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205
Whilst gas coke may be available for some future areas, but in
quantities unlikely to be sufficient to meet the demand, supplies of
other open fire fuels are expected to be satisfactory.
In these circumstances, and because gas coke may not be
available for all who may want to burn it in future smoke control
areas, it would be justifiable for London Borough Councils to pay
grant for the replacement of an improved open grate by an appliance
capable of burning hard coke (an open fire with fan assisted draught,
an underfloor draught fire or solid fuel room heater) or by an
electric storage heater, gas room heater or fixed oil burning appliance.
However, it would be equally justifiable to continue payment of
grant in respect of the replacement of a coal fire by an improved
open grate because reactive open fire fuels are likely to be available
for persons who may wish to burn them.
For future smoke control orders, therefore, grant is now payable
on the following works, the last two of which incorporate the
new provisions, at the option of the owner or occupier:-
(a) adapting an improved open grate to burn gas coke;
(b) replacing a coal burning grate by an improved open grate;
(c) replacing a coal burning grate by an underfloor draught
fire, fan assisted open fire, electric storage heater or a solid
fuel, gas or oil room heater;
(d) replacing an improved open grate by any of the appliances
in (c) above;
(e) adapting an improved open grate to burn hard coke by
installing a forced draught fan.
These grant provisions were adopted by the Council.
Grants
During the year 2,509 grants amounting to £65,724 0s. 6d. were
approved by the Council. These grants were in respect of applications
for works of conversion or adaptation carried out which had
previously been proposed by the applicants and approved by the
Council within the appropriate cost limits. However, Section 95 of
the Housing Act, 1964, gives a local authority, inter alia, discretion
on the payment of grant in respect of such works effected without
prior approval. One hundred and nine discretionary grants amounting
to £2,181 18s. 0d. were so approved, giving a consolidated figure
of 2,618 grants totalling £67,905 18s. 6d.
In cases of financial hardship, a local authority also has discretion
under Section 12(1) of the Clean Air Act, to pay more than
7/10ths grant. The Council continued its previous policy and paid
the full cost of reasonable and necessary works of conversion or
adaptation in the case of application from occupier/owners who
are retirement pensioners and in receipt of Supplementary Pension.
Twenty-six such payments were approved in the year. A further