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SANITARY ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOROUGH
Mr. H. Hoyland,
Chief Public Health Inspector
For the purpose of the routine inspection of premises and the
investigation of complaints, the borough is divided into four areas. The
overall supervision of each area is the responsibility of a senior public
health inspector. The four areas are sub-divided to form twelve districts,
nine of them coinciding with the nine wards in Kensington and each of the
three remaining districts consisting of two of the smaller wards in
Chelsea. The twelve public health inspectors allocated to these districts
are assisted by three technical assistants and two drainage assistants.
Considerable importance is attached to the training of student
public health inspectors, which is undertaken in conjunction with the two
technical colleges in London. The present establishment of trainees is
seven, and during the past year the four students who sat for their final
examination were successful in obtaining the Examination Board's Diploma.
Their employment as public health inspectors in the department served to
fill the majority of the vacancies which occurred during the year by
reason of officers leaving to take up positions with other authorities.
In addition to the inspectors engaged on district duties, eight
inspectors are allocated to housing, one to the operation of smoke
control areas, one to duties in connection with the Offices, Shops and
Railway Premises Act, 1963, and a further inspector to the specialist
duties in connection with the sampling of food and drugs.
The work of rodent control is undertaken by a rodent officer and six
assistants. The disinfection and disinfestation work, and the other
services which are provided at the Medicinal Baths in North Kensington,
are undertaken by the Chief Disinfector and six assistants.
In September, 1968, the majority of the work of the Public Control
Section, previously undertaken by officers in the Town Clerk's Department,
was transferred to the Health and Welfare Department. A senior
inspector and two assistants were transferred to this department and, as
far as possible, the work of the section is being integrated with that of
the public health inspectors.
HOUSING.
The Use of Older Houses.
Defective housing is one of the greatest unsolved public health
problems. At all ages it exerts a profound influence on the healthphysical,
mental and moral-of the individual.
Older houses can be regarded as those which, by reason of the
condition of their fabric and/or the absence of amenities or satisfactory
internal arrangement, are no longer in accord with modern demands or
standards. Not all old houses fall into this category, but so far as
age is concerned, the 1961 White Paper on Housing in England and Wales
(Cmnd.1290) indicated that, of 14⅓ million flats and houses, 3⅔ million
were built before 1880; 3 million between 1880 and 1915; 4⅓ million
between 1919 and 1940, and 3⅓ million since 1945. Greater London's
principal housing problem areas, in which parts of Kensington and
Chelsea are included, contain 340,000 dwellings, 16% built before 1875
and 69% before 1920, compared with 7% and 43% respectively for London as
a whole.