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20
FREE WASHING FACILITIES
During the year it was decided to provide free washing facilities,
with paper towels and liquid soap, in public conveniences in the
Borough.
Linen towels with tablet soap are still available for a small
charge.
STAIRCASE LIGHTING
Pursuant to section 63 of the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1956, the Council made byelaws for the adequate
artificial lighting of common staircases in tenement houses and flats.
These require the owners of such properties to provide and
maintain artificial lighting by gas or electricity from half an
hour before sunset until midnight; for one hour before sunrise
from October to March; and otherwise when necessary if natural
lighting is inadequate. At the end of the year confirmation by the
Minister was awaited.
ELEPHANT AND CASTLE SCHEME
The reconstruction works now in progress in connection with the
Elephant and Castle Scheme are affording an opportunity to seal
off disused connections at the sewers from the drainage of
buildings demolished by enemy action. A comprehensive survey
is in hand and at the end of the year thirteen disused drains had
been sealed off.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
(Smoke Abatement Officer — Mr. G. Stubbs)
It is pleasing to record that this year the figures for sulphur
dioxide and smoke, as recorded on the Council's instruments,
show an improvement, and also the deposited matter in the residential
area of the Borough was appreciably lower. The figures of
deposits in the industrial area around Bankside, however, show
an increase; this may be due to the use of the old Bankside
Generating Station during periods of peak demands for electricity
in the winter months.
The coming into force of certain sections of the Clean Air Act,
1956, enabled the problem of domestic smoke to be tackled. The
preliminary work on a proposed Smoke Control area was carried
out and a report on the scheme was submitted to the Public Health
Committee for approval. The area in question is mainly residential
and is bounded by Walworth Road, Trafalgar Street, Dawes Street,
Westmoreland Road, covering 36.5 acres.
From the results of a 15% inspection of properties in the area,
it was calculated that there are 1,285 separate dwellings, 52 shops