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43
WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS
W. Haworth, F.A.P.H.L
Chief Public Health Inspector.
I have the honour to submit a report on the work of the Public Health
Inspectors for the year 1968.
Work has been maintained at a fairly satisfactory level throughout the
year having regard to the shortage of staff, and working conditions have
improved beyond recognition as a result of our move to Taberner House.
Housing in all its aspects is perhaps the most important and time consuming
of the many duties undertaken by the Section. Although there are no
longer in the Borough any large areas of unfit houses that merit Clearance
Order procedure there is scope for further redevelopment in obsolescent
areas. Action will also continue to be necessary as long as one can foresee,
in respect of small pockets of property or individual houses and basements.
During the year Demolition or Closing Orders were made in respect of
20 houses, and Closing Orders were made in respect of 18 basements or
parts of houses.
Houses in multiple occupation continue to provide a great deal of work
and reasonable success can be claimed in obtaining compliance with notices
served in respect of amenities and means of escape in case of fire. Similar
comment can be made in respect of the repair provisions of the Housing Act,
but the problem of "reasonable expense" in relation to cost of works and
value of properties is becoming increasingly critical.
The administration of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act,
1963 has progressed and more detailed comment is made in the body of the
report.
The continued implementation of a smoke control policy in the Borough
is a major cause for satisfaction. The long term effects of this environmental
health measure will be demonstrated in terms of amenity and the public
well being.
Inspection of food and food premises is a most important duty and as
far as possible increasing attention has been directed to this subject. Improved
hygiene standards and remedial works are achieved in most cases by
advice and educational work but in a number of cases it has been necessary
to take more formal action as will be indicated in the list of prosecutions
set out in this report.
The recruitment of Public Health Inspectors remains an insoluble
problem and it is only by training students that the Department can partly
fill the vacancies caused by resignation and retirement. It is inevitable
that more use will have to be made of Technical Assistants working under
the supervision of qualified Public Health Inspectors and steps are being
taken to this end.