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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Clean Air Act, 1956, to require by notice adaptations to avoid
contraventions of Section 11 of the Act. Bearing in mind however
that
1. smoke was not being produced from these premises;
2. to require work against the wishes of the parties concerned
for no demonstrable advantage might prejudice public
opinion in a field where public relations are very important;
and
3. a saving on the estimates in grants payable would be made
it was decided that in only two cases (if necessary) would notices be
served.
Grants to the value of £613 have been made in connection with
this Smoke Control Order.
Lancaster Gate East Smoke Control Order, 1960.—The preliminary
survey of this area was completed in the first half of the year and the
Minister's approval for proceeding with the Order was obtained.
There are 3,928 domestic dwellings, 239 commercial and other
non-domestic premises and 42 industrial premises in the area.
The extent and cost of the work required is shown by the following figures from the final survey.
| No. of new appliances required | 373 |
| Cost of new appliances | £2,208 10s. Od. |
| Cost of work attributable to installation of new appliances | £3,812 7s. 6d. |
| No. of existing appliances to be adapted | 26 |
| Cost of adaptation of existing appliances | £74 14s. Od. |
| No of gas or electric points to be provided .. | 56 |
| Cost of installing the points | £369 15s. Od. |
The above figures include £222 in respect of Borough Council
property (16 conversions and 1 adaptation) towards which a grant
of four-tenths is made by the Exchequer. In addition, £148 5s. Od.
was estimated to be required for twelve fireplaces in a local school.
Schools are not eligible for an Exchequer grant but the Council has
agreed to bear three-tenths of the cost; owners or occupiers of
private dwellings receive a grant of seven-tenths of the approved
cost from the Council and the Exchequer refund four-sevenths of
this to the Council. The net cost to the Council of the conversions
and adaptations in this Area was therefore estimated to be £2,050.
The Minister's confirmation of the Order will be sought early
in 1960 and the proposed date of operation will be 1st November,
1960.
HOUSEBOATS.—In recent years the number of canal boats using
Paddington Basin has considerably decreased. There has however
been a steady rise in the number of licences issued by the British
Waterways Authority for houseboats to use private moorings in
the Paddington Basin and the northern approach flanking Blomfield
Road. The majority of these houseboats are permanently occupied,
and in 1959 consideration was given to the health problems which
might be involved.
The Public Health Act, 1936 (Section 258) defines a canal boat
as ". . . any vessel which is used for the conveyance of goods
along a canal," so the Canal Boat Regulations cannot be applied