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Tower to carry out this essential work is contained in the Housing Acts and the
Bye-laws relating to Houses let in Lodgings. Of special interest in connection with these
Bye-laws are the powers conferred to improve these houses as and when they become
decontrolled.
Facilities for rehousing.
The London County Council have arranged to provide facilities for rehousing accommodation
upon their estates for families displaced by Metropolitan Borough Councils under
the provisions of the Housing Act, 1930. This arrangement provides that Borough Councils
who wish to avail themselves of the facility shall pay £1 17s. 6d, per flat per annum for 40
years for each displaced family so accommodated. In the event of the family who are
rehoused vacating the accommodation, the Borough Council would still be liable to continue
payments for the remainder of the 40 years, but would have the right to nominate another
tenant from the Borough, provided this was done within seven days of receipt of notification
of vacancy from the County Council.
In July the Borough Council requested the County Council to provide rehousing
accommodation for '25 families under this arrangement in order to make it possible to deal with
illegally occupied rooms and other accommodation which is unfit for human habitation. The
chief difficulty that arises is the provision of housing accommodation in the vicinity at a
rental which the person displaced can afford, and the inability of the occupier of the worst
accommodation to afford increased rental for the accommodation which he should have.
Should it be found that alternative accommodation is not available under this scheme for
those living in the worst underground rooms, but only for those occupying underground
rooms under conditions of technical illegality, this scheme will require to be reconsidered.
Closed, underground rooms—Prevention of subsequent use.
At the same meeting the Council approved a recommendation to the effect that the
Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee should be asked to consider a recommendation
that legislation should be introduced empowering Local Authorities to fix an inscribed
metal plate or other permanent notification in underground rooms which had bean closed for
sleeping purposes. This recommendation was made to meet the very real difficulty of
securing the permanent closure of rooms for sleeping purposes. Experience shows that change
of tenancy is a frequent cause of a room once closed being again used for sleeping purposes,
and it is often extremely difficult to establish the fact that the tenant knows that such occupation
is illegal.
WORK OF THE ESTATES COMMITTEE OF THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.
The following account of the principal matters dealt with during the year has been
furnished by Mr. W. C. W. Roworth, Clerk to the Estates Committee : —
The Estates Committee is appointed by the Council to " take over, control and manage
"all houses and other properties of the Council, except such as are used by any department of
"the Council for its own purposes; to see that such houses and properties are kept in
"tenantable condition and let at reasonable rents; to prepare schemes under the Housing of
"the Working Classes Acts for the improvement or reconstruction of insanitary areas, and to
"supervise the erection of houses for the working classes; and to deal with such other
" matters as may be referred to the Committee by the Council."
The dwellings controlled by the Committee comprise:—
(a) Goldington Buildings, Great College Street (56 flats).
(b) Flaxman Terrace Dwellings, Euston Road (84 flats and Caretaker's Lodge).