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in relation to the rent which is obtainable, even after the statutory
increase allowable under the new Act is taken into consideration.
On this question, the Act does not appear to offer any solution,
although it is of interest to record that during the year under
review, the Council decided to purchase a house under Section 3
in lieu of making a Closing Order where the owner failed to submit
proposals in respect of the house, which required repairs estimated
to cost in the region of £700".
"Although this may not be the true intention of the Section,
its increasing use may be necessary in order to preserve houses
that would otherwise become obsolescent."
During the year the Council also agreed, in approved cases,
to operate the Housing Act provisions relating to Improvement
Grants, but only in respect of works for the purpose of improving
sub-standard properties. The Chief Sanitary Inspector, in consultation
with the Engineer and Surveyor, was instructed to report
upon any such applications to the Public Health Committee for
their consideration and report to the Finance and General Purposes
Committee.
WATER SUPPLY.
The water supply of the District was, as in previous years,
provided by the Sutton District Water Company and the East
Surrey Water Company, with a private supply supplementing, as
necessary, at Cane Hill Hospital.
Routine samples of the treated water in public supply were
submitted quarterly for bacteriological and chemical examination.
In addition, two samples were obtained for bacteriological examination
only from the private supply at Cane Hill Hospital, making
18 samples in all.
In addition, both the Water Companies and the Local
Authorities sharing these public supplies provided the Department
with copies of the reports on the samples taken by them.
No complaints were received during the year with regard to
the quality or quantity of water supplied by the Companies,
and no unsatisfactory reports were received on the samples taken
from the supplies to the District.
The Cane Hill Hospital Management Committee has made
arrangements with the Public Health Department of the London
County Council for routine sampling and supervision of the water
supply from the relatively shallow well in their grounds, which
is used exclusively by this Hospital. Adequate chlorination is
essential and steps have been taken to ensure this and to effect
closer co-operation between the officers of the three authorities
interested in the standard of this supply.
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