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PART 4 — ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
HOUSING.
There are a number of ways in which housing influences the
health of the public.
First there is the question whether there are sufficient houses
to meet the needs of residents. If there are not, and for a variety
of reasons this is the present position, the problems of how to
provide more rests with the Council through its Housing Committee
and with private builders. The Health Committee is also very
interested because too few houses means overcrowding somewhere,
and this can have a bad effect on health, not only by increasing
the risk of spread of airborne diseases, but by provoking mental
ill-health owing to clashes in the family and between families, to
disturbed rest, increased noise and lack of the privacy which everybody
needs if they are to be able to relax or concentrate and think.
Since the War the Council has caused 1,416 houses (including
105 prefabricated) to be built, while private builders have erected
2,365. Latterly the Council's annual contribution has decreased
steadily and in 1956 they only saw 55 completed compared with
428 erected by private builders. Among the reasons for this
slowing down of Council building, is the relatively small amount
of land left which is thought suitable for Council house building,
difficulties experienced by the builders in getting labour to erect
these houses, and delay in agreeing with the Government the type
of house which can be built. There is now only one very large
site which has been bought by the Council and so far only about
50 of the 350 houses planned to be built on it have been completed.
Smaller sites mean fewer new houses with relatively more time
needed for their planning and erection, but the Council is pressing
on in this way and in addition is making a very useful contribution
by converting large old houses so as to provide more separate
units for individuals or small families, which is increasingly important
as there are now more elderly persons who need less accommodation
than they previously did.
Parallel with this problem of more housing units, is that of
the fitness of the existing accommodation. The Public Health
Inspectors are interested to ensure not only that gross defects like
dampness are remedied but that the structure is well maintained,
and as far as possible, that modern amenities like adequate hot
and cold water supply, proper drainage, separate bathrooms and
indoor sanitary accommodation are available.
When properties are so old or defective, that they cannot be
made reasonably fit for human habitation at reasonable expense,
steps are taken to see that they are not inhabited and normally
that they are pulled down. In a survey made in 1955, however,
it was thought that only 27 needed to be dealt with in this way in
the next 5 years, although a few more have since been added to
the list. In 1956, in fact, 7 of these houses were demolished and
the Council purchased by agreement the land on which a further
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