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exist these were nearly all abated or reduced after informal action by the public health inspectors
or the streets nuisance inspector. In some cases the Department was unable to take direct action and
the facts giving rise to the complaints were referred to other authorities possessing the necessary
powers to deal with them.
Pigeons.
Section 121 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, empowers the Council, for the purpose of
abating or mitigating nuisance, annoyance or damage, to arrange for the seizure or destruction of
pigeons in excess of such numbers as the Council consider reasonable. Accordingly, the services of an
authorised pigeon catcher are retained. He operates under the direction of the Medical Officer of
Health who requests him to seize and dispose of pigeons congregating at places in the Borough where
nuisance is being caused. During 1956 seven complaints of this type of nuisance were investigated
and five referred to the pigeon catcher.
Water.
Although at a small number of blocks of flats and offices water for domestic purposes is obtained
from private wells, the chief source of a constant supply throughout the Borough is from the mains
of the Metropolitan Water Board. In no case was it necessary to draw the attention of the Board to
the quality or quantity of the water. In accordance with the provisions of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1936, the Board notified ten instances where water had been cut off in occupied premises, six
for non-payment of rates and the other four for waste of water. In all cases the supply was reinstated,
in four after service of a notice.
Further examinations of the private well waters from the twelve borings still in use (eight in full
operation and four for emergency purposes only), were made by the Council's Bacteriologist. These
indicated that since the last survey, made in 1947 at the request of the Ministry of Health, there has
been no appreciable change. The reports for 1956 were generally satisfactory, and no pathogenic
contamination was found. It is the practice of the Department to keep the wells supplying water for
drinking purposes under observation and sample their waters every six months.
Fourteen certificates relating to the provision of a proper and sufficient supply of water in
dwelling-houses were granted under section 96 (2) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, in respect
of newly-erected and rebuilt premises, including six buildings comprising 53 flats.
Drainage—Alterations and New Buildings.
During the year, 259 drainage plans were approved. Of these, 36 related to new premises and at
the present time there is a good deal of building activity in the Borough. Many of the new structures
are large blocks of offices which are tending to greatly alter the appearance of familiar sites, particularly
in the Oxford Street and Baker Street areas. To avoid further traffic congestion a Town Planning
requirement in respect of some of the larger premises is that they shall be provided with internal
underground car parking facilities. The M.C.C. have begun the construction of a new stand on the site
of the old coach mound at Lord's Cricket Ground and broadcasting and television relay studios will
be incorporated. A planetarium in the course of construction at Madame Tussaud's premises is
providing an unusual sight in Marylebone Road and should be completed and open to the public
by the end of 1957. The British Broadcasting Corporation have started work on the foundations of
their long-awaited extension to Broadcasting House in Portland Place.
At the request of the Medical Officer of Health the drains and/or sewer connections of 30 premises
were examined by the Borough Engineer's Department. Defects requiring remedy were discovered
at 8 and at the remaining 22 premises connections to the sewer were found to be serviceable and fit
for continued use. The drainage inspectors made 3,752 visits. Details of five cases of legal proceedings
with regard to drainage works which did not comply with the requirements of the London County
Council Byelaws are shown in Table 8, page 33.
Combined Drainage.
Thirteen orders under seal for combined drainage were issued.
Ventilation of Sewers.
No practicable solution appears yet to have been found to the problem of the effective ventilation
of deep level sewers without causing nuisance. However, the Council have started to put into operation
the scheme for ventilating higher level sewers through suitable house drains and, as indicated in the
Annual Report for 1955, all new connections serving municipally-owned premises were designed to
carry out this function. Similarly, at their estates within the Borough the London County Council