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All of these complaints were investigated, observations sometimes having to be kept during the late
evening or early morning, and where necessary action was taken to abate or minimise the noise.
Complaints were not always justified and some of those that could be substantiated related to conditions
which could not be held to constitute a "nuisance". In many cases the public health inspectors
were able to give advice to the persons responsible for causing or permitting noise so that they could
take steps to prevent further grounds for complaint. This applied whether or not the Council had legal
powers to take action and in most cases the person against whom complaint had been made was only
too anxious to help, for sometimes an approach by the inspector was the first intimation received that
any inconvenience was being caused. In this connection noise from a ventilating or air-conditioning
plant might only affect a neighbour or the nearest tenants and could be overcome by an adjustment
or overhaul of the equipment.
In some cases where the Council could take no effective action complainants had to be advised to
take private action, and where noise arose from the slamming of car doors late at night and the 'revving'
of engines of cars parked near clubs, restaurants, etc., the police were asked to assist in finding a remedy.
Complaints were received about noise at night from the maintenance sheds of the British Railways
Diesel Depot attached to Marylebone Station, but as the Council has no power to take action against
a statutory undertaker all that could be done was to ask the Depot Superintendent to ensure that
noise was kept to a minimum consistent with the safety of the maintenance workers and the efficiency
of the diesel engines.
One statutory notice was served in respect of noise nuisance from a restaurant late at night. The
proprietors had agreed to co-operate, but as their efforts to provide a remedy were being extended over
a long period, with the nuisance continuing, formal action had to be taken. This had the desired
effect and as structural alterations were carried out quickly and the nuisance abated, legal proceedings
were unnecessary.
Pigeons.
Section 121 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, empowers the Council to arrange for the
seizure or destruction of pigeons in excess of such numbers as the Council consider reasonable and,
for this purpose, an authorised pigeon catcher is employed.
Pigeons cause nuisance through fouling, defacement and damage. Where they congregate in flocks
their droppings, apart from being unsightly, produce stench and fly nuisance, and walls and roofs of
houses where these birds nest are similarly fouled. Almost invariably feeding by members of the
public is the cause of pigeons congregating, whilst the remains of food fed to them attract rats, mice
and flies. It is known that pigeons can be vectors of diseases affecting mankind, and their incessant
cooing during nesting gives rise to noise nuisance.
During the year, eight complaints were received. These involved forty-five visits by the public
health inspectors but after investigation it was found necessary to refer only one case to the pigeon
catcher.
Water.
Apart from two blocks of flats and two office buildings where water is obtained from private wells,
a constant water supply throughout the Borough is derived from the mains of the Metropolitan Water
Board, whose Director of Water Examination has kindly provided the following information:—
"The water supplied to your Borough by the Board has been satisfactory both in hygienic quality
and quantity during 1964. The supply is River Thames-derived filtered water from two main
filtration works, namely Ashford Common and Hampton. There were no new sources of supply
instituted by the Board during the year, nor any important extension of trunk mains. The general
scheme of supply was the same but 1,359 yards of service main were laid in the Borough during the
year."
The analytical results of the chemical and bacteriological examination of the water are set out in
Tables 7 and 8, page 33.
The Metropolitan Water Board notified five instances where water supply had been cut off at
premises for failure to pay rates. At three houses the supply was restored quickly when payment had
been made. In the other two cases the premises concerned were unoccupied for some time but the
supply was reinstated as soon as the outstanding rates had been paid on re-occupation.
Three complaints were received about the quality of water. Investigation by the public health
inspectors failed to find any cause for complaint and in two instances subsequent chemical and
bacteriological examination confirmed that the water was satisfactory.
The number of dwellings supplied from public water mains is 24,897, with an estimated population
of 66,818. No stand-pipes are in use and the remaining dwellings, namely two blocks of flats occupied