Our Duty
- To safeguard the evidence used to prove interests in land and property
- To give public access to information that supports open markets in property and open access to social and economic services
- To safeguard individual rights to privacy
Our Vision
- To be the best in all that we do
Our Mission
- To ensure secure, customer friendly land registration and information services
- To develop our human resources, information technology and service environment so as to ensure improvement in service quality and value to our customers
- To advocate reform of Hong Kong's land registration system through introduction of title registration
Our Values
- Integrity - to customers, partners and colleagues we observe the highest ethical standards
- Excellence - we aim to excel in all that we do
- Respect - we show respect and trust to our customers, partners and colleagues
- Learning - we learn constantly from each other, from our partners, customers and comparable organisations elsewhere how to provide better services to the community
Our Value to Hong Kong
- Over half of all Hong Kong families own registered property or are becoming property owners
- Banks and financial institutions loan over HK$1,000 billion against the security of registered land and property
- Over 3 million searches of registered information take place each year
- 53 Government departments use Land Registry information for purposes ranging from planning studies and criminal investigations to guidance on allocating public housing benefits and social security
- Registered information traces property transactions back to 1844. Some records have information going back to the 1700s. The registers are a resource for the economic and social history of Hong Kong
~~~ The Land Registry: Securing Your Property, Supporting an Open Market ~~~
The Land Registry Trading Fund
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| Service | ||
| Trust |
In 1993 the Land Registry was established as one of Hong Kong's first Trading Funds.
Under the trading fund model, the Land Registry governs its own finances, balancing expenditure with income. The Land Registry has flexibility to respond to the service needs of clients and customers through autonomy in capital investment projects to enhance services and operational efficiency.
The Land Registrar serves as the General Manager of the Land Registry Trading Fund.
The Trading Fund's Annual Report and the certified financial statements by the Director of Audit must be tabled in the Hong Kong Legislative Council each year.
Land Registrar's Statement
Last year the Land Registry dealt successfully with a weak operating environment and much progress was made with measures that will transform our operations. This will ensure continued improvement to the quality and value of our services - whatever external changes may occur in the next few years. I thank all the Land Registry staff and our many partners for making my first year with the department happy and full of progress.
K. A. Salkeld, J.P.
The Land Registrar & General Manager
The Land Registry Trading Fund, Hong Kong
The Ninth Year in Review
Turnover fell to its lowest level since 1996-1997 - down by 6% over the previous financial year and 34% below the level in the peak year of 1997-1998. All major revenue streams were lower, reflecting continued caution in the property market. Even a surge in demand for services from Buildings Department at the end of the year to help in their campaign to deal with defects in building safety did not fully offset the effect of generally lower demand from other departments over the full year.
The reduction in turnover was more than matched by reduction in the department's expenses. This has meant that we can proceed steadily with our plans for investment and service improvement.
By the end of the year examination of the Land Registration (Amendment) Bill - the legislation essential to our reform plans - had advanced sufficiently for us to be able to sign the contract to develop our Integrated Registration Information System (IRIS).
Our Challenges
The new financial year is a transitional one, moving on from the planning stage to development of our new systems. Issues that we may have to deal with in order to keep our transformation programme on track include:
- Possible further weakening of revenue due to low activity in the property market;
- Customer demands for reduction of our charges;
- Questioning of our legislative proposals;
- Ensuring successful development of IRIS;
- Externally imposed changes arising from Government reorganisation and re-prioritisation; and
- Maintaining harmony, efficiency and focus inside the department.
Our Initiatives
To offset the risk of weak revenue and the increase in depreciation costs from our investments in IRIS, we have been anticipating staff reductions IRIS will make possible in 2004 by not filling staff vacancies now. This will reduce expenditure over the present year, and reduce redeployment problems when IRIS is commissioned. During 2001-2002 the permanent strength of the department was reduced by 5% to 525. Furthermore, the investment in IRIS will reduce our IT maintenance costs substantially. Savings of near HK$20 million a year are anticipated from retiring old IT systems.I am very mindful of customer concerns over the level of our fees and charges. There has been no increase since 1996 and Hong Kong's Land Registry offers good value when benchmarked against land registry charges in other jurisdictions. But, the prolonged economic downturn here has made everyone very sensitive to costs. We are considering whether our cost control measures will be sufficient to allow us to make reductions to certain fees and charges in the coming year and still leave us able to continue with our commitment to invest in improved customer services in the next few years.
To raise public awareness of the value of land registration and the significance of our reform programme, we are starting to reach out much more actively than in the past through the media and through presentations to stakeholder groups. The kick-off ceremony for our Colour Imaging of Plans Project on 15 March 2002 was the first major effort on this front. The launch of the IRIS contract in July will be followed up with visits to all District Councils. A series of publications and presentations are being prepared to explain the Land Titles Bill later in the year. Our website has been completely redesigned and given fresh content to make it more accessible and informative.
Over the coming year we will be reaching out to the public more directly. You will find the words Securing Your Property, Supporting an Open Market used several times in this report and in all our future publications. They sum up succinctly the value of the Land Registry to individuals and to the community.
We are acting to ensure that neither the existing services of the Land Registry nor the plans we have for service transformation will be affected by public service restructuring. We have been explaining to key decision makers the value that public land registers have for Hong Kong. We have also made clear our record of improvement and our ambitious plans for the future. We are confident that we can deliver more valuable services in our own field and will support initiatives for improving delivery of other public services. We have the financial resources to carry through our investment plans without external assistance.
During the coming year we will examine the introduction of certain reforms to civil service pay and conditions of service within the department. Our primary goal in doing this will be to find tools that help develop the Land Registry and improve service to our customers. The Land Registry will continue to be a leader in management innovation that brings benefit to the public sector.
Maintaining balance, clarity and good spirits in the Land Registry has been my priority over the last year. This is essential over the next couple of years if all the changes taking place internally and externally are to be managed successfully for our customers and for the good of the Land Registry.
Together with staff and a number of key partners I have reviewed the vision, mission and values of the organisation. We have drawn up a simpler, clearer statement of these which you will find on page 2. In management we have increased the attention we pay to identifying and giving recognition to good work, to encouraging staff and giving them the support they need to do excellent work. We have also given more attention to our corporate communications. These steps add balance to efforts that continue to be made to enhance training, develop our technology and strengthen financial management. In the coming year we will consider how to further improve our customer service arrangements.
I have reconfirmed to all staff that no one will be laid off because of the changes that will take place when IRIS is introduced and our new organisation structure is established. We will manage reductions in the size of the department through natural wastage and voluntary arrangements. Any staff whose present work will disappear under the new system will either be given new work within the Land Registry or we will arrange posting to another department for them. I believe that this assurance to our staff is a key factor in ensuring the successful implementation of our new systems and ensuring that our customers receive cheerful, high quality service from us.
Our Prospects
Our new vision statement is to be the best in all that we do. It is a challenge to myself and to each individual at the Land Registry. It is also a challenge for us as a team. The Land Registry enjoys a secure position as a public agency providing an indispensable service, and we do not take that privilege for granted. We are committed to providing our customers service that matches best practice in the private sector.
After a year with the Land Registry I am confident that we can achieve this. The team here has already achieved much together and good plans are laid for the future. Above all, there is great willingness throughout the Land Registry to learn more and to increase our capacity to achieve more.
In the year ahead, we will improve our services and strengthen our organisation. Whatever external conditions we have to contend with, we will be able to work steadily to strengthen Hong Kong's trust in our services and to increase the value of the Land Registry.
K. A. Salkeld, J.P.
The Land Registrar & General Manager
The Land Registry Trading Fund, Hong Kong
12 September 2002