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 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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relieved during the year 11 (3) were rehoused by the London County
Council, 14 (9) were provided with accommodation by the Borough
Council, 29 (24) secured accommodation privately and 1 (6) were
relieved by a natural reduction in the size of the family or on obtaining
additional accommodation. The numbers on the register are not
of course total cases of overcrowding, as many cases do not come
to our notice.
The practice of sending warning letters to owners against permitting
the premises to become again overcrowded has been
continued in all known cases where overcrowding 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 nil (1) licence under this section.
During the year a total of 257 (147) Paddington families were
rehoused by the London County Council and 135 (194) by the
Borough Council.
Housing Accommodation—Preferential Treatment
During the year 341 (241) medical certificates were referred to
me by the Borough Director of Housing for "pointing." Points
are awarded for certified ill-health, and if the applicant's health is
affected by his living conditions the Public Health Department
investigates these conditions and in many instances is able to get
them remedied.
| No. of basement rooms dealt with by closing orders | 26 (59) |
| No. of upper rooms closed | 3 (3) |
| No. of mews premises closed | – (20) |
| No. of houses dealt with by closing orders in lieu of demolition orders | 1 (–) |
| No. of houses dealt with by demolition orders or in respect of which undertakings were accepted | – (–) |
Nil (52) persons were displaced as a result of the Council's
operations.
Closing Orders were determined or undertakings cancelled on
50 (72) basement rooms, 6 upper parts and 3 mews premises.
New Accommodation
During the year the Council completed nil (8) new flats.
HOUSING ACTS, 1961/64
Although the Housing Act, 1964, passed by Parliament on the
16th July provided the opportunity of using a new approach in a
number of cases, and indeed considerably strengthened the position
legally, the difficulties of the Paddington Borough Council in fully
implementing all the available powers, referred to in my Reports of
1962 and 1963, still remained. Part IV of the new Act amended the
1961 Act as follows:—
(1) Expenses incurred by a local authority in carrying out works
in default of an owner under the 1961 Act became a charge
on the premises to which the notice related, and on all estates
and interests therein.