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5
Old people
There is again relatively little to report. Two additional clubs
received grant aid during the year, but one of them happens to be
just outside the borough boundary, though half or more of its members
live in Lewisham. The Lewisham Old People's Welfare Association
remained active during the year and the closely allied Lewisham Old
People's Housing Association now has three houses divided into flatlets
for old people.
Housing
The Housing Repairs and Rents Act came into force during the
year. It affected the work of the department mainly in two ways,
although it will affect the work in other ways at a later period. These
two ways were first, the necessity of carrying out a survey of the housing
accommodation in the borough in order to submit details of certain of
the unfit houses to the Minister, and secondly, through the issue of
certificates in connection with disrepair. It was thought that applications
for these certificates (which are applied for if the landlord seeks to put
up the rent and the tenant thinks that the house is not in a good state
of repair) would be very large. In fact, after the Act came into force
a mere trickle of applications began and although it increased somewhat
a month or two later it did not reach a high number. All these
applications required inspection of the house by the sanitary inspectors,
and on report to the committee nearly all the applicants were granted
certificates. A little later applications began coming in for revocation
of the certificates issued when the houses had been put in repair.
Staff
The department was handicapped in its work during the year, not
only in housing but in many other public health matters, through the
shortage of Sanitary Inspectors. At the end of the year there were
three vacancies on the establishment. It is hoped to start a scheme
for the training of student sanitary inspectors in 1955 as a result of
which one student will be appointed each year for the four-year course.
This is a long-term attempt to improve the establishment, but meanwhile
the short-term problem remains acute.
In ending the introduction to this report I wish to express my
thanks to the health department staff for their work during the year.
My thanks are also due to the Public Health committee for their
support and guidance in the work done. The committee at the end
of the year was constituted as follows :—
Councillor Mrs. Armstrong (Chairman)
Councillor Mrs. Bunce (Vice-Chairman)
Councillor C. T. Braithwaite, J.P. (The Mayor)
Aldermen Carter, Hawkins and Mrs. Smith
Councillors Boon, Braithwaite (C. P.), Braund, Bridger, Brough, B.sc.,
Miss Butler, Donovan, Mrs. Drapper, J.P., Greenhow, Hawes,
Helps, Henry and Mrs. Land.