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48
another borough during the year, to the effect that, where such a system
had already been installed, it frequently infringed the bye-laws in that
it used air drawn in from the kitchen or passage and not "fresh" air
(i.e. air from outside) as is required.
Subsequently, having considered a joint report of the Borough
Medical Officers of Health and the Association of Metropolitan Borough
Engineers and Surveyors, a committee of the Metropolitan Boroughs
Standing Joint Committee asked the London County Council to endeavour
to arrange for full technical research into the problem of
mechanical ventilation of internal water closets with a view to the
production of a suitable code of practice designed to secure both a
satisfactory standard of ventilation and uniformity of application
throughout the metropolitan area. The London County Council replied
stating that its technical officers had been consulted and that it
had been agreed that research into this problem would be useful. The
County Council had accordingly asked the Building Research Station
at Garston to undertake the necessary investigations, following which
a further communication would be sent to the Committee.
Sanitary work generally
Mr. Phillips, the senior public health inspector, reports that during
1962, many of the public health inspectors were engaged principally
on inspection of premises under the Clean Air Act. 11,692 visits were
necessary to carry out this work, which consisted of the survey of premises
to be included in areas, advice on the types of grates and fuels,
and approval of the conversion of grates to burn authorised fuels.
1,956 complaints were investigated compared with 1,284 the previous
year but the number of intimation notices dropped by over a hundred,
which was due principally to the temporary absence of house-to-house
inspections which had to be curtailed because of shortage of staff and
the pressure of work under the Clean Air Act. For the first time separate
figures have been kept of mortgage surveys and it is interesting to note
that over a thousand were carried out in the year, which shows how
anxious people are to become owner-occupiers and avail themselves of
the facilities offered by the Council. A considerable amount of development
is being carried out by private concerns which entails the supervision
of drainage and plumbing work. This is reflected in the considerable
increase in the number of water certificates issued. Inspection of
houses in multi-occupation has proceeded at a steady rate but it was
felt that it was better to deal with this problem in an informal way as
much as possible. A concentrated attack on these premises and the
service of formal notices might very well lead to owners evicting tenants
rather than carrying out a large number of improvements. There is no
doubt that this type of property still presents difficult problems.