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free borough. A circular letter had been sent to all residents in
the Area explaining the provisions of the Act, informing them that
they would be visited by an Inspector from the Public Health
Department on a certain date at a given time, and asking them to
co-operate as much as possible with this officer. The purpose of
the Inspector's visit was to ascertain the number and cost of
fireplaces to be adapted or replaced, together with the amount of
smokeless fuel required annually.
The Council is required to repay to the owner or occupier
7/l0ths of the approved reasonable expenditure incurred in the
adaptations carried out on domestic premises within a Smoke Control
Area, 4/l0ths being recoverable by the Council from the Exchequer,
the remaining 3/10ths is borne by the owner or occupier (unless the
Council decide otherwise in any case of hardship, but in that event
no Exchequer contribution is recoverable in respect of this
fraction). Thus the cost of conversion or replacement of unsatisfactory
fireplaces is to be borne as follows :-
Owner or Occupier 30%
Council 30%
Exchequer 40%
The cost of installation will be judged reasonable if it corresponds
broadly with the cost of appliances installed in houses provided by
local authorities. Expenditure on works of adaptation or conversion
must be approved by the Council if it is to qualify for grant and such
expenditure must be incurred after the confirmation of the Order but
before its coming into operation. No grant is payable by the Exchequer
or the local authority in the case of commerical and industrial premises.
In the case of its own properties, the Council will bear 60% of
the cost, but a proportion not exceeding 30% of such cost may be passed
on to the tenants by way of increase in rent. Included within the Ward
are the 124. flats of Pond House and New Pond House, where the heating
appliances will require some form of adaptation, and there will also
be those units of accommodation in requisitioned premises remaining in
the Council's possession after March, 1960.
An approach was made to the Regional Director of the Ministry of
Power, to ascertain whether therewere any unexpected difficulties concerning
supplies of smokeless fuels to the area, and the Council was informed
that reasonably adequate supplies would be available when the Order comes
into operation.
As a result of the detailed information obtained from the houseto-house
survey, the Council, at its meeting on 18th November, 1959,
made a Smoke Control Order, to come into operation on 1st November,
1960. The Order was submitted to the Minister of Housing and Local
Government for confirmation on 19th November, together with the following
Schedule of Estimated Costs of Adapting and Replacing Fireplaces :-