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Housing.
In the Spring of the year under report the Council decided
to appoint two Assistant Medical Officers of Health and four
temporary Sanitary Inspectors, so as to facilitate the complete
survey of the housing conditions of the Borough, to be followed
by such action as was thought necessary after the survey was
completed. As a result they appointed in May, 1920, two Assistant
Medical Officers of Health—Drs. W. E. Cooke, M.D.,
M.R.C.P.Ed., D.P.H., and Dr W. E. Fox, M.B. Lond., D.P.H.
There was a great deal of activity displayed, especially under
Section 28 of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919, and I
beg to submit the following joint report by the Assistant Medical
Officers. Their appointment was for one year, and at the time of
writing (June, 1921), they have left at the end of their term of
engagement. They have brought to light a great many interesting
facts as to the housing conditions of the Borough, and at the
present time the survey is rapidly nearing completion, when we
hope to have got the Borough into some normal condition as
regards the repair and general sanitary conditions of the houses
occupied by members of the working classes.
The following report of the Assistant Medical Officers of
Health will best explain the present position.
ASSISTANT MEDICAL OFFICERS' REPORT.
"We beg to present our report on the Housing of the Borough
for the year ending 31st December, 1920.
(I.) Staff. The additions to the staff for the definite purpose
of Housing were two Assistant Medical Officers of
Health and four Temporary Sanitary Inspectors; these
were appointed in May, 1920. Owing to sickness and
resignations in the permanent staff, all the four Temporary
Inspectors have never actually been available,
and for some part of the time only two have been doing
the work for which they were definitely appointed. The
vacancies on the districts caused by absence and resignations
have had to be filled by one of the Temporary
Inspectors.