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16
Dwelling Houses
General inspection of dwelling houses arising from complaints and for routine purposes, as distinct from
duties under the Housing Acts and other specialised functions dealt with later in this Report, are undertaken
by the district public health inspectors. An analysis of reasons for initial inspections of dwelling houses is
given in Table 7, page 64, and an analysis of 2,237 (2,583) nuisances and unsatisfactory conditions found
and remedied appears in Table 8, page 64.
Notices
Seven hundred and forty (712) informal notices and 398 (513) statutory notices were served in 1972
to secure the abatement of nuisances.
An analysis of statutory notices served is given in Table 10, page 65.
Legal Proceedings
The summary of legal proceedings undertaken during 1972 is set out in Table 25, page 72.
Noise
Public reaction to excessive, unnecessary or obtrusive noise interfering with the comfort and enjoyment
it is reasonable to expect and demand at work or leisure, continues to be expressed by complaint to the
department.
Two hundred and seven (242) complaints were received and investigated during the year, and 507 (862)
visits by public health inspectors were made to secure abatement, or reduction to tolerable levels. Noise
occurring by night and at week-ends necessitated investigations out of normal office hours.
Demolition and construction of buildings and roadworks involving mechanical power machinery and
tools, are a principle source of complaint.
Contractors are made aware of their liabilities and are advised to embark upon public relations work
amongst local residents who may be disturbed by their activities, and particularly in respect of the programming
of their projects.
Without legislative control upon permitted hours of work, such as can be imposed, for example, by a
writ of injunction, noise occasioned by late and night operations will continue to present control problems,
particularly where on large building sites there are working a number of specialist sub-contractors.
Other sources of complaint include noise from extractor fans, from small factories, and from night
entertainments and amplified music. In the majority of cases, informal action by way of reasoned advice is
effective in abating and preventing nuisance, and proceedings had to be instituted in only three cases.
Drainage and New Developments
During the year under review 1,244 (1,201) Notices of Execution of Drainage Works were registered, and
a total of 10,616 (12,631) visits to sites and to premises were made in connection with these notices. Of the
proposals to do work, which required the specialist knowledge and attention of the Development Team of
four public health inspectors 485 (455) related to large scale development of which 155 (223) concerned
new buildings. The number of houses and flats constructed by private enterprise was 370 (292), and at the
end of the year 680 (812) housing units exclusive of municipal development were in various stages of
construction.
Sewerage
The City's sewerage system is under the control of and maintained by the City Engineer, and discharges
at a number of points into the major sewerage system of the Greater London Council, who are the authority
for main drainage and sewage disposal.