SINGAPORE - Seventeen town councils have been officially formed following General Election 2020.

They are the new Sengkang Town Council, 11 town councils with changes in their boundaries and five with their town areas unchanged, said the Ministry of National Development (MND) in a statement on Thursday (July 30).

The ministry issued an order under the Town Councils Act on Thursday to put into effect the formation of these 17 town councils, which were set up at the requests of the MPs.

"MND encourages all town councils to work together to ensure a smooth transition, so that the needs of residents can continue to be served," it said.

The new Sengkang Town Council has been established with the creation of Sengkang GRC. The GRC is created from parts of pre-GE2020 Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Punggol East SMC and Sengkang West SMC.

The 11 reconstituted town councils with changes in boundaries are Ang Mo Kio, Bishan-Toa Payoh, Chua Chu Kang, Jalan Besar, Marine Parade, Marsiling-Yew Tee, Nee Soon, Pasir Ris-Punggol, Sembawang, Tampines and West Coast.

The five town councils that retained their boundaries are Aljunied-Hougang, East Coast-Fengshan, Holland-Bukit Panjang, Jurong-Clementi and Tanjong Pagar. The East Coast-Fengshan Town Council has been renamed as East Coast Town Council.

Under the Town Councils Act, town councils have up to 90 days from the date of the order to take over the management of areas to be transferred. Sengkang Town Council and the 11 reconstituted town councils will take over the management of transferred areas with effect from Oct 28, MND said.

Town councils can also mutually agree to an earlier take-over date.