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Cases within Categories 1, 2 and 3 have been considered
by a special Sub—Committee of the Public Health Committee
which was established for that purpose. Cases within
Category 4 have not been reported but records have been
made and the families are kept under observation by the
sanitary inspectors who try and secure abatement by persuasion.
Ninety—three new cases were dealt with in 1954 by
the Special Sub—Committee as follows :—
(a) Recommended for alternative accommodation
by the Council 50
(b) Proceedings ordered to be taken without
prior offer of alternative accommodation 7
(c) Action postponed 36
The total number of cases of overcrowding abated during
the year was eighty—one and, in addition, seventy—eight
Category 4 cases were also abated during the year.
Since the war, the Special Sub—Committee have dealt
with one thousand, one hundred and twenty—one cases of overcrowding
under Categories 1, 2 and 3, and no fewer than
eight hundred and eighty of these have been abated.
Assessment of Housing Priorities on Medical Grounds
During the year two hundred and seventy—five applications
for re—housing on medical grounds were examined, and
recommendations for the award of additional points were made
to the Chief Housing Officer. In each case the precise
medical condition and resultant disability were determined
(frequently necessitating communication with the family
doctor or with the hospital attended.) The premises were
inspected in detail to ascertain the extent and nature of the
existing accommodation; the adequacy of day and sleeping
space; the risk of infection; the existence of remediable or
irremediable sanitary or structural defects, and the existence
of inconveniences, such as stairs which might be prejudicial
to the patient.
On this information and that supplied by the Chief
Housing Officer, an assessment of points to be awarded on
medical grounds was made.
In forty—five cases, recommendations for re—housing on
medical grounds were also made to the London County Council,
and to other local authorities in four cases.
Accommodation for Costermongers
The general condition of mews dwellings in the borough
has received much attention from the public health viewpoint
in recent years. In connection with the Council's policy
of clearing unsatisfactory mews dwellings, it was appreciated
that street traders must have storage accommodation for their
horses, vehicles, barrows and goods.
At the Council's request, the London County Council
promoted legislation to enable them to provide and maintain
storage and stabling accommodation for use by street traders
and other like persons displaced by reason of the exercise of
powers under the Housing Acts, 1936/49, or by the acquisition
of lands under any other enactment.
During the year, the erection of costermongers' stabling
and storage accommodation in Gadsden Mews (which had been
cleared under Housing Act procedure) was completed and