to a much higher human traffic than in the condos.
Considering how much the “sinking funds” have contributed to subsidizing our SC/CC costs, not too bad i think?
59) TrueBlood Singaporean on June 29th, 2009 11.07 pm ,
few days ago, i told my kids when their come, you either do or dont as far as family plan is concerned. that is …if you cant afford dont commit when concerning expenses on marriage, housing and kids planning.
this problems in sg is serious esp when you dont enough money to survive let alone planning for the above not cos we dont want to, is just that we cant.
27) patriot on June 28th, 2009 3.11 pm ,
yes! the senitment feelings is already spreading and steadily and ppl are getting very pissed when talk about them in all issues.
I feel that the Residents of HDB estates would gradually have a stake in the governance of TCs/their estates if the TCs and their staff are apolitical. Furthermore, the RCs block representatives must also do their part actively/dutifully. Most residents are unaware who are their blocks rep(s). However, in some RC zones the RC block reps do make efforts to visit each and every units/household to introduce themselves. RC block reps if they are really committed can be a vital link between residents and the TCs, believe you me.
I actually feel very sorry for the Senior Old Man.
He stared with a bang but looks like its ending with a whimper. Look at all around us, social, economic, political……, in all aspects we’re straining to be a 1st world country, but really just in the top echleons of the 3 world banding.
TCs are key stones in nation building and it took 20 years to realise that the people are not pluged in? Can a 1st world nation have so much scism and disconnect?
Initially on the right track but took too may wrong turns. Now desperately lost! He limited his counsel to the elites who continues to be disconnected with typical Singaporean Heartlanders. Over time these out-of-touch elites grew into yes-men.
Why I feel sorry? Time is not on his side and he is going down in history for something he dread. I wish we can help but I don’t think there is much we can do. We belong to a different social class.
It is not “missing link”, they should be finding the “weakest link”.
We, singaporean, have been a nation of robots under 1 central command. Now the central command is already growing old and senile, and with his supreme “intellect”, he named his newbie son as the successor. Of course, he is protected by his relatives and “business partners”.
All these talks from gct is useless when they are the one creating the problems and most of the time, i think it is for their political gains.
Mr Goh, did you mention this 10 years ago? or this just happened?
The town council has always been an instrument of the ruling party for the following reasons:
a. Votes buying – remember the upgrading funds for estate? if you do not have a PAPy TC , u will not enjoy faster upgrading?
b. Creation of jobs for new MP – with the GRC, you need more jobs for the MPs. No jobs for them, how to get them “closer” to the people? No jobs for the MPs, how to assess their performance and pay their salary?
NO wonder he is now saying that there is no link between the people and the TC. Because his MPs are just not able to get better feedbacks from the residents except complains…….$$$$….freebies, etc
Have any Singapreans wonder how much we have wasted on upgrading works and various works leading to wastages? Spend and spend to make some happy residents, ultimately leading to more spirally cost of living.
This statement is a sign of engaging people by the PAPy and leads to the final election which is coming. To make the people feel better that they are doing something for the people so that their votes will come back. Wonder why they only do these things just before they decide for election?
I really do not want to see Singaporeans vote the opposition just because they are unhappy with them regardless the quality of the opposition. But this day will come, until then, the PAPy must really wake up and provide a fair platform for us to see that they are people who have “heart” for the people.
20 years ago, ruling party downgraded the parliamentary democracy by introducing town council, practically making MP as estate managers, minimizing need to contest in GE with super sized GRC
now, they twist their tactics again, by keeping weak MPs in GRc and bring out ministers to stand in Single consituency
after 50 years of self rules, Singaporean are muted by all these political tricks
The more educated people have more stakes to lose so they are easily muted.
when sm took over as pm in 1990, we felt a refreshing new breezee
he was seen as a reformer but he is now one of conformers.
he had opprtunities to make a new singapore and solidify rising support of people after 1997 election but he has ptoven that he can’t beat the system
we are let down !!!
Wooden Goh should visit Gayland more often, it is badly maintained with dirty hawker assistants and people jaywalking at their own will. There is quite a number of 1 and 2 room flat. There is also strong poodle presence since it is a red light district of prostitution and illegal gambling. If Wooden Goh went there more often, Gayland will be clear of streetwalkers and only those legal prostitutes will patronize the brothels.
the missing (external) links
resident >>> calls TC office >>> HDB>>> NEA >>> LTA >>> POLICE >>> directed back to TC office.
I stay at Bedok, recently revealed as the estate with the oldest population. My flat is nearly 30 years old and lifts are still not yet upgraded. During the last elections, we were promised that if we voted for PAP, we will obtain prioritty in upgrade. But now opposition wards has cut the queue. Can we believe in election promises in future?