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Staff - Inspectorate
The establishment of Public Health Inspectors consists of a Chief Public Health Inspector,
Deputy Chief Public Health Inspector, nine Senior Inspectors, sixteen District Public
and eight Student Inspectors. For the greater part of the year the establishment was up to the
required strength.
Sanitary Circumstances*
Housing • Preferential Rehousing on Medical Grounds.
All applications for rehousing with medical recommendations are considered by the
Medical Officer of Health who refers them to the Senior Medical Officer (Environmental) who
grades them in the following categories:
(A+) That priority be given.
(A) That preferential consideration should be given on urgent medical grounds.
(B) That allocation of "Points" provided for in the Council's scheme should be made.
(C) That no special action is warranted.
For the year ended 31st December 1966, 1106 cases were assessed as follows:
Category A+ 55
Category A 113
Category B 622
Category C 264
No specific
assessment 137
Pending 5
Since the scheme's inception 314 cases have been categorised A and A+ and 172 have
been rehoused.
Houses in Multiple Occupation.
One of Hammersmith's problems is the occupation of the older, larger type residence by
several families in place of the single family for which it was designed. This frequently gives
rise to unsatisfactory housing conditions as the change often takes place without the provision
of sufficient amenities in the way of water supply, baths, w.c. accommodation and adequate fire
precautions. Squalid conditions arise as a result of the subsequent loss of privacy and the sharing
of sanitary arrangements. Overcrowding often results either from the growth of the family in
limited space, or from families being forced to accept inadequate housing because of the shortage
of housing accommodation in London and the high rental charges.
The Housing Act, 1964, has augmented the provisions of the Housing Act, 1961, which
was designed to deal with houses in multiple occupation. The Act enables Local Authorities to
prosecute in cases where notices served under Section 14, 15, or 16 of the 1961 Act have met
with non-compliance. Under the 1961 Act it was necessary for the Local Authority to carry out
work in default where notices had resulted in non-compliance. The new Act gives Local Authorities
the option of carrying out work in default, or of prosecuting.
Another important amendment of the 1961 Act enables Local Authorities to combine the
improvement of amenities in houses in multiple occupation with the making of a Direction Order
limiting the number of persons who may occupy such a house.
(7)