View report page

Welfare Services.
As a consequence of the passing of the London Government Act, 1963, the Council
became responsible on 1st April, 1965, for many Welfare Services previously administered by
the London County Council. These included services for blind, partially-sighted and other handicapped
people; provision of residential accommodation for the elderly and for homeless families;
registration and inspection of homes for the elderly; under housing powers provision of flatlets
for old people; care of the unmarried mother before and after confinement and the invalid meals
service. The "Meals on Wheels" for home-bound people which the former Metropolitan Boroughs
of Hammersmith and Fulham had provided, and the arranging of holidays and outings for the
elderly, were also incorporated in the newly-formed Welfare Services.
It was necessary, on 1st April, 1965, that all these services should continue without a
break and, as far as possible, without any noticeable change so far as the public were concerned.
The administration at County Hall, although small, consisted of experienced and specialised
officers of whom there were not enough to ensure that each new London Borough could have its
share of those with comprehensive knowledge of welfare; only a few were therefore available,
(plus officers who remained in service from their employment with the former Metropolitan
Boroughs), to form that nucleus which would have been so desirable in a new London Borough
like Hammersmith. Those who remained in service with the new Borough were not only few in
number - most were familiar only with some of the domiciliary services for the elderly.
The various functions had to be organised to meet new situations and requirements and
many problems had to be faced in establishing and developing a sound, unified service. I wish
to put on record my appreciation of the co-operation given by the staffs of the Welfare and other
Services who have, I trust, laid such firm foundations that steady expansion and improvements
can be expected so that increasing comfort and happiness may be brought to an ever-larger
number of people.
It is estimated that there are some 34,500 people over pensionable age in the Borough
and that this will increase to over 38,000 during the next decade. In addition 588 blind and 184
partially-sighted people are on the registers, but these numbers are expected to decline gradually.
There are also 740 other persons registered as permanently and substantially handicapped, and
this number is likely to increase as the services available for them are developed.
The following sections of the Report give some indication of the varied aspects of the
Welfare Services and of the progress made during the first nine months during which they were
the responsibility of the Borough:
Residential Accommodation for the Elderly.
On 1st April, 1965, five small homes for the elderly, formerly administered by the London
County Council, were transferred to the Borough:
Establishment Accommodation Description
*Fairlawn, 89 Wimbledon Park Side, 40 places Adapted house
S.W.19.
Gunsgreen, 8 The Drive, S.W.20 36 places Adapted house
Stewarts Lodge, 201 Stewarts Road, 56 places Purpose-built
S.W.8.
Westway Park, Westway, W.12. 83 places Purpose-built
White Chester, 33 Camp Road, S.W.19 30 places Purpose-built
*This home was originally provided exclusively for blind residents but as vacancies
occur elderly sighted people are being accommodated. This is in line with the successful policy
of admitting blind and sighted people to the purpose-built homes where lifts, handrails and other
facilities are available.
(59)