SINGAPORE — Commercial shops and market stalls under the purview of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) will receive a 25 per cent rebate in their service and conservancy charges (S&CC) for June, July and August this year.

The Workers’ Party-run town council announced this on Friday (June 12), about two weeks after the People’s Action Party’s 15 town councils said that they would grant a 15 per cent rebate on these same charges from July to October to shops and market stalls under their purview.

S&CC are costs incurred by Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat owners, as well as shops, offices, markets and food stalls for services such as rubbish collection and cleaning of common areas.

AHTC said that this decision, which will cost the town council about S$300,000, was made after the announcement that Singapore will from June 2 have a three-phased lifting of regulations that restrict movement of people and activities.

“Now in its first phase, many businesses are still not able to open, or are opened with restrictions,” the town council said in a statement. “AHTC Members of Parliament and councillors have thus deliberated on how the town council can assist commercial businesses operating in Aljunied-Hougang Town to tide through this period.”

Previously, AHTC, the sole town council run by an opposition party, said that it would waive charges for the use of outdoor advertising areas for commercial establishments that had to close during the circuit breaker with its containment measures, which lasted between April 7 and June 1.

The fees usually incurred for late payment of S&CC have also been waived for all commercial units from April to September this year, AHTC added.