PAP-run towns to increase S&CC from July 1

SINGAPORE - Residents in all 15 town councils run by the People's Action Party PAP will have to pay more in service and conservancy charges S&CC from July.

The increases are phased over two years, with the one in 2023 being generally smaller than in 2024, according to a media release sent by Marine Parade Town Council on Thursday, June 1. Those changes will take effect on July 1 and will range from S $0.70 to S $7.90 a month depending on flat type, while the second increase, which takes effect July 1, 2024, will be between S $1.00 and S $9.10 a month.

These increases are smaller than they would have been because of the government stepping in to provide the town councils with special funding support, according to the media release.

This helps cushioning the full impact of rising maintenance costs on residents, the company said.

The S&CC increases required were originally estimated to range from S $35.00 - S $3.80 for one-room flats to S $18.70 - S $21.90 for executive flats.

The Ministry of National Development is awarding a special grant for town councils that must raise S&CC to maintain financial sustainability to offset the impact of potential increases on residents. In addition to this, PAP town councils have reconsidered and reduced planned S&CC increases. S&CC for shops and offices, as well as market and cooked food stalls located in the 15 town councils will also go up.

In the first round of increases this July, shops and offices will pay an additional S $0.05 to S $0.4 per sq m a month, and another S $0.02 to S $0.4 per sq m a month from July next year.

Market and food stalls will pay an extra S $2.20 to S $31.50 a month in the first increase and an extra S $2.20 to S $36.40 a month in the second increase.

Jalan Besar, Jurong-Clementi, Marsiling-Yew Tee, Nee Soon, Pasir Ris-Punggol, Sembawang, Tampines, West Coast, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan-Toa Payoh, Embawang, Tampines, Tanjong Pagar and other PAP-run towns are among the 15 PAP-run towns. The remaining town councils of Aljunied-Hougang and Sengkang are managed by the opposition Workers Party.

CNA has asked the Workers' Party-run town councils to ask if they have plans to increase their S&CC.