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101
Assessment of Housing Priorities on Medical Grounds
During the year, 231 applications for rehousing on medical grounds
were examined, and recommendations for the award of additional points
were made to the Chief Housing Officer. In each case, the precise
medical condition and resultant disability were determined (frequently
necessitating communication with the family doctor or with the hospital
attended). The premises were inspected in detail to ascertain the extent
and nature of the existing accommodation; the adequacy of day and sleeping
space; sanitary and structural defects; and the existence of inconveniences,
such as stairs, which might be prejudicial to the patient.
On this information, and that supplied by the Chief Housing Officer,
an assessment of points to be awarded on medical grounds was made in 164
cases.
STRIKE OF REFUSE COLLECTORS
During October, 1969 there was a strike of dustmen which lasted for
approximately three weeks.
After the first few days of the strike the Council decided to issue
plastic bags from various centres to the residents and it was felt that some
assistance could be given in this task by arranging for the distribution
of the bags and explanatory leaflets from the premises under the control
of the Health Committee. It was therefore arranged for such distribution to
be undertaken from all Health Centres, Day Nurseries and Home Help Offices.
Complaints then started to arise from residents in respect of smells
and flies from the increasing amount of rubbish in the borough. Arrangements
were made for the Council's disinfecting staff to spray all rubbish heaps
where such complaints were made. The number of complaints frequently
required work to be undertaken outside the normal hours of work. The number
of rubbish heaps throughout the borough increased to such an extent that
some of the rodent officers were diverted from their normal duties to assist
in this work.
Considerable worry was caused by the accumulation of rubbish in
the street markets of Portobello Road and Golborne Road. In spite of
frequent spraying of all rubbish, it was thought at the time that trading
in the food markets would have to be prohibited, Fortunately this was not
necessary as the Council decided to employ private contractors to remove
some of the rubbish in the borough and the Borough Engineer made a
priority task of the removal of the rubbish in the street markets.
No facilities were available to take the rubbish to the barges at
the Council's wharf and it was therefore taken by a fleet of lorries to
Wood Lane Depot. The rubbish was then loaded by crane into larger lorries
for transport to controlled tips on the outskirts of London. Initially
the open land at Treadgold Street was also used for this purpose but it was
felt that it was unwise to continue the use of this site and by
arrangement with the Borough Engineer its use was immediately discontinued.
The quantity of rubbish at Wood Lane Depot become too great for the
Disinfection Staff to spray and an arrangement was made for the necessary
spraying to be undertaken by a commercial firm. Subsequently a motorised
spray was hired and routine spraying of the rubbish dump and surrounding
area was undertaken each day by the staff of the Health Department.