View report page

-4-
cancer to age and the number of cigarettes smoked, shows that between
the ages of 45 and 74 no death occurred among non-smokers, whereas
133 deaths occurred among cigarette smokers: 22 among those smoking
1-14 cigarettes daily, 54 among those smoking l5-24 cigarettes daily,
and 57 among those smoking 25 or more cigarettes daily.
Among those who had given up smoking the death rate per
thousand was reduced to about a half in those who had given up smoking
for less than 5 years, to approximately three-eighths for those who had
given up smoking for 5-9 years, and to one-sixth in those who had
ceased smoking for 10 to 19 years.
Housing. The work of dealing with public health in the
borough comprises many branches which must receive attention. From
time to time, certain sections of the work need special attention and
energetic measures. Housing conditions in the borough have for many
years received special attention by the Council, but with the introduction
of the Housing Act, 1961, this work became more concentrated in
North Kensington. Part II of the Housing Act, 1961, introduced
measures for dealing with unsatisfactory conditions in tenement houses.
The object was to improve normal household facilities and amenities for
individual families, many of whom, in the tenement houses in North
Kensington, are not provided with adequate sanitary accommodation,
personal washing facilities (such as baths and washhand basins), hot
and cold water, means of cooking and storing of food, etc.
On 12th March, 1963, following deliberations by a Joint
Committee comprising representatives of both the Public Health and
Housing and Town Planning Committees, the Council adopted proposals
to improve the amenities of houses in North Kensington.
In order to assess the situation, a rapid estimate was made
of the property situation; current or future proposals; the population;
living conditions and the household facilities available.
The property situation was summed up under four headings:-
(1) Those properties in slum clearance or redevelopment
areas, which have been agreed or are in prospect.
(2) Areas of properties up to 100 years old where the
houses are either unsuitable or not worth converting.
(3) Areas of property of younger and/or more substantially
built houses with a prospective life of at least
another 20 or 30 years.
(k) The remaining areas in North Kensington which, except
in isolated cases, do not fall generally into the
foregoing categories.
Whilst demolition and redevelopment in the case of properties
mentioned in category (2) above would be the best long-term project,
existing slum clearance commitments will undoubtedly prevent the Council
undertaking this for many years, Having regard to the age, location
and type of properties, the owners, occupants, multiple occupation, and
the Council's long experience, it was felt that a better short term
policy for these areas would be the application of the provisions of the
Housing Act, 1961, in relation to houses in multiple occupation as soon
as possible.
The implementation of this short term policy required the
provision of additional staff and accommodation, and the Finance
Committee were requested to deal with this.