View report page

5
Much of the work of the district inspectors originates from
complaints made by members of the public. These are investigated
and if they are found to be justified they are dealt with informally
if possible, but if necessary by the legal procedures as
laid down in the various Acts of Parliament. Where the Council
has no powers of enforcement a great deal is done by persuasion
and in fact the great majority of the population are very reasonable
people and where it is pointed out that there is a cause for complaint
which they can remedy, they are generally willing to do so.
From time to time however, unsatisfactory conditions and
even cases of injustice do arise which cannot be dealt with either
by the existing law or by persuasion. Such cases may arise from
changes in social conditions, from new methods or techniques in
industry and even from the unforeseen results of legislation as
well as other causes. If there is evidence that these are not
merely isolated cases, it may go by way of the Public Health
Committee, the Council and the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing
Joint Committee with an application for new or amended legislation.
If such an application were made the evidence to accompany it
would largely be obtained by the public health inspectors.
This aspect of the work of the inspectors is of importance
because it is only by recognition of these unsatisfactory conditions
when they arise and of the gaps in the legislation that the law can
be maintained in a proper state to deal with modern conditions.
We are fortunate in Hampstead that the inspectors and the
district inspectors in particular, take a real interest in the welfare
of the people with whom they come in contact, that they do recognise
new and unsatisfactory conditions when they occur and that they may
be delayed but are never deterred by the absence of legal powers.
This approach of the inspectors to their work is in a large measure
due to the attitude of the Chief Public Health Inspector and the sense
of purpose which he has instilled into the Department over the
years is one of the reasons why, unlike most metropolitan
boroughs, Hampstead has been able to maintain a full establishment
of public health inspectors.
The increase in the amount of work on housing which required
the appointment of a second housing inspector in October,
1959, has continued and the extension of the Council's scheme of
assisted house purchase to include flats has added some problems.