Changes to Town Council Act expected by year-end: Lawrence Wong
SINGAPORE: Changes to the Town Council Act are in the process of being finalised and are likely to be made by the end of the year, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said on Sunday (Jul 24) after a ministerial visit to Kebun Baru.
The changes to the Act have been in the pipeline for some time and are aimed at giving the Government more oversight over town councils, as well as the power to investigate and take to task errant ones.
Currently, town councils are not compelled to give the Ministry of National Development (MND) any information beyond annual financial reports. MND also does not have any powers to investigate irregularities or non-compliance.
Mr Wong was responding to questions following a report earlier this week - by independent auditor KPMG - which flagged "pervasive" systemic weaknesses in the work processes and operations of the Workers' Party-run Aljunied-Hougang town council.
"So all the more I think these findings by the auditor give us impetus to make sure the Town Council Act will be amended, so that we can have a proper governance structure over the town councils," he said.
- CNA/rw