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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
On the recommendation of the Council's Organisation and Methods team and following a full review of
the decision, the responsibilities of the Public Health Inspectorate and associated administrative section
were divided into two major sections; (i) Housing and District, dealing with domestic accommodation —
complaints, repairs, improvements, slum clearance and redevelopment; and (ii) Special Services, dealing
with commercial and industrial premises — complaints, food and food premises inspection, Offices, Shops
and Railway Premises Act inspection, clean air requirements, noise in relation to machinery and public
control functions of the department in respect of licensing. Shops Acts and consumer protection.
The new organisation presents a far more logical disposition of staff, cuts down on duplication of
functions and promotes increased efficiency. This latter factor is one which can be measured by the
increased work output from the division since the change took place. In all areas of work the reorganisation
has proved beneficial in this respect.
The various functions and statistics are listed in this section of the Report and reference is made to
Council decisions of major policy and new aspects of work which arose during the year. The registration
scheme in respect of multi-occupation, the suspension of 40% of the Borough's Smoke Control Orders and
the adoption of a new programme to deal with the Borough's tenement buildings were major decisions
taken. The completion of the Borough Survey in the early part of the year allowed its findings to play a
major part in redevelopment and future improvement policy, though in a borough like Islington, where the
housing scene is one of constant change, any survey has to be subject to constant review to make it valid.
The Housing Act, 1969, has now paved the way for the staff of the Housing and District Section to work
towards definite goals in respect of the Borough's private housing accommodation. The activities of the
Special Services Section will in the future be concentrated on food premises and safeguarding food and
drink sold in the Borough. All statutory functions of the division will be maintained and improved upon
wherever possible with action in respect of private housing accommodation and food inspection functions
being the basis of routine work.
INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT DUTIES
The total of 79,673 inspections made in 1970 by the staff of the division shows an increase of 6,271 on
the previous year or 8%.
The following tables 1 and 2 summarise the functions and work output of the division during the year.
Once again a considerable amount of court work in respect of public health nuisance action and
multi-occupation was necessary. It is regrettable that so much of the work of maintaining minimum housing
standards has to be enforced in this manner by legal proceedings, rather than by agreement.
MANUAL WORKERS STRIKE
The six weeks' strike of a large number of the Council's manual workers in the autumn of 1970 placed a
considerable strain on other Council resources. The absence of a refuse collection service was particularly
difficult as it resulted in many extra complaints being made to the department, particularly where smell and
fly nuisance was being suffered.
By use of the Public Health Notice procedure, in liaison with the Strike Committee, accumulations of
refuse causing serious nuisance were removed, but not without some delays. Extra attention to
accumulations were given, particularly over the Guy Fawkes night period when patrols of staff co-operated
with Police and Fire Brigade to ensure that no serious fire situations occured.
WATER SUPPLY
The Metropolitan Water Board are the responsible authority for water supplies in this area. The supply
for the Borough of Islington was satisfactory both as regards quality and quantity in 1970.
No artificial fluoride is being added to supplies.
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