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Arrangements for these measurements are made in conjunction with the Warren Spring Laboratory
of the Department of Trade and Industry as part of the National Survey of Air Pollution.
The apparatus at Rutherford School suffered recurring interference rendering some measurements
invalid. It was therefore decided, with the concurrence of the Warren Spring Laboratory, to transfer
this station to the Westminster Council House Extension, and this was effected on 29th September.
At the request of the Consultant Physician of the Westminster Hospital Chest Clinic, results from
Anson House and Monck Street are supplied to him at weekly intervals, to assist his research into
the effects of various factors on bronchitics and asthmatics living in Westminster.
Two sequential fog samplers operate at Anson House and Westminster Council House. They were
installed by arrangement with the Air Pollution Division of the Medical Research Council and the
results obtained are always available to them and to Warren Spring Laboratory. These instruments
measure the smoke content of smog more completely than the apparatus used for the daily measurements
of smoke and sulphur dioxide, and are switched on at the discretion of the City Council's
Smoke Control Officer when smog is imminent or at the request of the Medical Research Council.
Three Smoke Control Orders, Westminster (Paddington Church Ward), Westminster (Hyde Park
No. 2) and Westminster (Paddington Town Ward) came into operation on 1st July and, with the
exception of a few exempted areas, the whole of the City is now smoke controlled.
The rapid closure of conventional gas-works, causing a decrease in production of open-fire coke
which increased production of other similar fuels was not quite meeting, caused some concern in
the summer as to the sufficiency of supplies of these fuels during the following winter. Various
discussions took place with representatives of the solid fuel manufacturers and distributors and with
the London Boroughs' Association, as a result of which the Department of the Environment, at the
request of the Council, made an order, operative from the 7th November, temporarily suspending 13
of the Council's 38 Smoke Control Orders.
All undue emissions of smoke observed or reported to the Health Department are investigated
and appropriate action taken. There are many oil-fired boilers of varying sizes used in the City to
provide heating to offices, flats and shops and in addition to the usual smoke problems, they also
give rise to complaints of smuts and odours. Unlike visible smoke, the sources of smuts and odours
are more difficult to trace; nevertheless, although these investigations are somewhat time-consuming,
considerable success is achieved in remedying this kind of nuisance. During the year, the Smoke
Control Officer made 215 (263) visits in connection with complaints received, 371 (325) smoke
observations and 957 (914) routine visits.
New boiler installations notified to the Council under Section 3 of the Clean Air Act 1956 are
investigated to ensure that (a) they are capable of operating smokelessly and (b) the flue gases are
discharged so as not to inconvenience persons working and living nearby. During 1970 a total of 64
(54) such notifications were received, of which 12 (15) included application for the Council's
approval of the new boilers.
Section 6 of the Clean Air Act 1968 gives the Council control over the height of chimneys of the
larger boiler installations. All new chimneys, or existing chimneys serving boilers the combustion
space of which has been enlarged, must be approved by the Council, this approval being additional
to all existing planning and constructional requirements. Thirteen (4) such applications were received,
and all were approved.
North Westminster Project
It was reported last year that a small team had been set up to commence the inspection of premises
within the areas determined for rehabilitation as a preliminary to the implementation of this Project.
During February the team was enlarged and the programme of inspection rapidly extended. As
a result, by the end of the year approximately two-thirds (843) of the houses in private ownership
had been inspected and the process of follow up to inform their owners of the conversion or
improvement desired was proceeding. Every effort was made to discuss the matter personally with
each owner so that he could be fully advised as to all relevant matters and, in particular, as to
assistance which might be available to him, both financially and otherwise, and guidance given as to
procedures to be followed.