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Without proper facilities such as the above, it is impossible for the staff in the various sections
of the department to do their job properly and this leads to feelings of frustration in keen and
qualified staff who cannot enjoy the satisfaction of a job well and properly done. Unless proper
facilities are provided within a reasonable time, retention of good officers will be difficult.
Serious illness among senior staff also added to the department's problems in the early years,
no less than three section heads being off duty for long periods (one for a year), thereby adding
additional burdens to other staff already fully occupied.
For some time after the 1st April 1965 there was also considerable movement of staff between
departments in this authority and even between London Boroughs and a number of key members
of the staff was lost by this means.
The last major headache encountered in establishing the new department was the inception of
the Thamesmead Health Centre project by Guy's Hospital in June 1965. At a time when we were
more than fully occupied with local matters and problems it was necessary to co-operate with the
Ministry of Health, Guy's Hospital, the Greater London Council, Executive Councils and the South
East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, etc. in planning a completely new idea in the provision
of integrated health services for the future new town of Thamesmead. Unfortunately, owing to the
rigid timetable set by the Greater London Council for this £250,000,000 scheme, no delays could
be permitted and much time which was urgently needed to deal with problems in this Borough
had to be devoted to the Thamesmead project and attending frequent meetings.
The above matters have been dealt with in some detail because they cannot have been foreseen
when the decision to re-organise London Local Government was being taken. The problems
encountered in Bexley were probably unique and were not met with in most, if in any, of the
other London Boroughs. In future local government re-organisation, detailed attention to the
likely availability of suitable staff, office accommodation and facilities essential for the services
to be provided should receive full and adequate consideration by the responsible body before
decisions are taken.
Finally, before the new department had been properly organised and become fully effective
it was subjected to further re-organisation in 1968 following the Maud Report on Management of
Local Government.
On the basis of the Maud Committee's recommendations, the Council's committee structure
was simplified, including the amalgamation of the Health, Welfare and Children's Committees.
In the near future there are likely to be further major changes in the departmental structure as a
result of the Seebohm Committee's proposals in respect of the local authority social services and
the proposed re-organisation of the medical services in the country, both of which will affect the
present responsibilities and structure of the department.
Copies of Special Reports made by the Medical Officer of Health on both these proposals are
reproduced in Appendix B and Appendix C.
The re-organisation of local government in London has been expensive, but one aspect which
has been overlooked is the cost in health of senior and other staff of all departments who, from
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