The District Minor Works (DMW, ) programme of Hong Kong was initiated in 2007Home Affairs Department: District Minor Works Programme (2016) and has been fully implemented since January 2008. It aims to fund minor works projects to improve local facilities, living environment and hygienic conditions through 18 district councils.District Minor Work Programme- Introduction (2015)
It covers minor building works, fitting out works and minor alterations, additions and improvement works including furniture and equipment replacement and slope inspections. Up to December 2015, about 4600 DMW facilities had been completed.
History
Lead departments The Home Affairs Department (HAD) and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) are the two lead departments in this programme. The HAD is responsible for minor work projects related to community halls and improvements to living environment and hygienic conditions; the LCSD is responsible for projects related to leisure, cultural, sports, soft landscaping and recreation facilities. The DMW programme involved cooperation with the Architectural Services Department (Archsd), Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and term consultants.
District councils The role of district councils (DCs) in the DMW programme includes: initiating projects and collating local views deciding project scale and scope endorsing projects proposed by government departments determining implementation priority and timetable monitoring progress
The HAD has proposed to the DCs the appointment of a member or a dedicated working group for each DMW project to follow up on its planning, such as conducting site inspections in order to enhance communication. The HAD has also proposed that DCs should consider endorsing projects by way of circulation of papers instead of waiting for deliberation at the bimonthly meeting of the relevant District Council Committee. District Offices are assumed to hold a more proactive role in following up the progress of the projects.Press Release: LCQ13: District Minor Works under District Council (2008)
Term consultancy approach The key steps involved are: District councils members identify a project and prepare project statements. DCs prioritise projects. Consultants conduct preliminary feasibility studies, cost estimation and preliminary designs. Lead departments work out arrangements. Consultants revise project designs and cost estimations upon the DC's advice. DCs endorse project designs and cost estimations. Consultants prepare tender documents. Lead departments invite, receive and open tender. Lead departments sign contract with tender. Consultants supervise construction and administer contracts. Lead departments pay consultants, site supervision staff and contractors. ASD / HAD verify maintenance requirement.
Project details The DMW covers nine main types of projects:District Minor Work Project: DMW Projects (2015) Sitting-out areas and playgrounds Gardens and pet gardens Landmarks Pavilions and arbours Rain shelters Covered walkways and access Ball courts Planters Miscellaneous, including benches, tour signage, tourist guide maps, fences and fitness equipment
Consultation The 18 district councils take the initiative to discuss project ideas and consult the relevant stakeholders. The DCs play a pivotal role and are actively engaged in the consultation of District Minor Works projects, from the initial feasibility studies to designs and planning. Besides, at the planning stages, several stakeholders including the Area Committees (which are for urban areas), Rural Committees (for rural areas) and residents' organizations, for instance, the Mutual Aid Committees or Owners Corporations are also consulted on a need basis concerning the proposed projects.Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs Background Brief (2013) Priority is placed in meeting the expectations and needs of the local communities.
Projects under the DMW programme are endorsed by the 18 DCs, who are responsible for collating local views and district aspirations in planning and scheduling minor works. DC members consider views from locals before putting up proposals to their DCs for consideration and endorsement. DCs then consider whether the proposed projects fall within the ambit of the programme with regards to the scope of works, benefits to the public, project estimates and timetable for implementation, etc.
However, whether the DCs have conducted sufficient consultations is not held accountable. For example, the construction of Cadogan Street Temporary Garden in Kennedy Town was accused of having been pushed through without proper consultation by a concern group set up by the local residents.HKFP: Over-1000-sign-petition-to-save-kennedy-town-garden-from-demolition (2015) It was pointed out that the construction accounted for 30% of the district's minor works expenditure for the whole district, which is the highest budgeted plan.HK01: 區議會斥 370 萬西環碼頭旁建臨時公園-團體批-設圍欄欠諮詢 (14-06-2016) However, it will be demolished after several years. Furthermore, not all relevant stakeholders are taken into account, such as the elderly. There are needs for more social facilities such as clinics, schools and elderly care homes in that district instead of a temporary garden. Consultation may not be adequate for minor works that will be carried out.
Furthermore, transparency of the consultation cannot be guaranteed. Seven district councillors were found to have multiple identities, simultaneously holding the posts of rural committee chairmen.Ming Pao Daily (14-11-2016) 鄉郊小工程 9 地區小組 每年撥逾億公帑 7 鄉委主席身兼提案諮 詢審批 Meanwhile, all these chairmen were also members of the Steering Committee, who hold the final approval of the minor works. This implies that minor works, from being proposed to adopted, are handled by the same group of people, who play different roles in different stages. They can advocate, be consulted and have the power of scrutiny and approval. This shows that the minor works may just benefit the needs of a small group of people. Worse still, there may be black operation.
Finance Since the implementation of the DMW in 2008, the annual provision of the DMW is $300 million. In the financial years of 2012-13 and 2013–14, it was increased to $320 million and $340 million respectively. Up to December 2015, the total expenditure was over $2.2 billion.
The cost of each project under the DMW programme would not exceed $30 million.
