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12
SANITARY INSPECTION
The deficiency in the Sanitary Inspectors' establishment to which
reference was made in my last Annual Report, was continued throughout
1953.
Despite the revision in July, 1953, of the salary scales relating to
Sanitary Inspectors in London, advertisements failed to attract suitable
candidates.
The system of priorities which was instituted last year was continued
but whilst this deals with the matters arising from day-to-day, other
matters of long term value, e.g., Factory Inspections etc., had to suffer
owing to the necessity of the District Inspectors being required to undertake
additional territory.
It is difficult to know what can be done to counteract this shortage of
staff, which apparently is likely to continue until new entrants can be
found to enter the Sanitary Inspectors' profession, but some method will
need to be adopted in order that routine matters of great importance to
the community can receive adequate attention.
The total number of primary inspections during 1953 was 5,104, a
decline of 1,731 on the previous year when we were only short of
establishment for two-thirds of the year. The number of complaints
fell from 2,560 in 1952 to 2,188 this year and whilst this could be regarded
with some satisfaction, the decline in other directions could be a serious
matter.
Defects which were found were dealt with under the Public Health
(London) Act, together with the London County Council Bye-Laws and
General Powers Acts, and it was not found necessary to have recourse
to the Housing Act, 1936.
A summary of sanitary work carried out in the Borough appears in
Tables II and 111 in the Appendix to this Report.
Smoke Abatement
Complaints were received regarding smoke emission from factory
premises on the fringe of the Borough, but as a result of informal action
by the Inspector and intelligent co-operation of the management of the
factory concerned, it was not necessary to undertake legal proceedings.
Offensive Trades
The one factory in the Borough at which an offensive trade was carried
on was kept under constant observation, and after various experiments
had been carried out, the complaints regarding the emanation of effluvia
subsided, but a long period of time will be necessary before the results of
the efforts of the Inspector and the management can be regarded as
wholly satisfactory.
Air Pollution
The Health Committee of the Association of Municipal Corporations
selected Deptford as one of the London Boroughs from which it would