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received from the owners concerned to render the dwellings fit irrespective of the cost involved
and in due course the works were satisfactorily completed.
Slum Clearance and Redevelopment
Steady progress was maintained in dealing appropriately with those properties included in the
Council's Slum Clearance Programme for the five year period 1966 to 1970 and by the end of the
year it was clear that there would be no difficulty in completing the programme within the allotted
time. Those additional houses which were found to be unfit as a result of normal routine inspections
were also dealt with; from experience gained since the formation of the new Borough at
1st April 1965, approximately 20 dwellings a year are revealed as unfit and incapable of repair
at reasonable cost.
Outside the areas which the Council have already designated as Housing Areas under the
powers given in Part V of the Housing Act 1957, and which are programmed for comprehensive
redevelopment during the next five years, there are no pockets of unfit houses. The problem of
unfitness is largely confined to individual houses or small groups of properties which can be
conveniently dealt with by Closure, Demolition or Clearance under Part II or Part III of the
Housing Act 1957.
However, following upon a "locality survey" which had already been carried out in respect
of properties in the immediate vicinity of one of the largest groups of houses included in the
Slum Clearance Programme, the Council agreed during the year to designate a further Part V
Housing Area at Lodge Lane, North Finchley. This contained a nucleus of unfit houses which,
when taken together with a number of adjacent properties found on inspection to be old and
substandard to an extent which rendered improvement uneconomical, provided a site which was
acceptable for a properly planned redevelopment. In all a total of 96 properties is involved in
this area.
A detailed survey of a further area of similar type to the above was also completed. This
contained a total of 100 properties predominantly residential and providing accommodation for
115 families. At the end of the year the Council had under consideration a recommendation for
clearance and redevelopment.
Assisted Purchase and Improvement of Houses
The Housing (Financial Provisions) Act 1958 provides, inter alia, that a local authority may
(a) make advances for the purpose of acquiring houses and for altering, repairing or improving
houses; (b) make grants for the provision of houses by. the conversion of buildings, and for the
improvement of dwellings.
The Borough Treasurer is primarily responsible for dealing with applications for advances
for house purchase and I am informed by him that during the year 289 applications were
approved, the gross sum involved being £1,016,735. These figures show a small increase on
those for the previous year when, because of the national economic crisis, restrictions had to
be imposed upon housing advances.
An owner may seek an advance or grant towards the cost of substantial alterations which may
involve structural work including the conversion of older houses into flats. The power to make
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