Search within Legislation

Search Results

No. S 179

Town Councils Act

(Chapter 329A)

Town Councils Financial
(Amendment) Rules 1999

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 42 of the Town Councils Act, the Minister for National Development hereby makes the following Rules:

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) These Rules may be cited as the Town Councils Financial (Amendment) Rules 1999 and shall, with the exception of rules 2, 3(a) and 4, come into operation on 15th April 1999.

(2) Rules 2, 3(a) and 4 shall be deemed to have come into operation on 8th February 1999.

Amendment of rule 3

2. Rule 3(1) of the Town Councils Financial Rules (R 1) (referred to in these Rules as the principal Rules) is amended —

(a)	by deleting sub-paragraph (b); and
(b)	by deleting the word "other" in sub-paragraph (c).

Amendment of rule 4

3. Rule 4 of the principal Rules is amended —

(a)

by deleting the words ", market and food centres, and of other" in paragraph (1) and substituting the words "and of";

(b)

by deleting the word "paid" in the 3rd line of paragraph (2) and substituting the word "payable"; and

(c)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (2), the following paragraphs:

“(2A) A Town Council shall maintain separate bank accounts for the funds established for —

(a)	the management and maintenance of residential property and commercial property within the Town; and
(b)	the sinking fund established for residential property and commercial property within the Town.

(2B) Within one month from the end of each quarter of each financial year, a Town Council shall —

(a)	transfer to the bank account of the sinking funds established for the residential and commercial property within the Town, the amount of conservancy and service charges, grants-in-aid and interest that are payble to the sinking funds and that were received by the Town Council; and
(b)	reflect the outstanding conservancy and service charges and interest that are payable to the sinking funds established for the residential and commercial property within the Town as a debt owing to the sinking fund on the books of accounts.”.

Amendment of rule 4A

4. Rule 4A of the principal Rules is amended by deleting paragraph (1) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(1) For the purposes of section 33A(1) of the Act, the surpluses in —

(a)	any fund established for the management and maintenance of residential property, and commercial property, within the Town shall be transferred to the sinking fund established for that residential property and commercial property, respectively; and
(b)	any fund established for the management and maintenance of parking places within the Town shall be transferred to the sinking fund established for the residential property in the Town,

within 90 days from the date the Statement of Transferable Surpluses is audited under paragraph (2), or not later than 180 days from the date of issue of a writ of election.”.

Amendment of rule 23

5. Rule 23 of the principal Rules is amended —

(a)

by deleting paragraph (1) and substituting the following paragraphs:

“(1) All moneys received each day shall be placed at closing time in a money delivery box, cash deposit bag or such other container as the Town Council considers appropriate.

(1A) The money delivery box, cash deposit bag or other container referred to in paragraph (1) shall —

(a)	be secured with a lock or any other suitable means of securing; and
(b)	be kept in a strong room or safe until delivered into the hands of one of the Town Council’s bankers or their representatives on the following business day.”; and

(b)

by deleting paragraph (3) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(3) The key to the lock on the money delivery box, cash deposit bag or other container and the key to the strong room or safe referred to in paragraph (1A) shall be kept by separate officers authorised by the chairman.”.

Amendment of rule 28

6. Rule 28 of the principal Rules is amended —

(a)	by deleting "$3,000" in paragraph (b)(ii) and substituting "$30,000";
(b)	by deleting "$3,000" in paragraph (b)(iii) and substituting "$30,000"; and
(c)	by deleting "$1,000" in pararaph (b)(iv) and substituting "$10,000".

Deletion of rule 30

7. Rule 30 of the principal Rules is deleted.

Amendment of rule 73

8. Rule 73 of the principal Rules is amended —

(a)

by deleting "$10,000" in paragraph (1) and substituting "$30,000";

(b)

by inserting, immediately after paragraph (1), the following paragraph:

“(1A) A tender need not be invited if quotations are invited for any single item of stores, services or works estimated to cost not more than $30,000, and the quotations obtained exceed $30,000 but do not exceed $35,000.”; and

(c)

by deleting paragraph (9) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(9) Quotations shall be opened by an officer other than the officer authorised to approve the expenditure involved in the presence of a witnessing officer appointed by the secretary.”.

Amendment of rule 74

9. Rule 74 of the principal Rules is amended —

(a)	by deleting "$10,000" in paragraph (1) and substituting "$30,000";
(b)	by deleting paragraph (2);
(c)	by deleting the words "If the value of works and stores or services exceeds $30,000 and $15,000, respectively, the" in paragraph (3) and substituting the word "The"; and
(d)	by deleting "$10,000" in paragraph (4) and substituting "$30,000".

Amendment of rule 75

10. Rule 75 of the principal Rules is amended —

(a)	by deleting the words "one month" in the 2nd line of paragraph (1)(c) and substituting the words "3 months"; and
(b)	by deleting the words "one month" in paragraph (2) and substituting the words "3 months".

Amendment of rule 78

11. Rule 78 of the principal Rules is amended —

(a)	by deleting paragraph (3); and
(b)	by deleting the words "For tenders exceeding the limits specified in paragraph (3), the" in paragraph (4) and substituting the word "The".

Amendment of rule 81

12. Rule 81 of the principal Rules is amended by deleting paragraph (3) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(3) Except as provided for in rule 74 (15), the lowest offer that fully or very substantially meets the specifications and requirements shall be accepted.”.

New rule 86A

13. The principal Rules are amended by inserting, immediately after rule 86, the following rule:

“Contractors debarred by Government

86A.—(1) A Town Council shall not, in the absence of special reason approved by the chairman of the Town Council, award any contract to a person who has been debarred by the Government from participating in the same or all types of contracts.

(2) The special reasons referred to in paragraph (1) shall be recorded in writing and shall be made available to the auditors.

(3) An invitation for quotations or for tenders by a Town Council shall contain a statement that no contract shall, in the absence of special reason, be awarded to a contractor if the contractor or any of its directors has been debarred by the Government from participating in the same or all types of contracts.”.

Amendment of rule 89

14. Rule 89 of the principal Rules is amended by inserting, immediately after paragraph (6), the following paragraph:

“(6A) The type of investments placed by a fund manager appointed by a Town Council to invest its funds, and the market value of such investments, shall be disclosed in the annual accounts of the Town Council.”.

New rule 106A

15. The principal Rules are amended by inserting, immediately after rule 106, the following rule:

“Submission of financial statements and records

106A.—(1) A Town Council shall, at the time of submitting its financial statements to the auditor under section 35 of the Act, forward a copy of the financial statements to the Minister.

(2) The Minister may, from time to time, require a Town Council to furnish him with copies of its accounting and other records relating to the financial transactions of the Town Council and with details of the investments made by the Town Council.”.

Made this 31st day of March 1999.

LAM CHUAN LEONG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of National Development,
Singapore.

[ND 311/4-146 Pt 59 v 17; AG/LEG/SL/329A/97/1 Vol.3]