While conducting house visits at 321C Anchorvale and 289B Compassvale this week, Jamus Lim met residents who had concerns after hearing that no bids had been placed for a Managing Agent last April.
Because of this, Sengkang Town Council is transitioning to direct management, it announced via a Facebook post on May 17.
“A number of residents shared their reservations about the impending transition to direct management for Sengkang Town Council, having read the news about the absence of bids for the managing agent role,” the Workers’ Party MP wrote in a July 9 Facebook post.
Assoc Prof Lim added that this concern “is natural, of course, as anyone would have for any transition.”
He added, however, that the situation is not new for Anchovale, the ward he is responsible for, which has actually been under direct management since late 2021.
“Our experience thus far has been extremely positive. The new property team has been very responsive to our feedback and requests for improvements on the ground, and have also worked hard on addressing and recovering from maintenance lapses brought about by manpower shortages last year.
They have also worked to standardize processes and procedures—as well as adopt best practices—for back-end operations. The team is now in a solid position to scale up the experience of direct management in #Anchorvale to the rest of #SengkangGRC, and we are confident that they will hit the ground running.”
Sengkang Town Council announced in a Facebook post on May 17 that “After receiving no bids in a tender exercise for a Managing Agent (MA) in April, Sengkang Town Council (SKTC) will directly manage all divisions within Sengkang Town when the current management period of the remaining incumbent MA comes to an end in 2023.”
Like Assoc Prof Lim, the post noted that Anchorvale had been directly managed by SKTC since October 31, 2021, and its day-to-day operations are being handled by staff directly hired by the Town Council.
“With the experience gained from directly managing Anchorvale division, and more than eight months to the handover of the Buangkok, Compassvale and Rivervale divisions from EM Services, SKTC is confident of a smooth transition, and its ability to deliver the standards of service that Sengkang residents have come to expect,” the post also said said.
Sengkang’s other divisions are currently managed by EM Services, whose contract ends on Jan 31, 2023.
“Given the circumstances, Sengkang Town Councillors deliberated on this matter and voted to transit into direct management of SKTC, after the management period of EM Services comes to an end.
Till the expiry of its contract, EM Services will continue to provide its services to SKTC. SKTC would like to convey its appreciation to EM Services for its years of service to Sengkang residents.”
/TISG
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