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101
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
In March of the year, together with all staff of the Health and
Welfare Department, the Environmental Health Section moved
from the Orpington Offices, on the periphery of the Borough, to
much more satisfactory accomm0dation at Sherman House,
Bromley. Inspectors operating in the Penge area have no longer
to face a 40 minute traffic-ridden journey before they can commence
their work. The use of offices centrally situated in the Borough has
facilitated the co-ordination of work whilst ratepayers living in the
Orpington district have lost little in that they can meet the
Inspectors by appointment at an office established there to complement
that already in use in Penge.
Inevitably some disorganisation accompanied the move but
the Department soon settled down and this, together with some
numerical improvement in the staff position, has made possible
a more determined attack on the day to day work of routine
inspections.
Fo0d
Frequent visiting is of vital importance, especially in such
matters as fo0d hygiene. By and large, all premises where fo0d
is prepared, stored, eaten or sold, now comply with the structural
requirements of the Regulations. Only by frequent visiting can it be
determined that the facilities provided are in effective working
order, that premises are kept in a scrupulous state of cleanliness
and that the ever changing staffs in cafes and supermarkets are
versed in the important details of personal hygiene.
More time, too, has been made available to keep check on
newly opened fo0d businesses. All proposals for the institution of
new businesses involving planning consent are forwarded by the
Borough Planning Officer to the Department and the Inspectors
are able to peruse the plans. Possible contraventions are pointed
out to the prospective user of a building and, if necessary, conferences
are arranged with his architect or builder. By this means
amendments can be made to plans which obviate the need to carry
out structural alterations after the building is completed and the
business established.
Unfortunately, there is no legal requirement to notify the
Department of intention to occupy premises for the purpose of a
fo0d business and it is not always clear, from perusal of plans of
a particular building, that it is to be so used. Again, there is no
obligation to notify a change of occupancy nor in many cases the
conversion of a building to fo0d business use. This last mentioned
situation has, on a number of occasions, given rise to the opening of
cafes, especially by imigrants, under the most unsuitable of
conditions. Economics demand that the business be started