View report page

Staff - Inspectorate
The establishment of Inspectors consists of a Chief Public Health Inspector,
Principal Public Health Inspector, 9 Senior Inspectors, 16 District
Inspectors, 8 Student Inspectors and 4 Technical Assistants.
During the latter part of the year there was a considerable drop in numbers
of the Inspectorate staff so that at the year end we were 40% under
strength.
The financial advantage to be gained by working in London no longer applies
as posts are now advertised outside town at comparable salaries with better
and more congenial working conditions and little or no travel to work. The
position was worsened when the London Weighting Scale was split and Hammersmith
placed in the outer ring, whereby comparable neighbouring boroughs
pay their staff £39 a year more.
Until the London Weighting anomaly is removed and until the salary differential
between London and the provinces is re-instated, staffing difficulties
will persist with consequent deterioration in service.
New Legislation
Greater London Council (General Powers) Act, 1971
The Greater London Council (General Powers) Act, 1971 came into force
during 1971. This Act allows Inner London Borough Councils to dispense
with or relax requirements of certain byelaws made under the Public Health
(London) Act 1936. The dispensing or relaxing of requirements may be subject
to conditions laid down by the Council. Fines for contravention of
these byelaws have been increased to a maximum of £50, and £10 for each
day on which the default continues after conviction.
The Housing Act, 1971 (increasing the amount nf improvement grants in
development areas); the Slaughter of Poultry (Humane Conditions) Regulations
1971 (for securing humane conditions for slaughter of poultry for commercial
purposes; and the Meat Inspection (Amendment) Regulations, 1971
(raising the rates a local authority may charge for meat inspection) are
not applicable within this Borough.
Circular FSH 2/71 recommended that the Methylene Blue Test should be the
method for bacteriological examination of fresh cream.
The Food Standards Committee reported on the following matters:-
(a) Antioxidants in food
The report recommended that no change should be made in the provisions of
the existing Regulations. Also that the antioxidant BHT (Butylated Hydroxytolune)
should not be permitted in chewing gum.
(b) Vinegars
The mam conclusion was that there was a need for clear nomenclature in
describing the different types of vinegar and that Regulations should be
made, based on this report.
(c) Survey of Mercury in food
The report concluded that the intake of mercury from foodstuffs by the
average consumer is extremely low, and that the only sections of the
Community that might consume more than the average are those that eat
large quantities of fish.
B.l