London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Dagenham 1964

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]

This page requires JavaScript

Table: Smoke Control AreasThe council agreed in principle in 1959 to include the whole borough in Smoke control Areas as soon as possible, and, in any case, in not more than ten years. The programme was drawn up to provide each year an area containing about 3,000 houses and was originally planned to include all houses in the borough by 1970. The progress up-to-date is indicated below:-

Smoke Control Areas

The council agreed in principle in 1959 to include the whole borough in Smoke control Areas as soon as possible, and, in any case, in not more than ten years. The programme was drawn up to provide each year an area containing about 3,000 houses and was originally planned to include all houses in the borough by 1970. The progress up-to-date is indicated below:-

Order No.No. of HousesDate of Operation
11,000Marks Gate1st September, 1959
23,722L. C.C. Estate1st November, 1961
33,230„ „1st November, 1962
44,562' „ „1st November, 1963
51,542Chadwell Heath1st August, 1964
63,046L. C.C. Estate1st November, 1964
72,690„ „1st November, 1965

Text

Copy text to clipboard

The extent of the work involved is indicated in that during the year 9,937
visits to premises have been paid by the inspectors.
It is pleasing to report that the rate of progress envisaged in the original
programme has been more than maintained. So far 19,792 houses out of a total of
nearly 32,000 houses in the borough have been included in Smoke control Orders.
In Order No. 7, which completes smoke control work on the whole of the
Becontree Estate in the borough, freedom of choice is being given to householders,
i.e. between approved appliances using solid fuel (open coke-burning
grate, undercolor draught open grate and openable stove), gas, electricity
(night storage heaters only) and oil.
NOISE ABATEMENT ACT, 1960
Section 1 of the Act makes noise or vibration which is a nuisance a
statutory nuisance under the Public Health Act, 1936. complaints were received
during the year concerning 13 noise nuisances. Eight were in respect of private
dwellings and of these six were concerned with noisy neighbours and two with
defective plumbing. Three complaints were in respect of places of public
entertainment causing a nuisance to adjacent residents. complaints were made
in respect of two factories. At one, conditions had been satisfactorily
improved by the end of the year, and at the other, assessment and possible
remedial action are under consideration.
Section 2 of the Act restricts the operation of loud speakers on the
highway. This is dealt with by the council's Shops Act Inspector. During the
year it was found necessary to prosecute in three cases street traders who,
after advice and warning, continued to contravene the provisions of the Act by
the operation of loud speakers in streets to attract attention for the purpose
of selling ice cream. In 18 other cases warning letters were sent, which is the
council's policy in the case of first offenders.
RAG FLOCK AND OTHER FILLING MATERIALS ACT, 1951
Three premises which have been registered under Section 2 of the Act have
continued to operate. One licence for the manufacture of rag flock has been
issued during the year.
Samples are regularly taken at the three factories in the borough where
filling materials are manufactured.
19