Performance Pledges

Leisure Services

We pledge to provide facilities that foster public participation in recreational and sports activities, and to organise a wide range of programmes that enrich the quality of life of the community.

We pledge to maintain hire charges and programme fees at a level affordable to the general public. We will continue to offer concessionary rates for the elderly, full-time students, and persons with disabilities together with their carers.

We pledge to provide, manage and maintain safe and high-quality recreation and sports facilities for the general public.

Type of Service	Target	Achievement in 2021 - 22
For activities enrolled on a first-come-first-served basis
(a) At District Leisure Services Office counters/venue booking counters	Within 15 minutes queuing time except peak period (8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.)	100%
(b) By post	To notify applicants within 7 working days from the closing date	100%
For activities enrolled by balloting	(i) To publicise the balloting result within 5 working days from the balloting date	100%
	(ii) To notify the successful applicants within 7 working days from the balloting date	100%
Applications for the use of sports facilities in person at venue booking counters	Within 15 minutes queuing time except peak period (7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.)	100%
Waiting time for admission to swimming pools	Less than 20 minutes when the maximum pool capacity has not been reached	100%
Processing new licence applications for billiard establishments, public bowling-alleys and public skating rinks
(a) To issue a letter of acknowledgement to the applicant and forward the application to the relevant government departments for comment	Within 5 working days upon receipt of all the required documents and inspection of the premises	100%
(b) To issue a letter of requirements to the applicant	Within 5 working days upon confirmation that the relevant government departments have raised no objection	100%
(c) To issue a licence to the applicant	Within 5 working days upon confirmation that all the licensing requirements have been satisfied	100%
Processing renewal of licence applications for billiard establishments, public bowling-alleys and public skating rinks
(a) To issue a letter of acknowledgement to the applicant and forward the application to the relevant government departments for comment	Within 5 working days upon receipt of all the required documents	100%
(b) To issue an approval letter of renewal of Places of Amusement Licence	Within 5 working days upon confirmation that the relevant government departments have raised no objection and all the licensing requirements have been satisfied	100%
Processing licence transfer applications for billiard establishments, public bowling-alleys and public skating rinks
(a) To issue a letter of acknowledgement to the applicant and forward the application to the relevant government departments for comment	Within 5 working days upon receipt of all the required documents	100%
(b) To issue an approval letter of transfer of Places of Amusement Licence	Within 5 working days upon confirmation that the relevant government departments have raised no objection and all the licensing requirements have been satisfied	100%
Refund of fees and charges for recreational and sports activities and hire of leisure facilities
(a) Refund of non-credit card payment under normal circumstances
(i) Applications submitted in off-peak seasons (Jan - Jun and Nov - Dec)	To complete processing 95% of the applications within 30 working days(1) after receipt of the completed applications or completion of the activities (whichever is later)	84%(2)
(ii) Applications submitted in peak season (Jul - Oct)	To complete processing 95% of the applications within 50 working days(1) after receipt of the completed applications or completion of the activities (whichever is later)	100%
(b) Refund of credit card payment under normal circumstances	As refund of credit card payment can only be made to the credit card account that was used for the payment, at least ten extra calendar days are required for processing by Government agents and credit card issuing bank	89%(2)

Notes：
(1) Excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
(2) Due to the outbreaks of the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2022, all leisure facilities were required to close thus the number of refund applications was surged significantly. With the implementation of ‘special working arrangement’ for government employees during the period, more time is required for processing huge number of refund applications received.