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49
WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS
W. Haworth, F.A.P.H.I.
Chief Public Health Inspector.
I have the honour to submit a report on the work of the Public Health
Inspectors for the year 1966, the first since taking up my appointment.
The year continued to be a period of adjustment and consolidation
following the reorganisation in 1965 and the final chapter will it is hoped
be enacted in the move to Taberner House in 1967.
Amongst the many activities in a very busy period, housing work
played a very prominent part A start was made in the implementation of
the Council's current programme for dealing with unfit houses, by the
representation of some sixty houses in the Handcroft Road area, as
Clearance Areas.
Excluding a number of houses already owned by the Council it was
subsequently resolved to make a Compulsory Purchase Order in respect
of these houses together with lands outside the Clearance Areas.
The Order is now subject to Public Inquiry and Ministry decision in
due course.
Houses in Multiple Occupation provide an ever increasing problem
with which to deal and during the year an important administrative change
took effect in one sphere of this work.
As a result of a report of a Working Party set up by the Greater
London Council and the London Boroughs' Committee to consider and
report on the manner in which Section 16 of the Housing Act, 1961 (relating
to means of escape in case of fire) should be implemented in
Greater London, it was recommended inter alia that the requirement of
Section 16 that the Borough Councils should consult with the Greater
London Council as fire authority, should be deemed to have been carried
out by the application of a Code of Practice laying down minimum standards
of means of escape prepared for the guidance of borough councils.
Croydon had hitherto relied upon the services of the local Fire
Prevention Officer for advice on this work but in spite of representations
to the London Boroughs' Association against the new procedure the
Council were unable to obtain any modification of the new system.
The effect of this decision was to divert the energies of two of my
staff solely to this type of work until more experience can be gained in
the implementation of the Code of Practice.