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

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Ealing 1967

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]

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The three occupants of the house had long since retreated with their beds
to the ground-floor rooms to escape from the noise and smell, but they had
forgotten to close the doors of the attic rooms. They had made no complaint to
the local authority and had sought neither help nor advice elsewhere.
The council's pigeon contractor was called in immediately, and in a single
night's operation removed and destroyed no less than 363 adult pigeons as well
as countless eggs and dead birds. A notice under section 26 of the Public
Health Act 1961 was then served on the owner/occupier to repair the roof and
to cleanse and purify the upper rooms.
No action was taken to comply with the notice, however, and an order
was accordingly given to a local builder to carry out the work in default. This
entailed replacing approximately 300 slates and renailing the remaining sound
slates. The remnants of the ceiling plaster under the mansard roof was taken
down to facilitate removal of the droppings. Some 7 - 8 cu yd of droppings and
other foul material were finally removed from the premises. "
Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, 1960
The Council's warden continued to deal with gipsies and other travellers who
entered the borough from its western boundaries and parked their vehicles on service
roads in the Western Avenue and Yeading Lane areas. His co-operation with the local
police resulted, in most cases, in a satisfactory removal of the vehicles within a
short time. There is no doubt that without this degree of control, the caravans would
remain for long periods on sites which are quite unsuitable for camping, with consequent
creation of nuisance.
The district public health inspectors co-operated with the warden and in six
instances served notices under Section 93 of the Public Health Act, 1936, requiring
the removal of caravans within 24 hours in order to abate nuisances caused by lack
of sanitary accommodation and the depositing of refuse.
Rent Act, 1957
The number of applications for certificates of disrepair from tenants of
properties still under control remains small. The following table gives details of
action taken during the year.
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