The actual project expenditures with breakdown by district and year of completion are given below:
DistrictActual expenditure (in $ million)20092010財務委員會審核二O一O至一一年度開支預算管制人員的答覆 局長:民政事務局局長第 18 節會議20112013Administration's replies to members' initial written questions in examining the estimates of expenditure 2016-17 (Home Affairs). FC110321-25P (English version)20142015Central & Western9.110.710.710.311.011.7Eastern13.215.615.615.914.816.4Kowloon City11.813.913.913.612.222.7Kwun Tong15.718.618.623.717.626.2Southern10.612.512.58.910.314.3Sham Shui Po14.617.217.29.715.520.0Wan Chai8.39.89.88.48.815.6Wong Tai Sin14.417.117.17.415.216.2Yau Tsim Mong12.214.414.411.310.012.6Islands14.417.017.013.717.220.5Kwai Tsing15.518.318.322.519.725.2North15.318.118.121.026.534.1Sai Kung14.917.717.719.724.320.6Sha Tin15.718.618.619.125.627.1Tuen Mun16.319.219.220.129.627.2Tai Po14.917.617.616.827.425.5Tsuen Wan11.814.014.010.920.917.7Yuen Long19.523.123.133.127.744.4Total248.2293.5293.5286.1334.3398
For the first year of DMW implemented in 2008-09, 626 projects were completed. According to the information from the Home Affairs Bureau, up to 4962 projects were completed in total on 2015-16.
The number of DMW projects with the breakdown by district and year of completion is given below:
DistrictNumber of projects completed2008-09Replies to initial written questions raised by Finance Committee Members in examining the estimates of expenditure 2013-14.2009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-16Central & Western497270403072861Eastern4142303628332646Kowloon City4353656237293032Kwun Tong4090465029494657Southern6069785644103536Sham Shui Po8383734248186455Wan Chai3521231597914Wong Tai Sin2130251854321Yau Tsim Mong2929463021111862Islands3530544134214056Kwai Tsing4142503726292943North3227301813153029Sai Kung1825303214122131Sha Tin2858354536312376Tuen Mun153824222481919Tai Po162530139152029Tsuen Wan3654424519413968Yuen Long415244227302542Total626803775644453373508780
At the time of the launch of the DMW programme, the dedicated block allocation covering the capital costs was $300 million. The annual provision for the DMW block vote was increased by $20 million in 2012-13 and by another $20 million in 2013-14. The current annual provision is $340 million. In addition, resources have been set aside to cover the recurrent costs for the management and maintenance of completed facilities. The allocation for the DMW Programme will be increased progressively to $400 million, both capital and recurrent costs inclusive. Specifically, the recurrent costs will increase from $33 million in 2015-16 to $60 million in 2019-20. As a result, the total annual allocation for the DMW programme will amount to $400 million in 2019-20.
Currently, there are a total of 199 professional and works grade staff in HAD headquarters and its district offices supporting the implementation of various minor works programmes, including the DMW programme. This has included some 30 additional posts comprising five professional and 25 works grade staff since 2008. In 2016-17, the government plans to create two new posts of one professional and one works grade staff, so as to further strengthen the support for the implementation of minor works programmes.Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs Enhancement of District Administration (12 April 2016)
Controversies
Lack of practical use In 2010 in Southern District, a shelter was built over a bus stop in Wah Kwai Estate for 2.4 million, but then was discovered it was unable to provide shelter from rain and sunlight due to an open hole in the design. It was then reconstructed so as to fulfill its purpose.
In Yuen Long District a football field was constructed in San Tin for 14.5 million. Since it opened for use in 2010, the usage rata has been low. The transport network is inconvenient for public, being a walking distance of 20 minutes from public transport. There are no public toilets nor changing rooms at the football field. Toilets can only be reached in a walking distance of ten minutes.
Also in Yuen Long District, a man-made beach volleyball court was constructed in Tin Shui Wai for 19 million. District councillors criticised it as being impractical because beach volleyball is an unpopular sport and the maintenance of the court is costly.
In Kwai Tsing District, an electronic display board was installed in a mini-bus stop, showing time and temperature for public reference, and also road safety warnings for drivers. Some citizen criticised they could not read the display board because of the reflection of light.
In Yau Tsim Mong District, a red bronze statue was proposed to be built, with construction commencing by February 2014. An online petition was signed to oppose the construction, criticising it as a waste of public money of 1.59 million.地區小型工程被抨嘥錢怎解救?2013年02月01日經濟日報 The then Wan Chai District Council President Ada Wong Ying-kay criticised the construction of impractical facilities as falling behind public demand.
In Yau Tsim Mong District, the building of four shelters near the Coronation was completed in February 2016 for 1.58 million. Civic Party District Councillor Yu Tak Po criticised the size of shelters as being too small to accommodate more than two people.油麻地豪宅外建迷你避雨亭 設計被轟 民建聯區議員倡議 指難論是否實用 2013/3/18 立場 新聞 Yu Tak Po 余德寶 @ Facebook, 17 March 2016
Unnecessary spending