From today, the new Workers' Party-run Sengkang Town Council (SKTC) will take over the full management and maintenance of areas previously in other constituencies, but which 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 yesterday.
Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council also said it handed over its two office premises in Sengkang GRC to SKTC yesterday.
They are at Block 266 Compassvale Bow and Block 156A 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.
The group representation constituency 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 votes 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, then Senior Minister of State Lam Pin Min, then Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin and lawyer Raymond Lye.
The Straits Times understands 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 so 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.
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 today.
The estates that Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council transferred to SKTC comprise blocks 201A to 299C in the Compassvale area, blocks 101 to 197 in the Rivervale area, and blocks 121C to 282C in Sengkang Central and Sengkang East.
Ang Mo Kio Town Council transferred blocks 301A to 356B in the Anchorvale area and Sengkang East Way.
Both town councils wished SKTC the best in its efforts to serve Sengkang residents.
In its statement, Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council 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.
