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14
Shelter.
It was not necessary during the year to make use of the shelter accommodation provided at No.
217, Lisson Grove, under Section 195 (4) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, for families
temporarily dispossessed of their homes. The room set aside for this purpose was, however, utilised
for other public health work.
Air Pollution.
Although there was a large reduction in the number of complaints, 108 during 1961 as compared
with 144 in 1960, the number of smoke offences detected increased from 48 to 63.
Arising out of 1,373 casual observations, dark smoke emissions were timed on 52 occasions. There
were 18 offences under Section 1 of the Clean Air Act, 1956, relating to dark smoke, 11 contraventions
of Section 11 in respect of smoke discharged from chimneys in smoke control areas and 34 instances of
smoke causing nuisance to the inhabitants of the neighbourhood contrary to Section 16. The infringements
were dealt with by cautions and in one case the offenders were specially warned by the Town
Clerk after the circumstances had been considered by the Public Health Committee.
Thirty-two notifications of intention to instal new furnaces as required by Section 3 of the Clean
Air Act were received, and application for the Council's approval of plans and specifications, which is
not obligatory, was sought in respect of three proposals.
At the beginning of the year a fourth smoke control Order affecting premises in Ward No. 10
(Cavendish Square) was confirmed by the Minister subject to a modification whereby fireplaces, other
than fireplaces fired by pulverised fuels, equipped with mechanical stokers are exempted from the
operation of Section 11 of the Clean Air Act, 1956 provided that they are so installed, maintained
and operated as to minimise the emission of smoke and that no fuel is used other than that for which
the fireplace was designed. The Order came into operation on the 1st October, 1961. Applications
for grants were few from owners and occupiers of dwellings in the area but the terms of the Order
appear to have been well supported. The Council made a fifth Order in respect of Ward No. 8
(Portman Square) and at the request of the Minister of Housing and Local Government a clause in
the Order exempted fireplaces equipped with mechanical stokers and authorised the use of kindling
sticks and paper in fireplaces in buildings without a gas supply. The Order was confirmed by the
Minister at the close of the year and will come into operation on 1st October, 1962. A survey of Ward
No. 7 (Bryanston Square) was commenced in preparation for a sixth smoke control area.
By 31st December, 18,641 premises in 629 acres of the Borough were covered by Smoke Control
Orders made and confirmed.
At four sites measurement of atmospheric pollution was continued and statistical information was
supplied regularly to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The statistics are shown
in Tables Nos. 11, 12 and 13 on pages 36 and 37.
Offices.
There are some 3,474 office buildings in the Borough but there is at present no record of the number
of individual offices.
The Offices Act, 1960, comes into operation on the 1st January, 1962. Regulations for securing
the health, safety and welfare of employees have not yet been made but it is anticipated that this long
awaited legislation will be placed before Parliament in the near future.
Shops.
There are 2,488 shops in the Borough to which regular visits were made.
Factories.
There were 1,781 factories on the register at the end of the year, 137 less than last year. A report
on the administration by the Department of matters under Parts I and VIII of the Factories Act,
1961, is given in Tables 14 and 15, page 38.