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33
on all successful prosecutions and the naming of the firms involved,
a considerable publicity effect was achieved which could only be
beneficial to all concerned.
The General Division carried on with its usual day-to-day task
of dealing with routine complaints. It is interesting to note that the
nature of complaints over the last few years is gradually changing
from one of disrepair to one of, for want of a better word,
" private " nuisances, and in this connection there has been a very
great increase in the complaints of noise, particularly from launderettes
and the like.
A pleasing feature during the year under review is that the
public health inspectors, in their own time, gave many lectures and
informal talks to various local groups, such as scouts, guides,
schools, hospitals, and to large multiple stores, the latter being
very appreciative of our co-operation in the training of their staff
in health matters.
The formation, towards the end of 1970, by the Council, of a
Housing Improvement Group, and the secondment of public health
inspectors to this Group, has enabled the Chief Public Health
Inspector, together with the Housing Improvements Officer, to look
forward and plan for the improvement of many properties throughout
the borough, which, without this increased attention, might
well, in the not too distant future, fall into the category of " slums
Statistically, the year has been very little different from any other,
but within the Section itself an increased drive and sense of urgency
has been apparent and a new image projected in the main by the
new younger inspectors who have joined us.