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87
We estimate that the site will afford accommodation for
about 3,000 houses, on a layout similar to that adopted on the
Government Housing Estate at Well Hall, although the Committee
do not propose that the Council should be in any way
bound by this type or arrangement of house.
The Ministry of Health recommend that the Council should
obtain the services of a competent architect or architects, who
will be nominated by the Royal Institution of British
Architects by arrangement with the Ministry, for the purpose
of laying out the estate and of superintending the erection of
the houses.
The Council are aware that their liability in respect of the
scheme will be limited to the product of a penny rate, the balance
of the amount required being provided out of Imperial Funds.
Under Clause 36 of the Bill, any loss which a Metropolitan
Borough Council may incur in carrying out a scheme in respect
of which financial assistance is available will be repaid to them
by the London County Council, and any payments so made by
the London County Council will be deemed to have been
made as part of the expenses incurred by them, so that the
loss on all London schemes will be borne primarily by the
London County Council, and so far as they can be met by the
proceeds of a penny rate on the County will be defrayed from
that source, the excess being bourne by the Exchequer. Ratepayers
in the Metropolitan Boroughs will not have to pay both
in respect of their own schemes and in respect of the County
Council schemes, and the maximum they can be called upon
to pay, as we have already said, is the product of a penny rate
in the pound.
We have given the most careful consideration to this matter,
and have unanimously come to the conclusion that the Council
should, with the least possible delay, take the necessary steps
to acquire the site, particulars of which we have given, and
submit a scheme to the Ministry of Health for approval; and we