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REPORT ON THE SANITARY ADMINISTRATION
OF THE
DISTRICT FOR THE YEAR 1949
By G. A. Webber,
Chief Sanitary Inspector, Borough of Beckenham.
Previous reports have drawn attention to the delay placed upon the
work of Sanitary Inspectors by the various controls imposed by central
authority. The raising of the " free " licence limit (in 1948) from £10
to £100 considerably eased the position, but the restriction on the use
of materials, and particularly the suggested " war damage liability "
for many structural defects arising in residential property, continued
to delay the practical result of our efforts, and vastly increased
administrative labour.
Despite this handicap, however, a considerable number of nuisances
were remedied through the co-operation of property owners.
Continued attention has been paid to the older and more
dilapidated residential properties in the Borough, and, where necessary,
Notices in accordance with the terms of Section 9 of the Housing Act
have been served on the persons responsible. The financial demands
made upon owners in this connection have been heavy. Full rights of
appeal, however, are given by the Housing Act to owners who feel
aggrieved by the demands of a local authority, but, so far, no such right
has been exercised by any owner.
During 1949 53 houses were completely reconditioned and work
proceeding on 19 other properties at the close of the year. This
work does not, of course, increase the housing accommodation in the
Borough, but the exercise of our very full powers to maintain properties
in a reasonably habitable condition is surely a definite contribution
to the housing problem, for otherwise many properties would speedily
deteriorate to such an extent that complete demolition would provide
only solution. Such drastic procedure would add considerably to
an allready unmanageable burden.
There is one very pleasing aspect of the work which, I feel, should
be recorded. It has been noticed that the complete structural repair and
redecoration of properties, which many years ago had fallen into the
lowest category of dwelling from a public health aspect, has engendered a
new spirit of house-pride in the occupants. It should be remembered
that the greater portion of the work we require could not be undertaken
successfully by the ordinary occupier even if he or she so desired, but the
completion of this technical work has in many instances been followed
by the panting of interior woodwork by the man of the house, and much
closer attention to domestic housework by the housewife when it was
found that the renewed and solid construction of, say, the interior walls
floors made such work lighter and worth while. This enthusiasm,
which extended in most cases to the provision of new curtains, and in
some even to the purchase of new furniture, considerably brightened
the erstwhile drab elevations and interiors of the properties and
refereshed the outlook of many of the dwellers.
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