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19
Gardens
Willesden is poorly equipped with public open spaces: 242 acres compared with an estimated need
of 1,313 acres; yet one in four families have no garden at all, and a large number have to share a garden.
Swimming Baths

SANITARY SECTION
Staff
The authorised establishment of Sanitary Inspectors is Chief Sanitary Inspector, Deputy Chief Sanitary
Inspector, 18 district Inspectors and 5 pupil Sanitary Inspectors.
Four Inspectors resigned in 1955, and one was appointed to the post of Deputy Chief Sanitary
Inspector, which became vacant on the retirement of the previous holder; two of the five vacancies were
filled. At the end of the year there were still three vacancies, probably because the Country requires at least
another 500 Sanitary Inspectors, and although the Council pays the London scale of salaries (which is
higher than the N.J.C. scale), other authorities offer additional inducements such as housing accommodation
or car allowances.
Five pupil Sanitary Inspectors were on the staff at the beginning of the year. Two completed the
course and received their certificate, and were appointed Sanitary Inspectors to the department. One new
pupil Sanitary Inspector was appointed, but one vacancy still remains.
The Rodent Officer and four operatives were employed in the destruction of rats and mice in the
borough, and two labourers on vermin disinfestation, drain testing, and general duties.
Sanitary Inspection of the Area
The main aim of the Council is to preserve property which will otherwise deteriorate into slums and
then require demolition. Many tenants inform the Public Health Department only when the defects are
serious and costly to remedy.
In March, 1954, the Council decided to organise house-to-house inspections in selected areas in the
Borough. Sanitary Inspectors made a preliminary survey so that the Council could determine the areas requiring
immediate attention They chose 64 roads and the survey commenced on the 1st April, 1954. At the
end of 1955, 2890 (82 per cent.) of the houses in the planned survey had been inspected, and 3 out of' 4 had
defects (Table 1). The main criterion in drawing up schedules of repair was to prevent houses deteriorating,
shown by the attention paid to windows, roofs, brickwork, gutters and downpipes and walls and ceilings
(Table 2).
The Council served notices for remedying defects under the Public Health Act, 1936 (Table 3). 14
owners appealed against the notices, but agreement was reached on a modified schedule of repairs in 13 (11
were withdrawn and 2 adjourned by the Court); 1 appeal was upheld.