The bulk of the Service & Conservancy Charges (S&CC) the town councils collect goes into the upkeep and maintenance of the common property in HDB estates, such as cleaning works, horticultural works, utilities charges, lifts and pumps maintenance/ repairs, building repairs and management fees.

The town councils are also required under the Town Councils Act to apportion 30 to 40 per cent of the S&CC collections to their sinking funds for long-term major cyclical maintenance of HDB estates like repainting, electrical re-wiring, re-roofing, replacement of water supply systems and pumps, replacement and upgrading of lifts.

The mandatory requirement would ensure that the town councils build up sufficient amounts of sinking funds so that they can finance these major cyclical works when they are due, without having HDB residents to pay a lump sum levy when their block is due for cyclical repairs.

We would like to assure Mr Lim that the town councils will continue to improve the maintenance and upkeep of the towns and to ensure that our HDB estates are well -maintained with adequate amenities.

Albert Teng Ann Boon
General Manager
Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council
on behalf of the 14 PAP town councils