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170
Powers and
duties of the
Council.
Building
grants—
Revision of
State contributions.
Houses
approved foe
grant.
CHAPTER V.
HOUSING.
Prior to the passing of the Housing Act, 1925, which came into force on 1st
July, 1925, and which reproduced in a consolidated form the permanent law relating
to the housing of the working classes, the powers of the Council in this matter were
derived from the Housing Acts, 1890 to 1924. The financial provisions of the
Housing, etc., Act, 1923, and the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, dealing
with Exchequer contributions towards the cost of the construction of houses, are
not incorporated in the Act of 1925, but are continued as separate enactments.
These Acts were passed for the purpose of encouraging building in the immediate
future, and are thus in the nature of temporary expedients. Particulars of
the provisions of these Acts are set out in the Annual Report for 1924 (Vol. Ill,
pp. 142 and 143). Apart from administrative duties, the main divisions of
the Council's housing work are (i) the provision of new dwellings to meet the need
for additional accommodation, and (ii) the improvement or reconstruction of unhealthy
areas, including the provision of dwellings for rehousing persons of the
working classes displaced.
The contributions payable by the State towards the cost of the construction of
houses, both by local authorities and private enterprise, are subject to revision
every two years. Reductions in the amounts of the State grants in respect of
houses not completed before 1st October, 1927, were made by the Housing Acts
(Revision of Contributions) Order, 1926, and further proposals for modification of
the rate of State grant were embodied in the Housing Acts (Revision of Contributions)
Order, 1928, as regards houses which had not been completed before 1st October,
1929. Particulars are given in the Annual Report for 1928 (Vol. Ill, pp. 176-7.)
The Housing (Revision of Contributions) Act, 1929, however, restored the rate
of State grant for new houses under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924,
to the rate fixed by the Order of 1926, namely, £7 10s. a year for each house for 40
years, and the Council has decided to continue its grants under the Act of 1924 to
public utility societies, housing associations, etc., up to the maximum of £9 7s. 6d.
a house a year for 40 years (including the State grant). The maximum amount of
the supplemental grants which may be made by the Council under the Act of 1924,
to the City Corporation and metropolitan borough councils towards the cost of
housing schemes undertaken by them is continued by the Act of 1929 at £1 17s. 6d.
a year for each house for 40 years, and the Council has decided to restore the maximum
of its supplemental contribution in such cases to that amount. No State or other
grant under the Housing, etc., Act, 1923, is payable in respect of houses not
completed before 1st October, 1929.
In the case of grants to private enterprise, public utility societies, housing
associations, etc., payments are made by the Council in approved cases, the State
grant being subsequently paid by the Minister of Health to the Council, and the net
expenditure by the Council is represented by the difference between the Council's
grant and that made by the State. The Council's contributions towards housing
schemes of the City Corporation or metropolitan borough councils are also limited
to approved cases and are supplemental to the State grants which are paid direct to
those authorities.
Up to 31st December, 1929, the Council had approved proposals submitted by
private builders, public utility societies, etc. for the erection of 3,406 houses and flats
to qualify for subsidy on completion, 1,120 of which will be maintained for letting.
The number of houses, etc., approved during the year was 162, whilst approval was
withdrawn for various reasons in the case of 6 houses.