View report page

61
Generally
There are no abattoirs or slaughterhouses in the borough, and no killing of animals
for human consumption is carried out.
There are no premises within the borough where poultry is processed.
PUBLIC CONTROL DUTIES
Once again, the greater part of this work has been in connection with the licensing
and inspection of employment agencies, nurses agencies and massage establishments. In the
former two cases, although 51 new licences were issued during the year, 65 ceased to
operate and the overall number of such premises licensed at the end of the year decreased
by 14 — equivalent to 7½%. The number of massage establishments licensed, however,
increased by approximately 6%.
The two Working Parties of officers under the auspices of the London Boroughs
Association mentioned in my last Annual Report met on several occasions during the year
and duly reported their recommendations in respect of the licensing of Employment
Agencies and Massage Establishments. At the end of the year it became known that a Private
Member's Bill, entitled The Employment Agencies Bill, which had the support of the
Government, was to be introduced in the House of Commons. At the request of the
Department of Employment, the members of the Working Party, which included the Senior
Public Control Inspector of this Council, outlined their views with the result that a number
of their recommendations were included in the Bill. The report relating to the licensing of
massage establishments was circularised to the London Boroughs and the Working Party are
to be re-convened during 1973 for further consideration on certain aspects of the report.
During the year an illegal Sunday market opened in King's Road, Chelsea, but
immediate action by the Council's officers taken under the Shops Act, 1950, resulted in its
closure after a period of four weeks. The practice of opening the major exhibitions at Earls
Court to the public on certain Sundays during the year resulted in an increase in the volume
of duties carried out under the Shops Acts.
The number of premises registered during the year for the storage and sale of
fireworks revealed a small increase.
Statistics

HOUSING
General Improvement Area
This area was declared by the Council under Section 28 of the Housing Act, 1969,
and is shown on the map included in this report.
The area contains 302 properties of which 265 are used for habitation. There is, in
addition, a school building and two modern blocks of flats owned by the Council containing
20 dwellings.