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supply in the Borough, to decide whether to recommend to the
Council that the Metropolitan Water Board should be asked to
add fluoride to the water which it supplies throughout the London
area. No decision had been taken by the end of the year but at
subsequent meetings the Council decided in favour of the fluoridation
of public water supplies in Wandsworth.
Nursing Homes
The Council now controls the registration and supervision of
all nursing homes within the area and its powers in this connection
are contained in the Public Health Act, 1936, the Nursing Homes
Act, 1963, the Conduct of Nursing Homes Regulations, 1963, and,
for mental nursing homes, the Mental Health Act, 1959. The
legislation of the last few years has added considerably to the
power of local authorities to require and maintain good standards
in nursing homes of all kinds.
There are ten registered nursing homes in the Borough with a
total of 296 beds and during the year there was one application for
registration on change of " keeper ". No new homes were registered
and no registrations were cancelled.
The accommodation and categories of the nursing homes are
given below, with details of inspections made during the year:—
Accommodation :—
Mental nursing homes (2) 162 beds
Maternity nursing home (1) 9 beds
Mother and baby homes (3) 53 beds
Other nursing homes (4) 72 beds
Inspections:—
Medical and nursing officers 10
Public health inspectors 13
Hairdressers and Barbers
Before the operation of the London Government Act, 1963,
legislation governing standards of cleanliness in hairdressers' and
barbers' establishments was contained in byelaws made separately
by the former Metropolitan Borough Councils under the London
County Council (General Powers) Act, 1954. This legislation has
since been repealed but by virtue of special provisions in the
London Government Act, 1963, the byelaws still continue to
apply in the separate areas in respect of which they were made.
To regularize the position throughout the Borough consideration
was given to the substitution of a new byelaw but the matter had
not been concluded by the end of the year.
During the year 376 inspections of such premises were made.
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949
This Act gives the Council power to require steps to be taken to
eradicate and, where possible, to prevent infestation by rats and