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HOUSING
Housing Acts
1. Number of houses which on inspection were considered to be unfit for human habitation:-
I
2. Number of houses in which defects were remedied in consequence of informal action by the
Local Authority or their Officers:-
3. Number of representations made to the Local Authority with a view to (a) the serving of
notices requiring the execution of works or (b) the making of demolition or closing orders:-
(a) Nil
(b) Nil
4. Number of notices served during the execution of works:-
NiI
5. Number of houses which were rendered fit after service of formal notices:-
NiI
6. Number of demolition or closing orders made:-
NiI
7. Number of houses in respect of which an undertaking was accepted under subsection (4) of
section 16 of the Housing Act, 1957:-
NiI
8. Number of houses demolished:-
I
9. Number of inspections of housing accommodation:-
47
During the year 321 families were rehoused leaving 480 families on the housing register
at the end of December 1969.
The first phase of the Middlesex Street redevelopment was completed in April 1969 providing
20 flats and 9 shops. When completed the redevelopment will provide a shopping and residential
precinct of 181 flats and 38 shops.
A further 306 flats were completed in the redevelopment of the Barbican residential area
bringing the total to 413. Work is in progress on a further 1700 flats.
EXAMINATION OF WATER SUPPLIES AND SWIMMING BATH WATER
It is the duty of the local authority to ensure that a pure and potable supply of drinking
water is available to its inhabitants. These powers are contained in various enactments, which
include the Public Health Act, 1936, the Water Acts of 1945, 1948 and 1955 and the Offices,
Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963. In the City there are two sources of supply —
(1) From the statutory water authority — in the case of the City, the Metropolitan Water Board,
and
(2) From deep wel Is, of which there are 114 in use, owned by various business houses in the City.
In the case of the Metropolitan Water Board the supply is completely safe and satisfactory
when delivered to the premises concerned and all examination up to this point is carried out by
the Board's own staff. The supply, however, is often stored in cisterns and tanks which may
become contaminated and are, therefore, the responsibility of the Health Department. The various
office staffs in the City now have a right to expect a pure supply of drinking water to be provided
by their employers in accordance with the provisions of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises
Act. 1963.
City Byelaws require that tanks be cleaned out at six-monthly intervals and be properly
covered to protect the supply from bird and rodent contamination. Routine inspections are carried
out to see that this work is done and that the supply is kept in a satisfactory state. Duringthe
year 102 bacteriological samples were taken from drinking water points, 12 of which were found
to be contaminated. If other than bacterial contamination is suspected a chemical sample is
also taken. Seven samples were taken upon complaint and subjected to bacteriological and
chemical examination. A table of the results is shown below:-
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