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Housing Rent and Repairs Act, 1954
Part I
The Housing Rent and Repairs Act has now been in operation since August 1954 Part I
requires that the Council consider in conjunction with the London County Council their
proposed slum clearance programme This agreed programme on slum clearance for 1956/60 has
been submitted jointly to the Minister of Housing and Local Government, I am glad to
report that the Council's 1951/55 slum clearance programme has been carried out, in accordance
with the availability of housing accommodation, with the exception of three areas, in
the case of one of which the representation will be undertaken by the London County Council
The slum clearance programme in Pulham is not such as to warrant taking advantage of
the arrangements made under Part I of the Act for "Deferred demolition."
The new standards of fitness of houses, laid down in the Act, has not affected successful
representation of unfit houses.
Regarding houses let in lodgings, the new standards of Section 11, which give the owner
the alternative of possession or carrying out requirements, are operated with extreme circumspection
in these days of severe housing shortage. The Public Health Committee has
agreed certain standards as a guide in these cases and also for the operation of Section 12
of the Act, which deals with the abatement of over-crowding of houses let in lodgings.
Part II
Pew owners of houses let on a weekly basis have chosen to avail themselves of the provisions
of Sections 23-49 regarding improvement grants. When the necessary steps have been
taken, housing standards have been improved
Finally experience of working the Act,, in relation to applications for certificates of
disrepair, indicates that while there was an initial rush of applications these have
steadily fallen off and this fall has been maintained It may be stated that as a measure
of effectiveness to raise the standards of existing housing accommodation, in Fulham this
Act has fallen short of the hopes of its sponsors.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
Following the report of the Beaver Committee on Atmospheric Pollution, it is now the
intention of the Government to take immediate legislative action on the recommendations contained
in the Report. These have been incorporated in the Clean Air Bill of 1956,
The Atmospheric Pollution Stations set up by the Council in relation to the grit
Problem have continued to function during the year. The analyses of the recordings taken
at these stations show an improvement in the situation The results of the analyses from
the Cbuncil's SO2 Recording Stations remain the same
OLD PEOPLE
The work of the Old People s Welfare Comittee of the Borough, which is a very active
Committee, continues to expand, In the Autumn, a Rehabilitation Unit, to include geriatric
Patients, was opened at the Western Hospital. Dr. W.H. Kelleher, Physician Superintendent
Western Hospital has given a detailed account of this in another part of the
report.
Statutory visiting by the Council's Lady Sanitary Inspector regarding assessment under
Section 47 of the National Assistance Act continued, with an increased number of visits
being made.