All 16 town councils had unqualified financial statements for the 2018 financial year, MND said on Thurs. It also released its TCMR for the financial year, which saw two town councils score an “amber” rating for corporate governance. Broadly, the results of the 2018 TCMR are comparable with that of previous years, with improvements observed in estate maintenance, said MND. Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council and Jurong-Clementi Town Council scored “amber” for corporate governance, due to one count each of non-compliance with the Town Councils Act and the Town Councils Financial Rules. The amber rating for Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council was related to the collection of charges for the use of outdoor display areas by third-party retailers. Jurong-Clementi Town Council’s rating was due to quotations under the Town Councils Financial Rules. The rules allow quotations of up to S$3,000 to be obtained verbally and approved, and then circulated to the town council for information. It also singled out AHTC for mention, noting that it had achieved a green banding for corporate governance, an improvement from its previous amber rating for the previous financial year.... Continue Reading