View report page

60
Una House—Dampneas.
Una House, Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town, is a building comprising 65 flats
and comes within the category of Assisted Housing Schemes, under the provisions of the
Housing Act, 1919, which provide for the levying of a penny rate every year for housing
purposes. The annual loss in excess of the produce of the penny rate is borne by the
Government.
As serious damage had been caused to the red brickwork and window frames, as
well as to the interior decorations of the upper floors, due to moisture penetrating the
brickwork immediately under the coping, the Council decided that it was necessary to
provide a projecting course of artificial stone and to fit lead aprons over the windows on
the top floor, at an estimated cost of £352. The Minister of Health approved the proposed
remedial measures, but suggested that, in order to reduce the cost, a portion of the coping
facing the interior courtyard should be omitted, and that for the present the more exposed
walls on the outer side of the building only should be dealt with. This was accordingly done
and the actual cost was £252. As the Repairs Fund is unable to bear this expenditure, the
Council have asked that the amount may be allowed as a special charge on the rent income.
This work is in the nature of an improvement rather than an ordinary repair, as no projecting
cornices were provided in the original building.
Playground Appliances.
The experiment of fixing swings at Goldington Buildings, Great College Street, for the
use of the younger children having proved very successful, swings were also provided in the
courtyard of Flaxman Terrace dwellings. The Council were prepared to supply swings for
Una House, but a majority of the tenants petitioned against the proposal.
London County Council Housing Estates.
The London County Council have placed at the disposal of the Metropolitan Borough
Councils a quota of the new housing accommodation being provided at their Becontree,
Downliam and Watling Estates, to be utilised for bad cases of overcrowding and cases of
special hardship. This scheme was initiated in January, 1925, and the number of St. Pancras
families benefited to the end of 1928 is 538. There would be, in addition, a large number of
St. Pancras families accommodated in County Council's dwellings from the L.C.C. ordinary
waiting list.
The work involved in connection with this matter, the amount of correspondence,
enquiries, interviews, etc., is considerable, but the results amply compensate for the amount
of time occupied and trouble caused.
Staff.
The administrative work in connection with the Estates Committee (Chairman:
Councillor II. E. Capes; Deputy-Chairman: Councillor A. Squire, F.A.I.) is carried out
by Mr. A. D. Corrick, the Clerk to the Committee, who is assisted by Mr. G. N. Cove, and the
Housing Superintendent, Mr. L. Barnard. The Resident Caretakers at the several blocks of
buildings are as follows:—Prospect Terrace, Mr. H. A. Reid; Brookfield Estate,
Mr. H. J. Ambrose; Flaxman Terrace, Mr. C. Hanson; Una House, Mr. J. F. Clegg;
Goldington Buildings, Mr. G. S. Tunbridge ; Somers Town Estate, Mr. T. J. Hall (nonresident
at present).
Section V.-INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
(a) MILK SUPPLY.
Cowsheds.—There are now no licensed cowsheds in the Borough.
Laities and Milkshops.—Twenty-one applications for registration under the Dairies,
Cowsheds and Milkshops Orders were received during the year. Of this number, 20 were
granted and 1 refused.