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The cost limit for these appliances is £18. In addition, the
reasonably necessary costs of removing the coal-burning appliance
will qualify for grant in the usual way.
These grant provisions were adopted by the Council.
Grants
During the year 1,225 grants amounting to £27,858 19s. 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. Fifty-three discretionary grants amounting to
£818 4s. 2d. were so approved, giving a consolidated figure of
1,278 grants totalling £28,677 3s. 8d.
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. Three such
payments were approved in the year. A further two payments were
approved in respect of retirement pensioners who, although not in
receipt of Supplementary Pension, would have been so entitled
had they chosen to apply, and four payments were also made in
respect of persons in special circumstances. These additional costs
are borne jointly by the local authority and the Government as
provided in Section 95(7) of the Housing Act, 1964, and the
Government contribution in these cases is also 4/7ths of the grant
paid.
The Council, in respect of 75 late applications, authorised the
service of statutory notices under Section 12(2) of the Clean Air
Act, 1956.
Installations
Section 3 of the Clean Air Act requires that new furnaces not
used mainly for domestic purposes and exceeding a capacity of
55,000 B.T.U.s shall, as far as practicable, be smokeless. Any
person installing such a furnace must give prior notice to the
Council and may submit detailed plans and specifications for the
Council's approval before the works of installation commence.
Thirty-six notifications were received and six approvals were given
in 1968.