DOUBTFUL S&CC DEBTS INCREASE FOR CCK TOWN COUNCIL, MORE RESIDENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY?

Choa Chu Kang Town Council improves S&CC management

I refer to the article “Choa Chu Kang Town Council improves S&CC management in FY2015 report” (Channel News Asia, May 30).

Choa Chu Kang improves to “Green” to be the same as all the other PAP town councils?

It states that “For S&CC Arrears Management, Choa Chu Kang climbed back into the Green band, after being labelled Amber in the previous report. Fourteen TCs scored Green, while Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council’s score was “pending”, the TCMR showed.”

Since Choa Chu Kang Town Council is the only town council which improved from Amber to Green, with the rest maintaining their Green band – I looked at Choa Chu Kang Town Council’s annual report for 2014/2015 ended 31 March 2015, and found the following interesting information:-

Doubtful S & CC debts up 24% to $1.5m in a year?

“Allowance for doubtful conservancy and service debts amounting to $1,515,045 (2014: $1,219,088) has been estimated on the basis of age of debts, result of recovery efforts and historical experience”.

Does this mean that doubtful S & CC debts increased by 24.3 per cent ($1,515,045 divided by $1,219,088) in one year?

Doubtful debts of all town councils?

What is the total doubtful S & CC debts for all the town councils?

Instead of focusing on individual town councils – I would like to suggest that the Town Councils Management Report also give the overall statistics for all the town councils.

6% of S & CC “doubtful” or “overdue”?

As to “Conservancy and service fees receivables amounting to $1,757,839 (2014: $1,834,686) are not impaired, as the management believes that it will be collectible in the foreseeable future as a result of recovery efforts and based on historical experience” – does it mean that about 6.3 per cent of the total S & CC collected of $51,777,827 ($1,515,045 + $1,757,839 divided by $51,777,827) was “doubtful” or “overdue”?

How many can’t pay?

Is this an indication of how many residents may have difficulty paying their S & CC fees?

What is the percentage for all the town councils?

Leong Sze Hian