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The work in dealing with Phase 1, which consists of acres,
proceeded satisfactorily during 1958. Five Compulsory Purchase Orders
under the Housing Act, 1957, made by the Council, have been confirmed
by the Minister of Housing and Local Government, subject to minor
modifications. Demolition of a number of the houses has already taken
place and rebuilding of the first stage, which consists of two 14-storey
blocks (each containing 78 flats) and two 4-storey blocks (containing
maisonettes and flats) has been put in hand. The new accommodation
which is now under development in this first Phase consists of:-
20 four-room maisonettes
4 four-room flats
68 three-room flats
52 two-room flats
52 bed-sitting room flats
In addition to the work in the Kensal New Town area, the Council,
during 1958, declared 15 premises in Portland Road to be a Clearance
Area. A Compulsory Purchase Order was made in respect of 5 premises
(the remaining 10 premises were already in the Council's ownership).
The Order has been confirmed and plans are being prepared for the
demolition of the properties and the erection of garages on the site.
Clean Air Act. This Act came into operation fully on
1st June, 1958. Perhaps its most important provision is that which
enables local authorities to declare the whole or any part of their district
to be a Smoke Control Area, in which the emission of smoke from any
building (not otherwise exempted) is an offence. The Council lost no
time in beginning to implement these new provisions and a survey was made
of the Holland Ward of the Borough with the object of making a Smoke Control
Area. Careful consideration was given to the information obtained from
the survey and as a first step the Council decided to make a Smoke
Control Area of the central portion of the Holland Ward consisting of
1,400 premises. The Order was made and subsequently confirmed by the
Minister of Housing and Local Government. No objections from any
householder or other interested parties were received and it is
anticipated that there will be little difficulty in enforcing the Order,
when it comes into operation on 1st October, 1959° Proposals to make
the remaining portions of the Holland Ward Smoke Control Areas were
submitted to the Minister of Housing and Local Government who has given
his preliminary approval. At the present time, a detailed survey to
estimate the full requirements and financial costs is being made. It
is hoped that by 1960 the whole of the Holland Ward will be a Smoke
Control Area.
A programme to make the whole of Kensington a Smoke Control
Area within the next fifteen years is under consideration.
Food Hygiene. The work of enforcing the requirements of the
Food Hygiene Regulations was continued throughout the year. There is
no doubt that both the food traders and the general public are becoming
more and more conscious of the need of maintaining a higher hygienic
standard in connection with the storage, preparation and sale of food.
The general willingness of most people to co-operate in the task of
ensuring clean food becomes more evident as time goes on. Unfortunately,
the need for periodical inspections is still an urgent one, as is
indicated by the number of informal notices served by the Public Health
Inspectors (32 in 1958) for various contraventions of the Hygiene
Regulations and the occasional Court proceedings against wilful offenders.
General. The work of dealing with slum clearance, the repair
of houses, food hygiene in shops, Clean Air Act and Smoke Control Areas,
is placing a heavy burden on the staff of the Department, especially
the public health inspectors.
For the past few years it has not been possible to recruit
the required number of public health inspectors and this position is
common throughout the Metropolitan area. This persistent shortage of
inspectors could have an adverse effect on the work of health departments.