Town council report: 3 town councils fall short of best grade

Three town councils were marked down for their performance in arrears management in service and conservancy charges (S&CC) in the latest operational report released by the Ministry of National Development (MND) on Wednesday (June 29).

Chua Chu Kang Town Council, Jurong-Clementi Town Council and Sengkang Town Council were given amber ratings, while the remaining 14 received green ratings.

This is because the three town councils either had 40 per cent to less than 60 per cent of households with their monthly S&CC overdue or had between four to less than six in 100 households that were in arrears for three months or more.

The three were the only town councils that received amber ratings in the latest Town Council Management Report (TCMR) Operational Report, which covers the 2021 financial year from April last year to March this year.

The 14 town councils that received green ratings had less than 40 per cent of households with their monthly S&CC overdue and less than four in 100 households in arrears for three months or more.

Town councils are accessed on four areas, including arrears management in S&CC.

All town councils received green ratings in the other three areas: estate cleanliness, estate management and lift performance.

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The green, amber or red ratings given are based on measurable, objective criteria submitted by town councils and their auditors.

This the first year the TCMR has been split into two parts — one covering the four operational indicators and one covering only corporate governance.

When MND announced the new format last year, it said the corporate governance report will be published in November or December, as the town councils' audited financial statements, required for the assessment, are submitted to the ministry only by the end of September.

MND said then that the splitting up of the report will not impact how town councils are assessed, but allows for more focused and timely reporting on the different aspects of their work.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.