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Members of the staff of the Public Health Department, both
those who were transferred to other authorities and those who
remained in the service of the Council throughout the year,
worked loyally during a very strenuous period; and they showed
great enthusiasm in their endeavour to give effect to the wishes
of the Council in this transition period.
With the transfer of all the medical staff except myself,
the Borough Council resolved to appoint a Deputy Medical Officer
of Health. The successful candidate was Dr. C.D.L. Lycett, who
took up his duties on 1st November.
Although the Borough Council have now ceased to be
responsible for the transferred services, arrangements have
been made under which the Borough Medical Officer of Health
carries out the day to day supervision of them, and in respect
of these duties for the County Council, the Borough Council
will, in due course, receive a grant. As I have continued
to supervise the services it is possible to report from
intimate knowledge that the transfer was effected smoothly
and the services are still continuing to give the same benefits
to Kensington residents as were enjoyed when the Borough Council
had control. The pioneer work which the Borough Council had
carried out for many years has laid a good foundation for such
development as may from time to time be required.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
The estimated population of Kensington (168,600) showed a
further slight increase in 1948 over that for the previous year
(166,170), and the borough has nearly recovered the loss of
population which resulted from evacuation in the early days of
the war.
The general public health of the borough remained
satisfactory during the year.
The maintenance of reasonable standards of fitness in
existing housing accommodation continued to present difficulties;
and it is noteworthy to record that in the process of enforcing
the 3,086 Public Health Act repair notices served by the
Council's sanitary inspectors, it was necessary to apply to the
Court for 240 summonses. This is a high percentage and compares
with an average annual number of twelve summonses in the ten
years before the war. The shortage of labour and materials has
been partly the cause of the increased difficulty in inducing
owners to undertake repairs to their property, but the Council
have been concerned with the health and the comfort of the
residents, and they have not allowed temporary difficulties
to enable owners to escape their responsibilities.
The Council's programme of repair of war damaged houses
up to the permitted standard was completed during the year.
This proved a heavy task for all Departments of the Council,
and it was as a result of good co-operation that such
satisfactory results were achieved,,
A commencement was made in building operations on the
Council's new housing schemes at Becher Street, Portobello
Street and Rackham Street; and completion of the proposed 575
flats and houses can be anticipated in the next year or two.