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desired standard for houses in multiple occupation, and although only
three formal notices have been served, a considerable amount of work has
been carried out as the direct result of informal approach to owners who
in the majority of cases have been most co-operative.
All food shops and catering establishments continued to receive
regular visits from the women Public Health Inspectors and a very considerable
amount of their time has been devoted to educating catering staffs
in matters of hygiene and food handling, and explaining and discussing with
owners and caterers the provisions of the Food Hygiene Regulations. Many
owners have shown the fullest co-operation by acting on advice concerning
suggested improvements in the planning of kitchens and modernisation of
equipment, and in some cases they have been persuaded to undertake modernisation
schemes requiring structural alterations and the complete replanning
of kitchens and food preparation rooms. This readiness on the
part of most owners to co-operate has enabled the necessary works to be
carried out expeditiously thereby ensuring that the highest possible
standards of hygiene are, as far as possible, always maintained.
The work in connection with the establishment of smoke control
areas made good progress during the year and it is anticipated that the
Council's third Smoke Control Order covering Royal Hospital Ward and Cheyne
Ward will become operative in February, 1965. This area is a little over
300 acres in extent and contains some 6,593 dwellings and 444 commercial
premises. Approximately 25% of the dwellings will require conversion or
adaptation of their heating appliances in order to comply with the provisions
of the Clean Air Act, 1956.
Local services for old people have continued to expand and in
October a Lunch Club for pensioners, inaugurated by the Old People's Welfare
Committee, was opened in St. John's Church Hall and 60 lunches were served
twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at a charge of one shilling per head.
The many and varied problems of elderly persons continue to receive the
attention and support of the officers of the Public Health Department and an
account of the work undertaken throughout the year is included in this
Report. During the severe wintry conditions which were experienced in
January and February, many pensioners were unable to obtain supplies of
solid fuel. In the majority of cases the open fire was their only method
of heating. In order to prevent undue hardship arrangements were made to
stock a supply of bagged coal which was delivered to necessitous cases by
the Council's Disinfecting Staff.
Health Education was one aspect of the work of the Public Health
Department which received special attention during the early months of the
year. The clerical staff were required to devote a great deal of their
time organising and preparing for an intensive "Smoking and Health" campaign
which was held during the fortnight 11th to 23rd March, 1963. This campaign
was held in response to appeals from the Minister of Health and its
main feature was the distribution of a specially prepared anti-smoking
booklet to every household in the Borough. In addition, members of the
staff undertook the distribution of over 20,000 leaflets and posters throughout
the Borough to doctors' and dentists' surgeries, shops, stores, offices,
factories, hospitals, youth clubs, boys' clubs, and local voluntary