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96
The last housing operations carried out by the Borough Council
were in 1921, when the present South End Close scheme of 140 flats
was completed. In 1927 the Council arranged for 100 houses on the
Wormholt and Watling Estates to be allocated to the Borough Council
by the London County Council, and, in respect of these houses, the
Borough Council is contributing £7 per annum per house for 40 years
towards the loss on the same. On the 15th March, 1929, after a
Public Meeting held in the previous month and a deputation to the
Borough Council, 15 local government electors made a statutory
complaint under Section 73 of the Housing Act, 1925, that the
Council had failed to carry out their duties under the Act. After
an informal Inquiry held by the Ministry of Health, the position was
that the Council were to consider what steps were to be taken to provide
housing accommodation for the working classes of the Borough.
On the 28th November, 1930, a further statutory complaint was made
by 12 local government electors, and, on the 8th December, 1930, again
a complaint was made to the Minister by 4 local government electors,
as a result of which a communication was sent to the Ministry to the
effect that the implementing of the housing proposals (i.e., the fiveyears'
programme referred to above) was receiving the earnest
attention of the Council.
The Committee have made exhaustive enquiries, but without
success, as to possible schemes on land within the Borough which is
suitable both as to cost and facilities and the possibility of low rentals.
At the instigation of the Ministry of Health enquiries were therefore
made in respect of land outside, but adjacent to, the Borough at
Cricklewood, as such a site offered the possibility of a considerable
saving in price and building cost, and the Council, on the 28th April,
1932, gave authority for application to be made to the Minister of
Health for an Order to transfer such powers of the London County
Council as are necessary to enable such a scheme to be carried out.
The Order of the Minister was made on the 2nd November, 1932, but
the Minister stated that it was made without prejudice to the consideration
of any order for compulsory purchase which might be
submitted at a later stage.
The land in question is situated in the area of the Hendon
Borough Council. It was formerly part of Westcroft Farm and is
now, with minor exceptions, utilised for the purpose of the Home of