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74
Although this work is not without difficulties, many of the
problems encountered in the earlier days of the project and which have
been mentioned in earlier reports are now disappearing. The Council's
policy of executing work in default is now more widely known among
owners and has had a good effect in securing the execution of works
by them.
Improvement Grants
The circumstances in which the Council may make discretionary or
standard grants to owners for the improvement or conversion of private
dwellings were given in detail in my Annual Report for 1965.
Discretionary Grants
Applications for discretionary grants received and dealt with
increased from eighty-eight in 1966 to one hundred and fourteen in
1967 and are summarised as follows:-
Applications received 114
Applications granted 113
Applications refused 1
Total amount of grants approved £48,49l
Standard Grants
During 1967, six applications for standard grants were received
in respect of individual premises, compared with eleven in the previous
year. All six applications were approved.
HOUSE PURCHASE LOANS
During the year, the basemants of twenty-four properties were
inspected as a result of applications to the Council for house
purchase loans.
BYELAWS AS TO THE ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING OF COMMON STAIRCASES IN
TENEMENT HOUSES AND FLATS
The Council's Byelaws relating to artificial lighting of common
staircases in tenement houses and flats were made on the 3rd May, 1967.
under the provisions of Section 63 of the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1956, as amended by Article 3 and the 1st Schedule to the
Local Law (Greater London Council and Inner London Boroughs) Order,
1965, and came into operation on 1st August, 1967.
These Byelaws revoked similar Byelaws made by the former Royal
Borough of Kensington in 1958 (the former Metropolitan Borough of
Chelsea did not take similar action) and they apply to the whole Borough
of Kensington and Chelsea.
The principal Byelaw reads as follows:-
"The occupier of every tenement house to which these byelaws
apply and the owner of every block of flats shall provide
adequate artificial lighting for all common staircases:-
(a) from half an hour before sunset until 12 o'clock
midnight;
(b) for one hour before sunrise during the months of
October, November, December, January, February
and March;
(c) at other times as and when necessary if adequate
means of natural lighting are not provided."