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Dealers' supplementary licences enable applicants to sell milk in the Borough from premises outside the Borough on
condition that they hold principal licences from the authorities concerned.
shops acts.—The two Shops Acts Inspectors made 1,591 visits. No notices were served, all contraventions being
dealt with informally.
The Shops Act, 1950, which came into operation on the 1st October, had the effect of consolidating into one Act
all previous law relating to shops. The first Act was passed in 1912, but it was not until 1936 that sanitary authorities
were given certain powers with regard to the health and comfort of shop workers. These powers concerned ventilation,
temperature, and sanitary conveniences, and the same provisions are embodied in Section 38 of the Act of 1950. The
County Council administer the rest of the Act, including that part of Section 38 which deals with lighting and washing
facilities.
clean food campaign.—The question of introducing, in common with other Councils, a Clean Food Campaign
received the earnest consideration of the Committee at the commencement of the year. Many Councils have instigated
such schemes and in certain boroughs a system of issuing Certificates to food shops where a certain hygienic standard
is maintained, has been adopted. In my opinion, the acknowledgment of two standards of hygiene is fundamentally
wrong, and moreover, because of the differing types of shop premises, and the severe restriction on the issue of licences
for additional sanitary fitments necessary to achieve the ideal, is inequitable and in addition suggests that those without
certificates are below standard. This, of course, cannot be admitted so far as Paddington is concerned, and I would
go so far as to say that the setting up of independent organisations is quite wrong and an admission that existing
arrangements have failed in any area where such a scheme has been found necessary.
Whilst endorsing this view, the Committee considered that the following steps should be taken to bring home the
vital importance of cleanliness to food handlers and the public :—
(i) Introduction of free washing facilities for food handlers at all the public conveniences in the Borough.
(ii) Films and lectures to be given to all the food handlers and the public with the co-operation of the Chamber
of Commerce, and other organisations in the Borough.
As a result of our representations to the Works Committee, free washing facilities have been established in all
the public conveniences in the Borough, of which due publicity was given in the local press and by notices in the
premises concerned.
Films entitled "Another case of food poisoning " and " Fly about the house " and film strips entitled " What
food infections are," "The food handlers' part " and " Hygiene in the kitchen " have been shown to a variety of
audiences. In addition, suitable leaflets addressed to housewives have been circulated through the medium of the
Public Relations Officer, Council's Offices, Libraries, etc., and a similar leaflet dealing with their particular aspect has
been circulated to every food handler in the Borough.
Further, at the request of the Clerk to the Justices, Paddington Division, a comprehensive survey was undertaken
into the adequacy and conditions of the sanitary accommodation provided in all the licenced premises in the Borough.
Of the one hundred licenced premises in the Borough, twelve premises were found to be without separate sanitary
accommodation for female customers; four without separate sanitary accommodation for male customers and one
was without any sanitary accommodation for customers at all, although there was a public convenience in close
proximity; and in twelve cases the existing accommodation was found to be unsatisfactory and/or defective. No
fault could be found in the sanitary accommodation of the remaining licenced premises. A full report was forwarded
to the Clerk to the Justices, and many improvements were subsequently carried out by the brewers to the premises
which fell short of the recognised sanitary standards. Owing to the restrictions on material and labour, however, certain
of the more comprehensive plans submitted had to be modified for the time being in the hope that the remainder of
the improvements can follow at a later date.
I am satisfied that, with the continuance of the presentation of appropriate films as and when possible, combined
with the ready co-operation of the traders themselves, and the various organisations who have shown such an active
interest in this important subject, the campaign for clean food will continue energetically and without cessation, as
hitherto.