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Smoke Control Areas. Sections 11 to 15 of the Act relate
to the functions of the Council to declare smoke control areas, in
which the emission of smoke from the chimney of any building would be an
offence.
The procedure for establishing a smoke control area is laid
down by the Minister of Housing and Local Government and comprises four
main phases, as follows:-
(a) Having decided in principle on the location, size, area
and types of property to be included in the area, the
Council must give provisional notice of their proposals
to the Minister.
(b) Upon receipt of the Minister's approval to the provisional
plan, a detailed survey of the area must be made.
(c) When the survey has been completed, the Council may
make the Order and submit it to the Minister for
confirmation.
(d) After the Minister's confirmation, enforcement action is
carried out to bring the Order into operation. This stage
includes the conversion of firegrates, the payment of
grants, and the necessary action to secure Exchequer
contributions.
In 1959 the Minister of Housing and Local Government requested
local authorities, especially in "black areas", to prepare a phased fiveyear
programme for establishing smoke control areas.