London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Paddington 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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27
after the Local Authority have taken steps
for the abatement of overcrowding .. Nil
The number of overcrowded dwellings on the Register of
Overcrowding at the end of 1959 was 173. This shows a decrease
of 37 on the figure for 1958 (210). There were 55 basement dwellings
on the Register.
Of the cases of overcrowding relieved during the year 16 (28)
were rehoused by the London County Council, 2 (—) were provided
with accommodation by the Borough Council, 28 (40) secured
accommodation privately and 14 (13) were relieved by a natural
reduction in the size of the family or on obtaining additional
accommodation.
The practice of sending warning letters to owners and landlords
against permitting the premises to become again overcrowded has
been continued in all known cases where overcrowding of premises
has been abated.
Section 80 of the Housing Act, 1957, gives a local authority
power, where they are satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist
which make it expedient to do so, to allow the temporary use of a
house by persons in excess of the permitted number. During the year,
the Council issued no (1) licences under this section of the Act.
During the year, a total of 550 (580) Paddington families were
rehoused by the London County Council.
Town Planning.
One hundred and ninety (184) applications to the London
County Council under the Town and Country Planning Acts for
the conversion and alteration of premises, change of user or
continuation of consent were referred to the Council for
examination and comment.
Housing Enquiries.
Some 19 (22) communications were received during the year
from other authorities, requesting information on the housing
conditions of persons applying for rehousing on grounds of
overcrowding, insanitary conditions or ill-health. Such information
enables the enquirer to assess the degree of priority to be given to
the applicants concerned. In each case a visit was made by the
Public Health Inspector and a report furnished.
| No. of basement rooms dealt with by closing orders | 312 (1,300) | |
| No. of upper rooms closed | 24 | (110) |
| No. of mews premises closed | 2 | (16) |
| No. of houses dealt with by closing orders in lieu of demolition orders | (—) | |
| No. of houses dealt with by demolition orders or in respect of which undertakings were accepted .. | _ | (-) |
Sixty-five (136) persons were displaced as a result of the
Council's operations.
Closing Orders were determined or undertakings cancelled on
79 (55) basement rooms. Fifty-two (58) other basement rooms were
made fit without recourse to formal proceedings.