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During the year under review one very interesting, and somewhat unusual, feature of the
Council's work made considerable progress. The new London Borough continued the discussions
which had taken place with the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith over a period about the redevelopment
of an area in Shepherds Bush which has been highlighted by the Milner Holland
Committee in its Report on "Housing in Greater London" which was published in March, 1965.
This report made it clear that the houses, built about a hundred years previously as early suburban
development for large families, had gradually deteriorated until multiple occupation under difficult
conditions was rampant, and about a quarter of the houses on the estate had come to be controlled
by Rachman and his associates.
The ground landlords wished to redevelop the site and suggested a mixed commercial
and residential development. No progress could however be achieved until some arrangement for
a "Housing bank" could be made, as the families living there had to be provided with other
accommodation before their existing homes could be demolished and rebuilt. Negotiations resulted
in the Council agreeing to act as this "Bank", in return(amongst other things) for the new
dwellings which would be built. The first families moved out in November, 1966, and it was
planned to move many more during 1967 so that the provision of new, and infinitely better, homes
could begin.
This is an example, on a fairly large scale, of co-operation in the field of housing between
public and private landlords, but the Council is also willing to consider helping any landlord who
wishes to improve his property by conversion, but needs help in providing accommodation for his
tenants while the work is being done. Discussions to this end were, in fact, in progress with a
number of private landlords during the year in question.
Apart from work on the Parways scheme, as the Shepherds Bush redevelopment is known,
considerable forward planning took place on the Council's own building programme. Although
primarily the responsibility of the Borough Architect and Planning Officer, the Housing Manager
is closely consulted on any new development. On his advice the Council agreed that for some time
at least the types of new dwellings to be built should be approximately 50% one-bedroom, 30%
two-bedroom, and 20% three-bedroom. This takes account of the sizes of dwellings needed by
applicants on the waiting list, the needs of people being moved from redevelopment sites, and
the numbers of existing Council tenants who need a different size letting from that which they
now occupy. As soon as more one-bedroom dwellings are available, a considerable number of
tenants who wish to move to such lettings can be transferred, thus making available their present
flats for larger families. As well as this advice on the sizes of homes needed, the Housing Manager
discusses very fully with the Borough Architect the detailed lay-out and design of new estates,
the amenities to be provided, and also planning of the individual types of flats. The form of space
and water heating to be used, and the types of windows and fittings to be provided, are also among
the points discussed; and attempts are constantly made to improve on what has been done before
as experience is gained of the great technological advances made in these matters during recent
years.
As envisaged in last year's report, the Housing Welfare Service has been expanded and
the officers concerned have worked closely with their colleagues in the Services under the control
of the Medical Officer of Health and Director of Social Services. Work at this level is most
important for the welfare of the residents of the Borough, because each problem which arises is
an individual one and, although dealt with within the framework of the Council's policy, must be
solved individually. Many such problems arose during the year, and a large proportion of them
solved; in other cases, longer-term work will be needed and this will be continued in 1967.
LIBRARY SERVICES
A personal delivery service of books is made to approximately 155 permanently housebound
people. A library van visits these people fortnightly, taking a Library Assistant, and
leaves as many books as are required to last for the next two weeks. Any particular title in
which the reader is interested will be brought at a later visit.
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