View report page

5
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Battersea.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the Health
and Sanitary State of the Borough for the year 1932.
It is again my privilege to be able to record that the vital
and morbid statistics for the year 1932 continue to be satisfactory.
It is to be noted, however, that the birth-rate of the Borough
(14.8) is the lowest recorded.
The general death-rate (12.1) and the infant mortality rate
(57.8) are satisfactory and compare favourably with the rates for
the County of London.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme of the Council,
including the organised Voluntary effort linked up with the scheme,
has had a successful year, and the results obtained are reflected
in the improved statistical returns. The Health Services included
in this scheme have been maintained at the high standard of past
years.
With regard to Housing, rapid progress was made in the
erection of working class tenements on the St. John's College
Estate, and it is anticipated that this useful contribution to the
relief of the housing shortage in Battersea will be completed by
the autumn of 1933.
In other directions, e.g., slum clearance, the repair and reconditioning,
&c., of unfit houses, considerable attention was given
during the year by the Housing Committee to the recent Survey
of the housing needs of the Borough, and the Committee have had
under consideration the five yearly housing programme which it
is the duty of Housing Authorities to submit to the Minister of
Health. Details relating to the year's work on Housing will be
found set out on pp. 103 to 119.
It is to be hoped that some substantial progress will be made,
under the 1930 Housing Act, with the important subject of Slum
Clearance, to which the Housing Committee were giving particular
attention at the end of the year. It cannot be too clearly emphasised
that one of the most pressing duties of Housing and Health
Authorities is the removal of slums. In Battersea a very successful
minor effort was made by the Council soon after the war, in the
clearance of the Plough Road area. It has, however, taken about
12 years to complete this initial effort. The slow progress made
has not been due to any lack of interest on the part of the Council.
The new Housing Act (1930) should assist Local Authorities to
speed up their programmes in this direction.