The new Sengkang Town Council has been established with the creation of Sengkang town, comprising Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

This is one of 17 town councils that have been formed, following the 2020 General Election (GE2020), the Ministry of National Development (MND) shared in a press release on July 30.

The establishment of Sengkang Town Council comes after Sengkang town was built up after more than 20 years.

Sengkang Town Council established

The Sengkang GRC was created from parts of the pre-GE2020 Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Punggol East Single Member Constituency (SMC) and Sengkang West SMC.

The newly-formed GRC was won by representatives of the Workers' Party during GE2020, namely Jamus Lim, He Ting Ru, Raeesah Khan, and Louis Chua.

East Coast-Fengshan town council renamed as East Coast

A total of 11 town councils have been reconstituted as some areas under their purview became part of other towns due to changes in electoral boundaries or changes in the grouping of constituencies for a town.

They are Ang Mo Kio, Bishan-Toa Payoh, Chua Chu Kang, Jalan Besar, Marine Parade, Marsiling-Yew Tee, Nee Soon, Pasir Ris-Punggol, Sembawang, Tampines and West Coast.

Five of the 17 town councils remain unchanged from the last election, namely Aljunied-Hougang, East Coast-Fengshan, Holland-Bukit Panjang, Jurong-Clementi and Tanjong Pagar.

The town council of East Coast-Fengshan has also been renamed as East Coast.

Town councils have 90 days to take over management of transferred areas

Under the Town Councils Act, town councils have up to 90 days from the date of the Order to take over the management of areas to be transferred.

As such, Sengkang Town Council and the 11 reconstituted Town Councils will take over the management of the transferred areas with effect from Oct. 28, 2020.

Town Councils involved in the handing and taking over can also mutually agree to an earlier take-over date as permitted by the Town Councils Act.

"MND encourages all Town Councils to work together to ensure a smooth transition, so that the needs of residents can continue to be served," the ministry said in the statement.

Top image via Sengkang GRC/Facebook