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121
Housing.
New Working Class Dwellings.
Although progress was made by the Council in the erection
of tenements on the site of the Mendip Road Clearance Area these
dwellings were not completed during 1938.
On the Savona Street Area, which had been acquired by the
London County Council, the erection of the first block of dwellings
was well in hand at the end of the year.
In addition to the foregoing, 114 dwellings were erected by
private enterprise. Included in this number is a block of 110
residential flats, situate in South Battersea.
Overcrowding.
Nineteen cases of overcrowding in such circumstances as to
create an offence under the Act were reported, but in only eleven
of these was it found necessary to serve notices upon both landlord
and tenant requiring the abatement of the overcrowding; in six
of the cases the overcrowding was abated when the attention of the
offenders was drawn to the offence and in two cases, which were
subsequently abated, having regard to special circumstances, no
action was taken.
It is satisfactory to note that, in addition to the two cases
outstanding from 1937, all but two cases of overcrowding were abated
without recourse to legal proceedings. In the two outstanding
cases the notices served had not expired at the end of the year.
Fifty-six cases of new overcrowding were reported, and in 196
instances overcrowding was abated.
An application was received from an owner asking for a
certificate that alternative accommodation offered was suitable
within the meaning of the Act. The application was refused.
An application was also made for a licence to increase the
" permitted number " of a dwelling, but this was not granted.
Certificates of "Permitted Numbers" were issued in respect
of 783 houses containing 1,302 dwellings.
Twelve families who were living under overcrowded or other
insanitary conditions were accommodated on the Council's Housing
Estates on the recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health.
In addition 122 applications for housing accommodation were
referred to the London County Council for special consideration on
the grounds of hardship or overcrowding. The following table shows
the result of such action:—