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90
absence of alternative accommodation. As pointed out in my
Annual Report for the years 1919 and 1920, the resumed activity
after the war in regard to housing inspection had shown that a
very considerable proportion of houses, especially in the lower
Wards of the Borough, were in a more or less seriously defective
state. The passing into law of the Housing and Town
Planning, etc., Act of 1919, and the anxiety of the Government
at the time to stimulate local authorities to make use of
the very important new powers contained in the Act, was followed
by much activity on the part of the Council in preparing
a comprehensive scheme of housing for the needs of the
Borough. Unfortunately, economic considerations intervened,
and rendered it necessary for them to restrict their
activities mainly to the repair of unfit houses.
During 1921 the policy of the Council in regard to insanitary
dwelling-houses was proceeded with as in the previous year. The
seriously insanitary houses were dealt with under the provisions
of Section 28 of the 1919 Act, and reference to the summary on
page 93 et seq. will show the extent to which the powers under
that Section were made use of by the Council during the year.
In all cases the practice was continued of entering into
informal negotiations with the owners, with a view to affording
them an opportunity of submitting their proposals as to the
steps they were prepared voluntarily to take to carry out
the repairs necessary to render their insanitary property in
all respects reasonably fit for habitation. In the majority of
cases the owners were found to be willing to carry out the
requirements of the Council, and in only a small proportion
of the owners dealt with during the year was it necessary to
resort to the services of notices under Section 28.
There were, and continue to be, a small proportion of
owners who are, however, recalcitrant, being either obstructive
or passively resistant. It has rarely, however, been found necessary,
even where the Section 28 notice has been actually served
upon the owner, for the Council to enforce the notice by entering
and doing the work themselves. In such cases before doing
so it is the practice for the Council to give written notice to all
owners concerned of - their intention, and this is usually
eventually successful in securing compliance with the Section 28
notice.
During 1921 it was not found necessary for the Council to
enter and carry out work in default of the owner, notwithstanding
the large number of houses dealt with under the
Section. In the previous year 17 houses were put into repair by
the Council, in default of compliance by the owners on notices
served under Section 28, at a cost of £2,891 15s. 6d.