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71
During recent years efforts have been made to provide an
alternative means of disposal of household and trade refuse by
controlled tipping after transportation in the Council's own
vehicles into disused chalk pits in Kent and over the low-lying disused
land at the extreme eastern end of the Woolwich Arsenal, but
without success up to the present. The possibility of disposal of
refuse by composting as a further alternative is still being pursued.
The 1,041 tons of salvaged materials collected during the year
was disposed of by sales amounting to £7,670, made up as follows:
Scrap Metal — 97 tons — £751
Waste Paper — 894 tons — £6,076
Rags, etc. — 50 tons — £843
An income of £1,581 was obtained from the charges made by
the Council for the collection and /or disposal of 293 tons of trade
refuse arising from business premises in the Borough.
RODENT CONTROL
General.—During the year the Rodent Control Scheme, as
approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has
continued, although with the introduction in 1959 of " block " grants
to local authorities, direct financial assistance by the government to
this service ceased.
Of a total of 661 recorded complaints (447 of rats and 214 of
mice), 508 were notifications, 50 re-notifications from occupiers or
other sources and 103 were found during survey. The monthly
average of complaints from all sources was 54 as compared with a
figure of 53 for the previous year.
In addition to the investigations of recorded complaints, 2,430
other surveys were carried out under the Prevention of Damage by
Pests Act, 1949, giving a grand total of 3,091.
During investigations, infestation was found to exist on 6
occasions in local authority's premises, 428 in dwelling houses and
92 in miscellaneous properties and places of business. Of these,
2 major infestations of rats were disclosed, one on Local Authority
premises and one on an open site. In all some 570 treatments
were effected by the local authority and 2 by occupiers or other
services.