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3
Legislation
and
problems
In spite of the staff deficiency the statutory obligations placed upon the
local authority continue to increase and mention is made of some of the new
work in the body of the Report The work in some instances for example, due to
applications for Certificates of Disrepair under the Rent Act, necessitating an
Inspector's visit on each application increased substantially over 1957
Reference is made in the Report also to the increasing tendency of owners to
carry out repair work and to keep their properties habitable under the public
Health and Housing Acts
A higher standard for the provision of water closets in houses was also
adopted in place of the previous standard and a procedure introduced for carrying
out drainage work more expeditiously where this was urgently necessary
Under the Clean Air Act it became illegal for dark smoke to be emitted from
chimneys except for certain limited and specified periods.
There was an increase in complaints of noise nuisance and there is no doubt
that this promises to be a problem of the future Some of the more important
complaints of noise are set out in the Report together with the measures taken,
but it is apparent that in many cases the technical problems involved in
reducing noise nuisance will be quite considerable.
One noise problem which was specifically investigated arose out of the use
of power sewing machines in premises which are still used as residences The
machine may be used commercially part of the time but not necessarily all the
time, and although some recommendations were made which were mentioned in the
Report and which reduced the nuisance to others such recommendations can only
be advisory.
Housing Act work will continue to be a major matter for many years to come
in a Borough with a high proportion of out of date housing such as Islington
and in 1957 there were many houses represented as unfit under section 4 of the
Housing Act, 1957 and which were closed or demolished either as individual
houses or parts of houses, or were included in slum clearance areas.
There was much legislative activity during the year in connection with the
supervision of food and the various aspects of food hygiene One problem dealt
with which is particularly mentioned in the Report and which was also a noise
problem was in connection with the deliveries of milk to distributors in the
late night and early morning hours This distribution of milk is governed by
the Milk and Dairies Regulations and if milk is left on or near the public
highway for distributors, there may be complaints as indeed there have been,
from near neighbours on account of the noise caused on delivery as well as
from the aspect of the hygienic protection of the bottles so left. The problem
was the subject of discussion with the trade representatives who were naturally
concerned because this procedure was widespread and not confined to Islington
alone Arising out of discussions with the trade associations it was possible
for considerable improvements to be effected during the year through voluntary
co-operation.
In the majority of cafes and restaurants care is taken to maintain
reasonable standards of hygiene and cleanliness but in a relatively small