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One particular feature of the past year's work which I feel deserves
a special mention concerns health education. During late September an Oil
Heater Safety Campaign was conducted throughout the Borough, drawing the
attention of the public to the dangers inherent in old models and publicising
the need to have heaters examined before the return of wintry conditions.
In this connection the Divisional Medical Officer of the London County
Council rendered valuable assistance by supplying leaflets and pamphlets, and
arranging increased propaganda at the Council's clinics in the Borough during
the period of the campaign. A further important step in the field of health
education was the Borough Council's action, in response to appeals from the
Minister of Health, to approve the carrying out of an extensive "Smoking and
Health" campaign warning against the dangers to health of smoking, particularly
of cigarettes. As members are aware, this campaign was held very recently
during the period 11th to 23rd March, and a full account will be included in
my next Annual Report reviewing the work carried out during 1963.
Under the provisions contained in the Housing Act, 1961, which came
into force at the end of that year, local authorities are given new and
greatly strengthened powers to deal with squalid living conditions in houses
in multiple occupation. These new powers enable a local authority to apply
a code of management to individual houses in which proper standards of
management have not been observed; to require the provision of additional
facilities and amenities essential to decent living conditions; and to
make a direction limiting the number of persons who may live in a house,
or part of a house, which is in multiple occupation. The Minister desires
that the provisions of the Act should be applied in a reasonable manner and
that management orders only be made in regard to particularly difficult
properties. It is not anticipated that it will be necessary to invoke these
new powers very widely in Chelsea, as it is gratifying to report that in many
cases improvements have been carried out and the number of occupiers reduced
as a result of informal action by the Public Health Inspectors.
I do not recall in recent years having drawn special attention to
the work of the rodent staff. This important section of the Department's
work engages the full-time services of two Rodent Officers, and in previous
years regular campaigns to rid the sewers of rats have been carried out with
the assistance of the sewermen, using a variety of bait bases and poisons.
This method has proved quite successful in reducing the rat population of
the sewers, but during the past year a new method was introduced using a
direct poison, Fluoracetamide, which does not involve additional labour as
the necessity to prebait was avoided. Reports received from the rodent
officers and the sewer workers on the use of this new treatment have been
most encouraging and a similar treatment is programmed for 1963.
Before concluding I feel I should make a brief reference to the
Government Bill which was introduced in the late Autumn containing proposals
for the re-organisation of London government. This Bill received its
Second Reading on the 12th December and under its provisions the boroughs
of Chelsea and Kensington will join to form one of the 12 inner London
boroughs which replace the existing metropolitan boroughs. A number of
joint meetings at Member and Officer level have taken place during the
last few months to discuss future policy concerning the proposed amalgamation
of the two authorities. Under the Bill the new combined Borough will still
be responsible for all matters related to environmental health, but in