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During the year 189 applications were received for the drainage
of premises and of this total 47 were in respect of combined schemes
affecting two or more separate premises, being an increase of 28 and 9
respectively over last year.
TOWN AND COUNTRY PUNNING
Close liaison continues to exist with both the Town Clerk's and
the Borough Engineer's Departments regarding all applications to
either the London County Council or the Chelsea Borough Council referred
to us for observations. The observations are then passed to the
applicant either direct or through the other department concerned, thus
ensuring that the person responsible for carrying out any accepted
scheme is fully aware of the various requirements of the Public Health
Department before any work is commenced. In certain cases our requirements
indicate the unsuitability of the proposals and a scheme may be abandoned
or amended, but all concerned are spared much waste of time and perhaps
money, and the Inspectorate ensure that any development which takes place
is in accord with the relevant Acts and Bye-laws.
During the year 565 applications were referred to the Public Health
Department, an increase of 83 over last year.
LAND CHARGES
The number of enquiries dealt with was 1319. These concerned outstanding
statutory or informal notices, combined drainage orders, smoke
control orders, certificates of disrepair etc., with, in some cases,
additional enquiries regarding restrictions on the use of underground
rooms and the suitability of premises for specific purposes-such as
catering establishments.
NOISE ABATEMENT
38 complaints were received regarding a variety of noises ranging
from the hardly discernible squeak from a revolving chimney cowl to works
of demolition on a building site. All complaints were investigated, some
noises were completely eliminated, considerable numbers were reduced in
intensity but in a small number of cases little if any improvement could be
effected. In no case was legal proceedings by the Council necessary. In
the few cases where complainants were not satisfied with the action of the
officers, their rights under private action were explained to them in some
detail, but in only one instance did a complainant avail himself of those
rights.
I would again emphasise the difficulties in dealing with complaints
in this field and the patience required of the Public Health Inspectors
and various other persons concerned, for since the coming into operation
of the Noise Abatement Act, I960, the public have become very noise
conscious and whilst many of the complaints refer to noise of quite
considerable volume, others are in respect of matters of such a minor
nature as to be almost frivolous, yet all receive thorough investigation.