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Sengkang Town Council (SKTC) said it did not receive any bids for a managing agent during an April tender exercise.

As a result, it will do away with appointing a managing agent and directly manage all divisions within the town from 2023.

The Workers' Party town council put up a statement on the Sengkang GRC Facebook page on May 17 regarding this development.

"As a matter of prudence, SKTC called a tender for MA (managing agent) services for Buangkok, Compassvale and Rivervale divisions in April, well in advance of the expiry date," the town council wrote.

No bids were received at the close of the tender on April 29, 2022.

Starting January 2023

Direct management will commence when the contract for its existing agent, EM Services, ends in January 2023.

Sengkang Town Council said it inherited two managing contracts from its predecessors.

The Buangkok, Compassvale and Rivervale divisions are managed by EM Services, which will end its contract on Jan. 31, 2023.

The Anchorvale division has been managed by the Sengkang Town Council since Oct. 31, 2021, with its daily operations handled by staff hired directly by the town council.

Making the transition

“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,” it added.

The statement thanked EM Services for its years of service to Sengkang residents.

SKTC and the MPs for Sengkang GRC assured all Sengkang residents that continuity of services is an utmost priority, the statement said.

The town council also said it has the experience of managing one of the divisions in Sengkang GRC to serve the other divisions adequately.

The statement added: “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."

Background on Sengkang GRC and managing agents

The chair of Sengkang Town Council is Sengkang GRC Member of Parliament He Ting Ru.

WP MP Louis Chua is its vice chair.

Another WP MP Jamus Lim is an elected member of the town council.

Sengkang GRC was formed shortly before the General Election in 2020.

There are four wards in the GRC.

The Buangkok, Compassvale and Rivervale divisions were managed by EM Services, under the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town council.

These three wards came under the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and Punggol East SMC.

The Anchorvale division was managed by CPG Facilities under the Ang Mo Kio Town Council.

It was previously under Sengkang West SMC.

EM Services is a joint venture between the Housing Board and Keppel Land Limited.

The managing agent manages 10 of Singapore's 17 town councils.

These 10 town councils comprise Sengkang, Sembawang, Marsiling-Yew Tee, Tampines, Pasir Ris-Punggol, East Coast, Jalan Besar, Tanjong Pagar, Holland-Bukit Panjang and West Coast.

Top photo via Sengkang GRC Facebook