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
Southwark 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]
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24
HOUSING
The duties of the Housing section of the Public Health Department
are divided between action under the Housing Act in relation
to overcrowded, unfit and insanitary premises, and negotiations
between the London County Council, the Council's Housing
Manager and other authorities in connection with applications for
rehousing on grounds of medical necessity, overcrowding and
insanitary conditions.
The Housing Act 1957 came into force on 1st September, and
consolidated the enactments relating to housing, except those
provisions dealing with financial matters.
HOUSING ACT, 1957
| 1.—Individual unfit houses incapable of repair at reasonable expense | |
| Representations (Section 16) | 18 |
| Undertakings to demolish accepted (Section 16) | 6 |
| Demolition Orders made (Section 17) | 8 |
| Closing Orders made (Section 17) | 3 |
| Houses demolished as a result of formal or informal procedure | 40 |
| Houses closed in pursuance of an undertaking given by the owners and still in force | 38 |
| Houses made fit by owner (Section 16) (represented 1956) | 6 |
| 2.—Parts of buildings unfit for human habitation | |
| (i) Underground rooms closed (Section 18) | 37 |
| (ii) Other rooms (Section 18) | 17 |
| (iii) Undertakings | nil |
| 3.—Clearance areas | |
| Dwelling houses demolished | |
| Unfit houses | 20 |
| Other houses | 8 |