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During 1956, eight of the foregoing temporary bungalows were demolished to
make way for permanent dwellings.
It should be noted that the Borough Council's figures include a number of
dwellings on the Syon Estate, Isleworth, which is in the adjoining Borough of
Heston and Isleworth.
Modernisation of Council Houses
In the Annual Report for 1955, it was reported that Council houses supplied
only by gas would be provided with electricity for lighting purposes and heating
where required, and this work has now been carried out. It was also reported
that a plan had been prepared providing for the replacement of old fashioned
cooking stoves by open fireplaces, and retaining the existing hot water services.
This work has also now been completed.
Further, some 220 houses with no separate hot water facilities were to be
provided with open fireplaces and for either complete hot water installations
or alternatively back boilers to open fireplaces, and this again has been completed.
Now all Council houses in the Borough are electrified and have hot water
services.
Overcrowding
Sixteen cases of alleged overcrowding were investigated by the Department
staff during the year. Of these,, nine were found to be statutorily over-crowded,
and were accordingly notified to the Housing Department for consideration by
the Housing Committee. It will be seen from the Housing Statistics on page
49 that thirteen cases of overcrowding were relieved during the year.
Overcrowding is relieved in various ways, by private arrangements made by
the families concerned, by Council rehousing, or by Council nomination under
the Industrial Selection Scheme for housing in New Towns.
Up to December, 1955, 124 families in the borough have obtained housing
accommodation in New Towns under the Industrial Selection Scheme.
During the year under review, 63 families resident in the Borough were
nominated and rehoused in New Towns, two at Basildon, ten at Bracknell, three
at Crawley, eleven at Harlow, one at Hemel Hempstead, one at Hatfield, and
thirty-five at Swindon.
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