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6
The proposal to redevelop the Kensal New Town area marks
the culmination of many years' work by the Council to deal with
the unsatisfactory housing conditions in that part of the borough.
It will be recalled that as long ago as 1933, this area was
declared by the Council to be an improvement area under the
Housing Act, 1930, and special byelaws were made to enable housing
improvements to be carried out. Although a considerable amount
of work was done, the conditions deteriorated very rapidly during
the war years, when practically all housing repair work ceased.
This process of deterioration also took place in two other
improvement areas declared under the Housing Act, 1930, namely,
the Becher Street area and the Treverton Street area. The
properties in these areas have been cleared and have been, or
are being, replaced by new housing estates. The Kensal New
Town area is the last of the three improvement areas which the
Council tackled under the 1930 Act and, as with the other two
areas, the only reasonable course of action left is to demolish
and rebuild.
Generally speaking, the poorer three or four storey type of
tenement house in North Kensington has reached the end of its
useful life, and when the pressure on the. Council's housing
resources becomes easier, there will be other areas in the
borough which will have to be considered for clearance in the next
decade or so.
Food Hygiene. During 1955, the Food and Drugs (Amendment)
Act, 1954, was not put into operation as expected, and the work
of dealing with hygiene standards in food shops continued to be
based on the London County Council's byelaws for the protection of
food. Much good work was done under these byelaws, and publicity
was given to the problem at the Health Exhibition held in
Kensington High Street (Empress Rooms) in October, 1955-
The new Food and Drugs Act, 1955, and the Food Hygiene
Regulations made thereunder, came into force on 1st January, 1956,
and should prove a marked advancement on the London County
Council's byelaws. At the present time, strenuous efforts are
being made to bring the new standards into force throughout all
the food shops in the borough. The task is a heavy one and is
hampered by the fact that the establishment of sanitary inspectors
is under-strength. Attempts to recruit the required number of
staff have been unsuccessful and it seems that the general shortage
of sanitary inspectors throughout the country will have the effect
of slowing down the work in regard to food hygiene.
Old People's Welfare. The work carried out by the Council's
two women health officers in regard to the care of the aged is
an important branch of public health. The services provided for
the aged, such as meals-on-wheels, holidays, home chiropody,
recreational clubs, etc., are no doubt instrumental in relieving
much of the misery and discomfort which ear befall old people
living alone without the care and attention of members of their
own families.
The importance of home-visiting by the Council's health
officers (and by voluntary workers) cannot be too highly emphasised,
because it is mainly by this means that the health needs of old
people are brought to light. In the past four years, over 7,000
old people have come under the supervision in one way or another
of the public health department and the number of "initial" home
visits paid in this period was over 6,900. The following table
gives a summary of the visiting and interviewing work for this
period