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the first London Boroughs to abolish the charge in its main convenience
for washing facilities. Although this was not an easy
procedure to arrange, it is a matter for satisfaction that the facilities
are not now being abused but, on the other hand, are being used
to considerable advantage. Such facilities, can, of course, only be
provided at conveniences which are fully manned. It might also be
recorded that arrangements are now in hand for similar provisions
to be available in all the maternity and child welfare and school
clinics operated by the County Council in Wood Green.
Food Hygiene
During the year, 1,577 visits were made to food premises in
the Borough, as against 1,062 in 1952. As a result of these visits,
it was found possible to bring about improvements and generally to
encourage a higher standard of food hygiene.
As the Council will remember, a special Clean Food Month
was held in Wood Green during October. A copy of the Report
which I submitted to the Public Health Committee in November
will be found set out as Appendix 2 to this Report.
There is no doubt that ventures such as our Clean Food
Month are useful and that they can, with advantage, be repeated
from time to time. The cost involved is very small indeed compared
with the results which can be anticipated. I therefore hope to
suggest to the Public Health Committee that a further effort might
be made within the next two years.
Although the possible formation of a Wood Green Clean Food
Guild does not properly come within the purview of the Annual
Report for 1953, it may be stated here that steps have been taken
to institute such a Guild. The Guild has still to be finally launched
but, at the time of writing this Report, progress has been satisfactory,
operation of a Clean Food Guild should link up with the
new Food and Drugs Act which, it is anticipated, will come into
operation some time during 1954. The final provisions of this Act
are not yet known, but it is generally felt that our powers will be
increased and that this most vital issue, i.e., clean food, will be
open to be tackled in a more realistic manner. I hope to be in a
position to report much more fully on these two important subjects
in the Annual Report for 1954.
Meantime, we continue our efforts, drawing the attention of
food handlers and public alike to the constant need for vigilance
in the matter of clean food. There are few issues in the field of
public health which are more urgent, or which hold out hope of
greater success. As has truly been stated, our aim should be to ensure
that Wood Green is not only regarded as one of the foremost
shopping centres in North London; it should and most definitely
can come to be regarded as the centre with the highest standards
of food hygiene among premises, personnel and public alike.
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