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consider it necessary or desirable that any elaborate machinery
should be set up for this purpose. We think that it should be
left to the constituent Councils themselves to initiate and then
carry out co-ordinated programmes, the Committee confining
themselves to the consideration of general principles, giving
advice and dealing with difficulties as and when they arise. To
assist the Committee in their task, it will be necessary for the
constituent Councils to keep the Committee informed of action
which they are proposing to take for the establishment of smoke
control areas, details of such proposals, difficulties likely to be
experienced and similar matters. We recommend—That
(i) the constituent Councils be recommended to act in accordance
with the foregoing proposals when they are considering
the measures to be taken to establish smoke control areas and
that they be requested to inform our Honorary Clerk at the
earliest opportunity of the action they are proposing to take;
(ii) the attention of those Councils whose boundaries are
common with the City of London be specially drawn to the
immediate action which it is suggested they should take; and
(iii) that the Minister of Housing and Local Government and
the London County Council be informed of the action being
taken."
The Public Health Committee adopted these recommendations
and a meeting was subsequently held at the Westminster City Hall
on 9th April 1957 at which the Boroughs having common boundaries
with the City of London were represented; a report of this meeting
was submitted to the Committee on 30th April 1957. Since that
date a brief survey has been made of the London Bridge area and it
is suggested that the Committee give consideration to the establishment
of a smoke control area in that part of the Borough. The
procedure for establishing smoke control areas is laid down in a
memorandum issued by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government,
and is in four stages, i.e.:
(1) decision in principle on the location, size of the area and
types of property to be included, and notification to the
Minister of provisional plan;
(2) after receipt of the Minister's comments on the provisional
plan, the detailed survey of the area;
(3) the making of the Order, the carrying out of the statutory
procedure and submission of the Order for confirmation;
(4) after confirmation, action to bring the Order into
operation, payment of local authority grants and claiming
of Exchequer contributions.
At the moment we are concerned only with Stage 1, and
particulars of the area in mind are as follows: