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28
HOUSING
At the end of 1962 the Council had 1,568 permanent houses, maisonettes
and flats, and 140 temporary houses of various types. Included in the
total of 1,568 are 136 properties which have been acquired by the Council
and which house 208 family units.
During the year, 113 flats and maisonettes were completed for the
Council.
Also, 1,693 improvements were carried out in 556 houses, and
outstanding works at the end of the year totalled 110.
Apart from the flats completed by the Council, 237 flats were completed
by the London County Council, and 14 houses by private builders.
In the maintenance of existing property the following is a summary of
the work done in 1962:—

HOUSING ACT, 1957
Closing Orders on basement rooms of one house were made by the
Council.
HOUSING ACT, 1961
The Public Health Committee during the year spent a considerable
amount of time in dealing with the requirements of the Housing Act,
1961, and the Regulations made thereunder, and in June the Council
adopted a standard regarding the amenities which should be required in
houses in multiple occupation viz:
(a) Natural and Artificial Lighting
Natural. (i) The provision and maintenance in every habitable
room, of a window or windows (capable of being opened at the
top), opening directly to the external air and having, where
practicable, a glass area equal to at least one-tenth of the floor
area. (ii) The provision and maintenance, wherever practicable,
of adequate means of natural light to a common staircase.
Artificial. There shall be provided and maintained suitable
means for securing adequate artificial lighting either by electricity
or gas in each habitable room, bathroom and water-closet.
(Staircase lighting is already dealt with under Bye-laws.)