London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Battersea 1935

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]

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76
the division of the Borough was made on the guiding principle of
providing equal work (as far as practicable) for each inspector
irrespective of the size of the district. District No. 7, however,
assigned to the Senior Inspector, was of smaller size in view of the
other duties attached to his office.
Shops Act, 1934.
This Act came into force on 1st January, 1935. The functions
of Metropolitan Borough Councils thereunder are limited to enforcement
of the provisions relating to (1) ventilation, (2) heating, and
(3) sanitary accommodation.
It is estimated that there are about 2,800 shops in Battersea,
and they have been systematically inspected throughout the year
by the staff of sanitary inspectors in so far as their normal duties
permitted. The number of shops of which inspection was complete
at 31st December was 1,580, and the total number of inspections
throughout the year was 2,043.

Non-compliance with the Act was noted in the undermentioned cases:—

Ventilation48
Heating23
Sanitary accommodation178
249

In many cases, however, the question of heating was deferred
for review in the cold season of the year.
In the course of inspection for the purpose of the Shops Act,
many defects were found in premises which were dealt with under
the nuisance clauses of the Public Health (London) Act, but these
are not included in the above figures.
The 249 defects were found in 229 shops, some of which were
found to contravene the requirements in more than one respect.
Appropriate action was taken in regard to the defects found,
and 236 intimation and 27 statutory notices were served, of which
143 (141 shops) had been complied with at the end of the year.
The defects remedied comprised the following:—
Water closets provided 11
,, „ improved 90
Heating provided or improved 6
Ventilation ,, „ 39
in addition to general defects referred to above.
The inspection is being continued and it is hoped that the
whole of the shops in the Borough will have been dealt with before
the end of 1936.