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44
Thames-side Joint Committee for the Abatement of Atmospheric
Pollution, which body meets regularly to review the position. Mr.
A. V. Hatley has been active on this Committee as was Mrs. E. V.
Wallace in the early part of 1960, and Mr. F. Ambrose in the latter.
The aid of local members of Parliament has been enlisted with a
view to making further representations to the Minister of Housing
and Local Government, on the necessity for holding a Public
Enquiry into the matter.
The deposit gauges indicate that total solids at Riverside Road
averaged 14.583 tons per square mile per month (13.97 in 1959)
whilst at Lamorbey the monthly figure for 1960 was 13.135 tons,
compared with 13.015 tons in 1959.
The graphs given with the report, show the position more
clearly, but it should be pointed out that the high reading at Riverside
Road for August is very probably due to some extraneous cause
and should be disregarded.
The Council were also represented on the Standing Conference
of Co-operating Bodies in the Investigation of Atmospheric Pollution
by Mr. Hatley and Mr. Ambrose, on the National Society for
Clean Air and South East Divisional Council by Miss B. H. James,
and on the London and Home Counties Clean Air Advisory Council
by Mr. Hatley and the Chief Public Health Inspector.
Smoke Control Areas.
The Clean Air Joint Committee met during the year and after
considering a report on a preliminary survey carried out in the
district, recommended to the Council that a Smoke Control Area
should be constituted in the Mottingham South Ward, together with
houses in Oakdene Avenue, Chislehurst.
This is an undertaking of some magnitude, comprising 2,364
houses and 48 miscellaneous premises. At that time it was necessary
to apply for approval in principle from the Minister. This
procedure has now been abandoned and the detailed survey will
proceed with a view to obtaining a Smoke Control Order to become
operative on the 6th September, 1962.
Furnace Installation.
Other duties placed upon the Department by the Clean Air Act
include the perusal of plans of new factory premises where the height
of flue has to be approved in order to obviate nuisance from smoke
and grit. Two such plans were dealt with during 1960. It is also
necessary for persons proposing to instal heating appliances above
a certain capacity, to give notice of intention, and three notifications
were received in this connection.