The Leisure & Cultural Services Department has decided to renew about 30 horticultural maintenance staff contracts up to the end of 2007. The move aims to give them more time to seek new jobs or plan for their future.

The department today said most of the horticultural maintenance services in its facilities have been gradually outsourced. The concerned staff are the only remaining contract staff whose horticultural work has yet to be outsourced. Their contracts will expire between January and August, 2007.

In accordance with standard procedure, the department has begun to give notice to these contract staff that their current contracts would not be renewed upon expiry.

Early last week, the staff expressed concern over their future employment.

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After assessing the overall situation, the department has decided that, subject to the agreement of the concerned staff, it will renew their contracts up to the end of 2007.

If they agree, it will also refer them to its contractors to consider employing them.