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61
WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS
George Grieve, F. R. S. H., F. A. P. H. I.
Chief Public Health Inspector
The implementation of the Clean Air Act, and particularly
that part dealing with control of smoke emissions from dwellings,
occupied much time of the staff during the year. Factory smoke
gave but little trouble, as industry is realising that to emit
smoke in quantity is uneconomic as well as being a contravention
of the law. The first Smoke Control Order made by the Council
was confirmed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government
during the year. This Order, which covers the Waddon-South
Croydon area, provides for the control of smoke emitted from a
chimney of any building, including a dwelling, in the area.
Conversions and adaptations to the fireplaces in the buildings
in the area are progressing satisfactorily. Approved works to
fireplaces in dwellings in the area in order to make them
capable of burning smokeless fuels efficiently are subject to a
grant of seven-tenths the cost. A second Order will, it is
hoped, be made early in 1960 in respect of an area contiguous to
the first and a preliminary survey of a third area is proceeding
By the end of 1963 it is anticipated that six areas of the
Borough, comprising in total some 20,000 dwellings and 2,500
other premises, will be covered by anoke Control Orders.
In the field of housing the clearance and redevelopment programmes
are progressing in that the majority of the unfit houses
in the Lamberts Place-Bridge Place area and the Eagle HillCrystal
Terrace area have been acquired and rehousing of the
occupants will proceed as houses are built to accommodate them.
Up to the end of the year there had been, in total, 746 applications
from tenants for Certificates of Disrepair, the grantipg
of which permits an abatement of part of the rent until such
time that the repairs requested are completed. In but 296 cases
has it been necessary to issue Certificates of Disrepair.
The recently adopted local act powers regarding nuisance
from noise, have brought forward many complaints entailing
visits at all times of day and night to the precincts of the
premises complained of. On the whole we have had a fair measure
of success in having the noises complained of reduced in level.
Before statutory action can be taken by the Council, the inspecting
Officers must be satisfied that the noise complained of
is either excessive, or unreasonable, or unnecessary and is in