London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St Pancras 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]

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47
Facilities for rehousing.
The London County Council provide facilities for rehousing accommodation upon
their estates for families displaced by Metropolitan Borough Councils under the provisions
of the Housing Act, 1936. This arrangement provides that Borough Councils who
wish to avail themselves of the facility shall pay £1 17s. 6d. per flat per annum for 40
years for each displaced family so accommodated. In the event of the family who are
rehoused vacating the accommodation, the Borough Council would still be liable to continue
payments for the remainder of the 40 years, but would have the right to nominate another
tenant from the Borough, provided this was done within seven days of receipt of notification
of the vacancy from the County Council As from 31st December, 1938, the payments to the
County Council under this arrangement have been increased to £4 10s. Od. per flat per annum.

The following table shows the number of families accommodated under this arrangement:—

19341
193513
19368
193713
193815

UNDERGROUND ROOMS.
The following are the particulars of action taken during the year in respect of
underground rooms:—
No. of Closing Orders on separate rooms or tenements for human
habitation 370
No. of rooms the use of which has been discontinued for human habitation 404
No. of families accommodated elsewhere as a result of these notices by:—
London County Council 15
St. Pancras Borough Council 51
No. of rooms vacated by own efforts or not used for human habitation by
re-arrangement 188
No. of underground rooms rendered fit for human habitation (without
Closing Orders) 82
No. of underground rooms rendered fit for human habitation (after
Closing Orders) 75
HOUSING INSPECTOR.
The following report upon the work he has carried out during the year is submitted
by Mr. Walker, Housing Inspector: —
I am pleased to report progress in the working of Section 9 of the Housing Act, 1936.
A summarised table is given below. Mr. Winchester was appointed Assistant
Housing Inspector in July, but, owing to the crisis and departmental difficulties, he was
unable to put in full time till late in the year.
The work under Section 9 has generally been carried out satisfactorily, but in a few
cases the lack of any definite standard is still a disadvantage, and has on occasion failed to
secure work of a lasting character.