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31
Housing Accommodation Applications.
All applications made to the Council are normally dealt with by
the Housing Manager, who refers to me those cases in which the
application is based wholly or partly on medical grounds. These cases
include applications for transfer from Council tenants. He also refers
certain cases in which some special feature is involved (e.g., fitness of
basement rooms).
During 1961 a total of 476 cases were dealt with on the grounds
of ill-health or unsuitable accommodation. The maximum number of
points on medical grounds other than pulmonary tuberculosis were
allocated to 28 applications and 6 cases were referred to the Housing
Committee for special consideration on these grounds. In 4 cases the
maximum points were given for pulmonary tuberculosis, 1 of these
being referred to the Housing Committee for special consideration as
the accommodation was inadequate. In 23 cases of transfer applications,
rehousing was recommended as essential on medical grounds.
The London County Council notify cases in which the application
to that Council alleges sanitary defects. The houses are inspected, and
action to secure the remedy of any defects found is taken.
Housing Act, 1961.
Part II of this Act contains amendments to the Housing Act, 1957,
and particularly in connection with houses in multiple occupation.
Local Authorities are given new and strengthened powers to deal with
squalid living conditions in such houses. The new powers fall into
four main groups:—
(1) Power to apply a code of management to individual houses
in which proper standards of management have not been
observed. The requirements for this code are to be prescribed
in Regulations to be made.
(2) Stronger powers to require the provision of additional facilities
and amenities essential to decent living conditions, and also
adequate means of escape from fire.
(3) Power to carry out work in default.
(4) Power to make a direction limiting the number of persons
in a house in multiple occupation.
When the Regulations are made, it will be possible to deal with
multi-occupied houses very much more effectively.