London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Tottenham 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]
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The following is a summary of work carried out under sections 9 and 10 in the owners' default during the past 15 years, namely:-
| Year | Number of Houses | Cost | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | ||
| 1938 | 5 | 66 | 13 | 11 |
| 1939 | 31 | 605 | 3 | 5 |
| 1940 | 3 | 25 | 4 | 4 |
| 1941 | 19 | 319 | 7 | 0 |
| 1942 | 21 | 543 | 4 | 10 |
| 1943 | 114 | 2,559 | 7 | 3 |
| 1944 | 45 | 1,026 | 6 | 9 |
| 1945 | 17 | 658 | 3 | 11 |
| 1946 | 152 | 7,329 | 16 | 8 |
| 1947 | 241 | 14,272 | 16 | 9 |
| 1948 | 181 | 13,160 | 8 | 4 |
| 1949 | 106 | 6,593 | 6 | 5 |
| 1950 | 77 | 4,035 | 8 | 5 |
| 1951 | 72 | 3,186 | 3 | 4 |
| 1952 | 47 | 2,445 | 1 | 9 |
The steady decrease in the value, of work done in default
noticeable since 1948 has continued during the year. The reasons
for this are not at first sight obvious, but if any conclusions
can be drawn, they are:-
(i) The vast amount of war damage repairs carried out has
served to improve many houses;
(ii) The work done by the department immediately following
the end of the war in overcoming arrears (in 1947 and
1948 some £27,000 was spent in work in default);
(iii) The bulk of the complaints are probably made in respect
of the older houses, which are dealt with under the
Public Health Act provisions.
Housing Act, 1936: Sections 11 and 12
The provisions of section 11 enable the Council to secure
the demolition of insanitary houses not repairable at reasonable
cost. This section has not been applied so extensively as
hitherto. Piecemeal demolition of isolated houses is unsatisfactory
where such houses are in areas which require re-development
as a whole and the question of clearance area procedure must
shortly arise.