View report page

38
It will be observed that the number of complaints received by the
Department increased by over 500 on 1946 figures. The decrease in
the number of visits and revisits paid may be accounted for, in large
measure, by the fact that for the first three months of the year there
was one vacancy on the Inspectorial Staff, due to the resignation of
Mr. R. C. Rogers. Mr. W. Woodard commenced duty as a District
Sanitary Inspector on the 17th March, 1947, and has, since his
appointment, obtained additional qualification by passing the examination
of the Royal Sanitary Institute for Inspectors of Meat and
Other Foods.
The number of notices served has increased. It is a fair index of
the co-operation of property owners with the Council when it is seen
that although 500 more Intimation Notices were served than in 1946,
it was only necessary to serve 18 more Statutory Notices.
The figures for defects found and remedied may, perhaps, be confusing.
For instance, it will be seen, taking the years 1946 and 1947
as a whole, that at the end of 1947, 373 structural defects (external)
and 449 structural defects (internal) were still not remedied. There
is always a " float " of outstanding work on property renovation such
as this. The two figures, combined, give a total of 822 defects, and
relate to approximately 160 properties. There are four District
Sanitary Inspectors, and so each Inspector has approximately 40
properties on his district where there is outstanding work. This is
usual and reasonable, and the figures given in the table are not so
alarming as might at first be thought.
Verminous conditions found and remedied show little increase
and such conditions do not form a major problem in the Borough.
The considerable decrease in the number of choked drains may,
it is thought, be accounted for by the fact that in 1946 we had considerable
trouble with war damaged and neglected properties, which
condition did not prevail so much, in 1947.
Housing—Inspection of Dwelling Houses During the Year.
Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects (under
Public Health or Housing Acts) 3,165
Number of inspections made for the purpose 8,934
Number of dwelling-houses (included under sub-head (1) above) which
were inspected and recorded under the Housing Consolidated Regulations,
1925 10
Number of inspections made for the purpose 24
Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state so dangerous or
injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation 1
Number of dwelling-houses (exclusive of those referred to under the
preceding sub-head) found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for
human habitation 1.450
Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which informal notices were
served 1,450
Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied after
service of informal notices 1,205
Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which formal notices were
served requiring defects to be remedied 181
Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied after
service of formal notices—
(a) by owners 131
(b) by Local Authority in default of owners