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REPORT ON THE SANITARY ADMINISTRATION
of the
DISTRICT FOR THE YEAR 1955
By G. A. Webber,
Chief Sanitary Inspector, Borough of Beckenham.
The Annual Report for 1954 drew attention to one vacancy on
the establishment of Sanitary Inspectors which had existed throughout
that year. The position worsened in June, 1955, when the resignation
of Mr. H. R. Dawkins increased the number of vacancies to two.
However, after repeated advertisement, both were filled in September,
1955, when Mr. J. A. Keen and Mr. T. P. Jarrett joined the staff.
A wide divergency of problems continued to be brought to our
notice during the year, but we were again mainly concerned with the
investigation of complaints regarding house property, the maintenance
in good repair of old property, the inspection of food and food shops,
and factories and general shops, and rodent control.
Other matters of equal importance, but of less regular occurrence,
included noise and smoke nuisances, the pollution of streams, school
sanitation, domestic servants' registries, water supply, moveable
dwellings, insect pests, legal proceedings, and, in certain cases, the
burial of the dead.
1,236 complaints relating to one or other of these matters were
received and investigated during the year, but a good deal of inspection
of properties is made, and many nuisances discovered, without complaint
having been lodged.
8,111 visits and re-visits were made by the Sanitary Inspectors,
which number includes 1,281 relating to food shops.
The remedy of nuisance is mainly secured by informal action,
but it was found necessary to serve 22 Statutory Notices before the
abatement of nuisances could be secured. In all, 1,883 nuisances
were remedied during the year.
Housing Acts.
The repair and maintenance of older residential properties in
the borough, in accordance with procedure laid down by the Housing
Acts, continued throughout the year. 40 properties were dealt
with, and again I am able to report that the owners of these properties
offered the greatest co-operation in dealing with the items of disrepair
brought to their notice.
In 23 cases where owners exercised their right to increase rental
the occupiers applied for Certificates of Disrepair. Fifteen such
Certificates were granted, of which 12 were revoked after completion
of the necessary works.
Statistical information, relating to the work of the Inspectors,
is appended:—
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