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7
4. Sanitary Circumstances in the Borough.
The Council's attention was drawn in the report of the
Ministry of Health to the importance of the inspection of tenement
houses in order to ensure compliance with the Bye-laws of
the London County Council in regard to such houses. Acting
on the advice of the Minister, the Council appointed an additional
inspector for these duties, and accordingly Mr. Robinson commenced
duties on the 2nd of July, 1934. As a consequence, considerable
progress has been made in this work, and it has also
enabled us, to a certain extent, to devote more attention to the
duties imposed upon this Authority by the Housing (Consolidated)
Regulations, 1925.
On the last day of the year, the Shops Act, 1934, came into
operation. This placed upon the Sanitary Authority the responsibility
of inspecting shops and warehouses in the Borough, with
a view to investigating the provision of suitable and sufficient
ventilation, heating, and the provision of suitable and sufficient
sanitary conveniences for use of persons employed in or about
the shop. The present staff will attempt to undertake this work
in addition to their present duties.
In my last Annual Report I referred to the growing practice
in Hampstead of owners converting residences into one-room
flatlets, and the desirability of legislation to control the premises
thus converted. This practice still continues apace, but unfortunately
there is still no legislation to enable an Authority to exercise
the necessary supervision.
5. Housing.
In common with other Authorities throughout the country,
every effort has been made in order to improve the housing conditions
of the working classes in Hampstead. At the end of the
year the Westcroft Housing Estate was well under way, and will
provide 290 first-class dwellings for the working classes at a
reasonable rental. Coinciding with this, attention has been
directed to Clearance Areas, Closing Orders, and Individual
Demolition Orders, further reference to which is made in the
body of the Report. Another special feature in connection with
the removal of the tenants to the Westcroft Housing Estate is