Our Performance

Environmental Performance

Social Performance

Economic Performance

Social Performance

The Department has undertaken programmes and measures to promote pubic awareness of sustainability issues and to encourage the public to participate in the town planning process. The Department has also strived hard to provide its staff with a safe, healthy and satisfactory working environment, and provision of personal development opportunities to help them meet future challenges. The relevant programmes and measures undertaken by the Department in 2009 are summarised below.

The Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery

The Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery (the Gallery) showcases the major planning and infrastructure projects in Hong Kong. The Gallery has been relocated to G/F, Murray Road Multi-storey Car Park Building in Central in June 2009 as the original site at Edinburgh Place is now under renovation for the permanent gallery project. The Gallery comprises six main sections: Imprint, Hong Kong 2030, New Kai Tak, Transport and Logistics, Sustainable Development and Living Environment. Physical models and interactive exhibits give visitors the latest information on planning and infrastructure development in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery

Guided tours are conducted in the Gallery for local as well as Mainland and overseas visitors, primary and secondary schools and community groups. Joint educational programmes with professional institutes and other associations are also regularly organised. Theme exhibitions are also held periodically at the Gallery. The Gallery received close to 50 000 visitors in 2009.

Inside the Gallery

Planning Department Outreach Programme

The Outreach Programme to secondary schools has been undertaken since 1996. The objective of the Outreach Programme is to provide more opportunities for the general public, particularly our younger generations, to know more about town planning in Hong Kong and how they can participate in the planning process.

School visit

The 2009/20010 Outreach Programme was officially started in September. During each school visit, we stage an exhibition and provide the school with a package of information materials. A talk would also be given to the students on a town planning topic chosen by their teacher.

Exhibitions are also staged in shopping centres located in various districts to provide the general public with the opportunity to learn more about the Department and the work we do.

In 2009, we visited a total of 40 schools, 3 shopping centres and 20 other public venues.

Exhibits welcomed by students

The Mobile Exhibition Centre (MEC)

The Department has a Mobile Exhibition Centre (MEC) to support the Outreach Programme. The MEC is a LPG vehicle with an eye-catching bright yellow appearance. It is equipped with touch-screen computers and plasma monitors with interactive media that provide various types of information on town planning. The fold-down platform on one side of the vehicle can also function as a stage for outdoor events. In 2009, the MEC visited public housing estates and public places as well as provided support for the school visits. Staff were there to answer questions and distribute publicity materials.

Mobile Exhibition Centre	Students visiting the Mobile Exhibition Centre

User Liaison Group

Since 1994, members of the public have been invited to join the Department's User Liaison Group for a term of two years. The role of the Group is to monitor the work performance of the Department against the targets set out in the Performance Pledge, and to consider suggestions for improving the Department's services. During the year, regular meetings and visit to places of interest had been organised for the Group.

User Liaison Group

Planning Enquiry

In 2009, the Department handled 12 995 oral enquiries by telephone or in person, as well as 1 474 straightforward and 609 complicated written enquiries. These oral and written enquiries had included 29 applications under the Code on Access to Information.  Also, there were 1 240 recorded media enquiries.  All enquiries were processed within the targets set in the Department's Performance Pledge. Breakdown of the subject matters of the planning enquiries is shown in following figure.

During the year, 61 briefings on various planning topics were given by the Department to various bodies such as visitors from the Mainland and overseas.

Our Staff

Staff Development

To widen our staff's exposure and to keep them abreast of the current issues and global trends on planning development, we have undertaken the following activities in 2009 : -

• nominating 2 095 staff to attend 101 job-related courses and office seminars organised by the Department;

• nominating 782 staff to attend courses and seminars run by the Civil Service Training and Development Institute and other government bureaux/departments;

• nominating 63 staff to attend 23 local conferences; and

• nominating 31 staff to attend 19 conferences/courses/theme visits outside Hong Kong.

Computing tutorial

Staff Relations and Welfare

We maintain close communication with our staff by :

• holding Departmental Consultative Committee meeting, which is made up of representatives from 25 grades, regularly at quarterly intervals to provide a channel of communication between the staff and the management;

• having ad-hoc informal meetings with representatives of staff associations to discuss issues of concern to staff;

• publishing a staff newsletter, 'Planning Voice', to report achievements, news and views of staff; and

• setting up an electronic discussion forum to facilitate open discussion among staff on health, environment, information technology, personal sharing, sports/recreation and work/office-related issues.

'Planning Voice'

Staff Motivation Scheme

In 2009, a ‘Green Office’ poster design competition was held under the Staff Motivation Scheme.

Long and Meritorious Service Award Scheme

In 2009, two officers were presented with Twenty/Thirty Years' Long and Meritorious Service Certificates in recognition of their long and meritorious service.

Thirty years' long and meritorious service certificates	Twenty years' long and meritorious service certificates

Commendation Scheme

In 2009, three officers who had made substantial contributions towards enhancing the efficiency and the image of the Department were granted departmental Commendation Letters.

Departmental commendation letter

Planning Department Staff Recreation Club

In 2009, the club organised a wide variety of indoor and outdoor recreational activities and social gatherings for staff of the Department. These include:

• practising sessions / competitions of badminton, tennis, football, table tennis, squash, darts and lawn bowls

• a day trip to Hong Kong Geopark

Practising lawn bowl	Table tennis competition

Planning Department Annual Christmas Party

The largest function of the club - the 2009 Christmas Party was attended by about 450 staff members. All participants enjoyed a wonderful lunch party and carried away with them lots of fun and laughter.

Happy gathering	Drinking competition

In addition, the club co-ordinates staff's participation in various sports and recreational events held by other organisations, such as the Corporate Games 2009 organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

Community Service

The Department is committed to community service and participates actively in charity events. A summary of various charity events is as follows :-

• The Community Chest's Dress Special Day, Green Day, Teeth Day, Community Assistance Raised by Employees (CARE) Scheme and Skip Lunch Day

• 'Buy Oxfam Rice, Enrich Life' and 'Oxfam Trailwalker 2009' organised by Oxfam Hong Kong

Trailwalkers on the move	'Oxfam Trailwalker 2009' award ceremony