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73
During the year, the compulsory purchase order in respect of the
first stage was confirmed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government.
A compulsory purchase order was made and a public inquiry was held in
respect of the second stage, and the Minister's decision is now awaited.
The Council declared the compulsory purchase order in respect of the
third stage and a public inquiry will be held during 1968.
Linked with the Lancaster Road (West) redevelopment area is the
Blechynden Street area, comprising 12 acres, situated north-west of the
metropolitan railway line. This area is being redeveloped by the
Greater London Council and, during the year, progress was made by that
council on the provision of 342 flats.
IMPROVEMENT OR CONVERSION OF EXISTING HOUSES
Houses in Multiple Occupation
The legislative powers for dealing with bad living conditions in
houses let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family
were described in my annual report for 1965. The implementation of
these powers commenced in 1963 within the area bounded by Acklam Road,
Portobello Road, Wornington Road and St. Ervans Road.
The original area contained 1,463 houses, but inspections have now
extended south of the Metropolitan Railway and into the Pembridge ward,
so that the total number of houses involved is now 1,900. The procedure
and some of the difficulties and problems encountered were mentioned in
last year's annual report.
Briefly, the Council's policy is to secure the repair and the
provision of basic amenities-hot and cold water, gas and electricity
supplies; washing, bathing and sanitary accommodation; facilities
for the storage, preparation and cooking of food; the cleanliness and
repair of parts used in common; fire precautions and avoidence of
overcrowding and over-occupation.
The Council's minimum requirements in these matters were given in
detail in my annual report for the Royal Borough of Kensington for 1962.

To deal with this work on houses in multiple occupation, the
Council have established a section consisting of a senior and five
other public health inspectors. During the year under review, the
section was maintained at full strength to deal with this very important
aspect of the Council's housing work. This was done despite the serious
shortage of public health inspectors which still exists in the Greater
London area and in the Council's service.