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9
SECTION C
HOUSING
Rehousing
Applications for rehousing by the Borough Council are
made to the Housing Department, 218, Goldhawk Road,
Shepherd's Bush, W.12.
Requests are received from the Housing Estates Manager
asking for inspections to be made with a view to ascertaining
whether a family is living in overcrowded conditions.
Enquiries are then made by the Sanitary Inspectors and, if a
family is found to be living in such conditions, overcrowding
is duly certified.
In many cases the request is accompanied by medical
certificates supporting the family's application on medical
grounds, and careful consideration is given that recommendations
are made only for the most urgent cases, having regard
to the nature of the illness, the condition of the premises and
the amenities available.
Applications for rehousing by the London County Council
are made to that body, and requests are received from them
via the Housing Estates Manager, for similar enquiries to be
made. In cases where there is medical evidence the Medical
Officer of Health to the London County Council is responsible
for allocating priorities on health grounds.
Reports are also asked for and supplied in regard to existing
overcrowding and sanitary condition of premises.
445 enquiries regarding rehousing were received in the
Department during the year. 243 families were found upon
investigation to be living in overcrowded conditions, and
particulars of this overcrowding were passed to the Housing
Department for transmission to the London County Council.
37 cases were recommended for rehousing on grounds of
health, tuberculosis, inadequate hygienic facilities for the
proper care of babies and young children and many other
serious conditions.
In addition to the above, a recommendation for rehousing
of a special character was made to the Borough Council's
Housing Department in cases where the applicant represented
a recently married family who were expecting a baby, or where
there were young children already living in unhygienic
surroundings which I considered inadequate to maintain the
high level of health which is so important in the family unit
in its early stages. These applications are most important as
health deficiencies are probable without housing improvement.
In spite of their many difficult responsibilities the Housing
Department have agreed to accept these recommendations and