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Maternity and Child Welfare work has continued to grow in extent and
usefulness during the year. The attendances at the welfare centres
were 5,702 in 1926 and 8,600 visits to homes of patients were recorded.
I continue to receive most valuable assistance from the Chelsea Health
Society, and cannot speak too highly of the efficiency of the Society's
work.
Section III. of the report deals with Sanitary Administration. The
statistics indicate that constant attention is devoted to the improvement
f housing accommodation in the Borough. Although to less extent
than in other Metropolitan boroughs, this side of the work of the department
is frequently hampered by the inadequate number of houses available.
Your Housing Committee has been engaged for several months
in examining possible sites which might be utilised for a Housing Scheme
—a task rendered difficult by the fact that Chelsea is already largely
built up. Fortunately, an area of about two acres, formerly occupied by
Wimsett's Nurseries, and situated at the western extremity of King's
Road, has now been acquired and will be utilised for the erection of
buildings to house the working classes. In addition, an area comprising
about seventy small houses and cottages, known as the World's End
Passage area, has been officially represented under the Housing Act,
1925, with a view to an Improvement Scheme. As in former years,
much attention has been given to the supervision of food supplies.
I have again to express my appreciation of the work of the staff of
the Public Health Department, and to thank the members of the Public
Health, Maternity, Child Welfare, and other Committees for the
support and sympathetic consideration which they have extended to
me, and for their keen attention to the problems which it has been my
duty to lay before them.
Copies of this report are being transmitted to the Ministry of Health,
the Horns Office and the London County Council, in accordance with
statutory requirements.
I am,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
w. h. l. McCarthy.