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204
Grants
During the year 772 grants amounting to £22,318 19s. 1d. 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. Twenty-one discretionary grants amounting to
£405 7s. 6d. were so approved, giving a consolidated figure of
793 grants totalling £22,724 6s. 7d.
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. Two such
payments were approved in the year and two 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 73 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.
Twenty-seven notifications were received and one approval was
given in 1969.
Chimney Heights
Under Section 6 of the Clean Air Act, 1968, 5 applications were
received and chimney heights approved in 3 instances during 1969.
Pollution Recording
Four atmospheric pollution measuring stations are maintained