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for the erection of a mission hall and missioner's house, and a site was let on lease
for 99 years for the purpose of erecting shops with living accommodation over them.
Hornsey-rise
estate.
Arrangements were made for the provision and fixing of a railing round the
garden at Hornsey-rise estate and the provision of seats at an estimated cost of £254.
Boundary -
street
estate.
In 1928 arrangements were made for the installation of electric lighting
(free of cost to the Council) to the tenements on Boundary-street estate, Bethnalgreen
and Shoreditch, in cases in which the tenants desired such service. During
1929 arrangements were made for the installation at an estimated cost of £1,075,
of electric lighting to the common staircases, central laundry building and estate
office.
Garden
competitions.
In order to encourage garden cultivation amongst its tenants, the Council for
several years past has made grants annually towards providing prizes for the bestkept
front gardens at cottage estates, and for window-box competitions at blockdwelling
estates, and towards the expenses of judging the competitions at the various
estates. The Council has provided a silver challenge cup to be held from year to
year by the tenant whose garden is judged to be the best. The London Gardens
Guild have also presented a shield to be held by the local society which obtains the
highest number of entries for the competitions. At Bellingham, a special challenge
cup for the estate was presented by the staff engaged on the development of the
estate. After conference with the London Gardens Guild and the local societies,
the Council decided to enlarge the scope of its grants for the season of 1929 and future
seasons. In 1929 cash prizes (varying from 2s. 6d. to £3 and amounting to £212)
were awarded to tenants, grants amounting to £77 were made to local horticultural
societies and a grant of £58 was made to the London Gardens Guild with whose
co-operation the various competitions were organised and judged. The total
expenditure (£347) has been met, as in past years, from the interest on deposits
paid by tenants on taking up their tenancies.
Rehousing.
During the year 1,136 families were displaced by the Council in connection
with the carrying out of slum clearance schemes. Of this total, 684 families (60
per cent.) were provided with accommodation in the Council's dwellings, 272 (24
per cent.) were transferred to premises belonging to the Council and maintained
temporarily pending demolition for the purpose for which they were required;
and the remaining 180 families (16 per cent.) removed to property not belonging
to the Council. The families housed temporarily will in due course be offered
permanent accommodation on the Council's estates.
Staff.
The average number of workmen employed by contractors on the Council's
housing development operations at the end of the year was about 4,800. About 875
men, including 52 workmen caretakers, were continually engaged during the year on
works of maintenance and repair at the Council's dwellings and estates, while the
local management staff, including superintendents, 8 caretakers (whole time), estate
clerks, porters, etc., numbered about 190, and women workers, i.e. laundresses,
bedmakers, etc., about 53.
Housing
handbook
and hand
map.
The Council has published a handbook containing an account of its housing
activities up to the end of 1927, with particular reference to post-war housing
schemes.*
Grants to
metropolitan
borough
councils.
During the year the Council agreed to make supplemental contributions from
the County rate under section 1 (6) of the Housing, etc., Act, 1923, or section 2 (5) of
the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, towards the undermentioned schemes
of metropolitan borough councils, the grants being of the amounts stated in brackets.
The contributions under the Act of 1923 are for a period of 20 years in each case,
and those under the Act of 1924 for a period of 40 years in each case:—
Housing, etc. Act, 1923.—Greenwich Metropolitan Borough Council.—76 additional
houses on Charlton-park estate (£2 a house a year, fixed contribution) making
*Housing: with particular reference to post-war housing schemes. No. 2,544. 2s. 6d. Illustrated.