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Statutes, Bye-laws, Regulations and Orders. The difficulty is primarily
duet to the shortage of qualified staff generally, but, in addition, there
are complications which arise because of differences in salary gradings
between Provincial and London Inspectors.
Salary scales for Public Health Inspectors have been agreed by
the National Joint Council and, for the metropolitan boroughs, by the
London District Council. For the metropolitan boroughs the London
District Council has ruled that "no post shall be so graded as to produce
a salary higher than that applicable to A.P.T.III without prior approval
being given thereto by the London District Council." Whilst the metropolitan
boroughs are restricted by this decision, authorities outside the
London area are, in the case of inspectors with special responsibilities,
free to determine the grading for the post. This position has given rise
to a situation where authorities on the fringe and outside the metropolitan
area are paying salaries that are the same or higher than those for
comparable posts in London which are subject to the control of the District
Council. A position has been created where there is a movement of
inspectors from the metropolitan area to these posts in the outer London
boroughs. The Council decided to make strong representations to the
London District Council on this subject.
The situation is further complicated by the lack of suitable
training facilities. There are now only two technical colleges, one in
North and one in South London which organise courses to assist with the
training of inspectors. Both colleges run day courses only, and there
are no evening facilities available for students in London.
The Council decided to make representations to the Minister of
Health on the lack of training facilities, particularly in the central
London area, for Public Health Inspectors; requesting support to overcome
this training problem, and asking the Minister to receive a deputation
from the Council to discuss the subject.
The Minister was unable to receive a deputation, but suggested
that it was the responsibility of the Public Health Inspectors' Education
Board to keep under review the effect on recruitment of training arrangements
which they have instituted. The Council, therefore, decided to
approach the Education Board. Fortunately, the Council have a number of
officers who are training to become Public Health Inspectors. In order
to provide that vacancies should be available if, and when, these officers
qualify, the Council decided to increase the establishment of Public
Health Inspectors from 14 to 18. It was subsequently decided, in view
of the acceleration of the programme of making Smoke Control Areas under
the Clean Air Act, to increase the establishment by a further qualified
Inspector.
Re-organisation of London Government
The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London
issued their report on 19th October, 1960, and the Commission's
recommendations were virtually identical with the proposals submitted
by the Council in their written and oral evidence.
The Borough Council's proposals were:-
(i) That the system of two-tier local government in
London be retained.
(ii) That one first-tier authority be constituted for
the whole of the Greater London area.
(iii) That such first-tier authority's functions be
confined to those services which are of a
regional or co-ordinating character or which
provide special services for a limited number
of persons in any one borough.