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GENERAL PUBLIC HEALTH
Housing
during the year, 12,773 houses and flats were erected by the Council and the
Metropolitan Borough Councils. Of these, 10,727 were in London (4,225 erected by
the Council and 6,502 by the Borough Councils) and the remainder (2,046) were
erected by the Council outside the County. At the end of the year, the total number
of permanent dwellings erected or acquired by the Council for housing purposes was
171,262 (an increase in the year of 6,156) of which 84,181 were situated in London,
and 87,081 outside the County. In addition, there were 7,563 temporary pre-fabricated
bungalows erected by the Ministry of Works but managed by the Council.
The number of applications registered on the Council's waiting list at the end of
the year was 165,571, compared with 164,559 in 1954. New applications registered
during the year totalled 24,553. The housing waiting list is divided into three categories
in accordance with urgency on the basis of the total number of points awarded under
the Council's points scheme : (a) urgent cases, (b) cases with some housing need but
not of an urgent character, and (c) no basic housing need.
Preferential
housing
During the year, 26,362 (6,370 fewer than in 1954) requests for preference in rehousing
on health grounds were considered and suitable recommendations made to the
Director of Housing. The number of applications on health grounds, although fewer
than in the previous year, again exceeded the total number of applicants added to the
Council's waiting list. This is mainly because applications which had been considered
in previous years were reviewed in the light of changed medical or domestic conditions.
Applicants living in unsatisfactory conditions are, of course, only too anxious to advance
any possible claims in support of their applications for other accommodation and in
very many instances they put forward ill-health as a reason. All such applications are
considered carefully, and to enable a fair decision to be reached, many inquiries are made
of the Medical Officers of Health of the Metropolitan Boroughs and out-County
authorities, of family doctors, or of the staffs of hospitals. The assistance given by these
authorities in providing reports is gratefully acknowledged. Of the applications considered,
3 per cent, were recommended for special preference because rehousing was
urgently necessary to reduce the danger of infection arising from active pulmonary
tuberculosis, 16 per cent, were classified as ' most urgent' on other health grounds,
and 39 per cent, as less urgent but justifying preference for health reasons. In the
remaining 42 per cent, it was decided that the degree of medical urgency disclosed by
doctors' certificates did not warrant additional oreference.
Slum
clearance
Work on the survey of areas included in the slum clearance programme adopted
by the Council in 1951 continued throughout the year. Representations under section 25
of the Housing Act, 1936, were made in respect of 45 areas containing 2,356 unfit
houses and preliminary surveys were completed in respect of a further 46 areas containing
2,292 unfit houses.
In addition, seven areas containing 286 unfit houses were the subject of Declaration
of Unfitness Orders made by the Council under the Town and Country Planning Act,
1947.
The Minister of Housing and Local Government arranged 20 public local inquiries
into Orders made by the Council and, by the end of the year, 12 of the Orders had
been confirmed, two were confirmed in part and decisions in respect of six Orders
were awaited. No objections were made in respect of four Orders, which the Minister
confirmed, without holding a public local inquiry.
The Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, required all local authorities to submit
to the Minister within twelve months, their proposals for dealing with those houses
within their areas which were, on 31st August, 1955, so unfit for habitation as to justify
action under Part III of the Housing Act, 1936. The Act also required the proposals
in respect of the Administrative County of London to be submitted jointly by the
Council and the Metropolitan Borough Councils.
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