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ground concentration of sulphur dioxide is already high, than in a country or more open area.
Until this year the Memorandum required the minimum height for a chimney to be 40 feet but
experience since the Memorandum was issued in 1963 has showh that this is unduly onerous for
the smaller emitters. The revised edition this year excludes the smallest plants and the minimum
height is now set at 25 feet. The Memorandum is, however, only a guide and the Department
would still insist, if particular circumstances warranted it on a chimney high enough to prevent
nuisance. The assessment of chimney height is not an easy task because of the large number of
variables and indeed imponderables involved.
I have already said in an earlier Report that office blocks do not come under control and this
continues to be a grave omission. Schools are also excluded as education authorities do not
have to submit plans for approval by the local authority. The Department of Education and
Science, however, commend the Memorandum to local education authorities "as a source of
guidance which it is normally desirable to follow".
HOUSING
Provision of Housing Accommodation
During the year the number of purpose-built housing units provided by construction was 235.
No units of accommodation were acquired from private owners, the Council having discontinued
its previous policy in this connection for financial reasons. A total of 564 families had been
rehoused by 31st December.
Nearly all the remaining persons in the West Hendon Housing area were allocated tenancies
and those who still awaited rehousing at the end of the period were in dwellings which were
still the subject of negotiations for acquisition by the Council. In all, 172 families were
rehoused from Housing areas.
Pressure continued to remain high on the type of accommodation suitable for elderly persons
unable to climb stairs and, wherever necessary, the Borough Housing Officer seeks my views on
the medical aspects of such cases.
Despite the aforementioned progress in rehousing, the number of persons applying to the
Council for accommodation continued to increase, it being noteworthy that a high proportion of
these were young married couples un able to find private accommodation in the Borough within
their means. At the end of the year a total of 4,956 applications were registered.
I am indebted to the Borough Housing Officer for the above information on the progress made
by the Council in providing housing accommodation.
Houses in Multiple Occupation
The Housing Act 1961 contains provisions enabling a local authority to require the person
having control of a house in multiple occupation to provide adequate facilities and amenities
to meet the requirements of the families and individuals accommodated. A direction may also
be given imposing a limit on the number of persons who may occupy any such premises having
regard to the facilities available. In this respect the Council have adopted standards in
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