PAP town councils hand over management of HDB estates in Sengkang GRC to Workers' Party

In the July general election, the Workers' Party team secured 52.12 per cent of the vote in Sengkang GRC. PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - From Wednesday (Oct 28), the new Workers' Party Sengkang Town Council (SKTC) will take over the full management and maintenance of areas previously in other constituencies, but came under the newly-formed Sengkang GRC in the recent general election.

The change was announced by the Pasir Ris-Punggol and Ang Mo Kio town councils, both run by the People's Action Party (PAP), in separate statements on Tuesday.

Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council also said it handed over its two office premises in Sengkang GRC to the SKTC on Tuesday (Oct 27). They are located in Block 266 Compassvale Bow and Block 156A in Rivervale Crescent.

Sengkang GRC, with more than 120,000 voters, is partly made up of the former Punggol East SMC and the Sengkang Central division of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, both of which were managed by the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council.

It is also made up of parts of Sengkang West SMC, which was managed by Ang Mo Kio Town Council.

Town councils control, manage, maintain and improve the common areas of the residential and commercial properties in their towns for residents.

In the July general election, the Workers' Party (WP) team secured 52.12 per cent of the vote in Sengkang GRC.

Its team, comprising lawyer He Ting Ru, economist Jamus Lim, equity research analyst Louis Chua and social activist Raeesah Khan, beat the PAP team made up of labour chief Ng Chee Meng, Senior Minister of State Lam Pin Min, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin and lawyer Raymond Lye.

The Straits Times understands that the two PAP town councils have handed over to SKTC the contracts of the managing agents they had appointed to carry out the day-to-day operations of the areas that are now in Sengkang GRC.

The PAP town councils also said arrangements have been made for residents, who now pay their service and conservancy charges through Giro or other recurring payment schemes, to continue doing it without disruption.

Under the law, town councils have up to 90 days, from their formation, to take over the management of areas that are transferred to them.

The SKTC was among 17 town councils that were formed on July 30, which means it has to take over the management of the transferred areas from Wednesday.

The estates that Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council will transfer to SKTC include blocks 201A to 299C in the Compassvale area, blocks 101 to 197 along the Rivervale area and blocks 121C to 282C located in Sengkang Central and Sengkang East.

Ang Mo Kio Town Council will transfer over blocks 301A to 356B in the Anchorvale area and Sengkang East Way.

Both town councils wished SKTC the best in serving Sengkang residents.

Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council, in its statement, also thanked Sengkang residents for their support and said it hoped they will continue to work with SKTC in caring for the people and the town.

Similarly, Ang Mo Kio Town Council said it was grateful for the opportunity to serve residents in the former Sengkang West SMC in the past few years.

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