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105.
Appeals.
During 1928 the right of appeal to the Minister of Health
against notices under section 3 of the Housing Act, 1925, was
exercised in only one case. This appeal, which was in respect of
No. 37 Belfour Street, was the subject of a Local Inquiry.
In this case the owner in order to provide light and ventilation
to the staircase had inserted an air grating in the wall. This
provision was considered to be unsuitable and inadequate to
meet the requirements of the Council, and notice under section 3
of the Housing Act, 1925, was served, requiring, inter alia, the provision of a window of reasonable size made to open or other approved
means of lighting and ventilation of the staircase. Against this
the owner appealed.
After a Local Inquiry held by the Ministry of Health the
appeal was dismissed and the notice was subsequently complied
with.
In view of the fact that it has been the policy of the Council
to require, where necessary, the provision of adequate light and
ventilation to the staircases of houses, it is satisfactory to record
that in past years several appeals against this requirement have
been heard and in all cases the decision has been given in favour
of the Council.
There can be no doubt that this policy has resulted, from the
health standpoint, in greatly improved conditions in many thousands
of the older houses in the Borough, and it has in this respect brought
these premises into line with those built in recent years where
this provision is obligatory under the provisions of the London
Building Act 1894.
Closing Orders.
No Closing Orders under Section 11 (1) of the Housing Act,
1925, were made by the Council during 1928.
Underground Rooms.
No Closing Orders in respect of Underground Rooms were made
by the Council during 1928.
On the instructions of the Health Committee an inspection
of all underground rooms in the Borough is being carried out in
order that steps may be taken to prevent a recurrence of the danger
to life and damage and hardship which arose during the serious
inundation of the River Thames which occurred early in the year
(vide p. 77).
In view of the housing shortage it is extremely difficult to
enforce the provisions of the Housing and Public Health Acts in
regard to such underground rooms used for sleeping purposes and
the provisions of this Act can only be effectively applied when
the shortage has been overcome.