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of approximately five years. This programme consists of fifteen areas, comprising
349 dwellings and housing 1,764 persons.
Further conversations took place between representatives of the County and
the Borough in order that we might determine which areas should be represented
by each of the two Authorities The final decision is that eight areas,
consisting of 172 dwellings and housing 726 people, shall be dealt with by the
Borough, and 7 areas, comprising 177 dwellings and housing 1,038 individuals, by
the County.
The programme has received the assent of the Minister of Housing and Local
Government.
The Council will be pleased to know that a start has been made upon the
programme, and that one area, consisting of 39 houses and accommodating 241
people, has already been represented by me. and that the appropriate steps are
being taken to effect the clearance of the area.
Slums are cleared not only by representation, but also by negotiations and
purchase of the area and the houses thereon. In 1945 I did represent some nine
areas Discussions took place with the Ministry of Health, which was the body
then responsible for slum clearance projects, and the Ministry suggested that
so little time had elapsed since the end of the war, and so many owners might
still be serving in His Majesty's Forces, that it might be wise to deal with
these areas by negotiation and Compulsory Purchase. (Part V of the Housing
Act, 1936 ) This procedure was adopted, and as a result, not only have many of
these areas been acquired and the occupants re housed, but large modern blocks
of flats have been erected on the sites in question.
Air Pollution
Work in connection with this matter has received the constant attention of
the Public Health Department Records are taken as follows
There are three stations where pollution of the atmosphere is assessed and
recorded on a monthly basis, namely
(1) Camden Road Rehabilitation Centre, N W 1
(2) St Pelagia's Convent, Highgate West Hill N.6.
(3) Westminster Laboratories, adjacent to Gloucester Avenue, N W.1.
These recordings show the amount of
(a) deposited matter (ash and grit) measured as tons per square mile
in one month, and
(b) sulphur dioxide the amount being expressed as milligrams of
sulphur trioxide collected per day per 100 square centimetres
of standard lead peroxide
The examination of the monthly recordings is carried out by the Public
Analyst.
In addition to these, there is recording apparatus both at the Town Hall
and at the Chester Road Library, where recordings are on a daily basis, as
follows: -
VI