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Talks on the Council's Clean Air Programme and atmospheric pollution generally
were also given on several occasions to various organizations. These talks were
illustrated with films, film strips and other visual aids, and were valuable as an
addition to other publicity methods.
A portable display unit which illustrated the range of solid fuels and the correct
operation of appliances was made available by the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation.
This unit was on view throughout the year for the information of members of the
general public making enquiries at the Department.
In February, the former Borough of Ealing participated in an Exhibition staged
by the North Thames Gas Board at the Town Hall, which extended over a period of
12 days and was attended by nearly 2,200 visitors. An exhibition stand staffed by
officers of the Department was used to publicise the Council's programme, the
effects of atmospheric pollution, and the grant system. The exhibition was opened
by the Mayor of Ealing who referred to the efforts being made by the Council to
deal with air pollution in the Borough.
Arrangements were made with the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation for mobile
exhibitions demonstrating modern solid fuel space, and water heating appliances
and fuels, to visit proposed Smoke Control Areas.
A total of 2,856 persons visited the vans which spent four separate periods of six
days in the Borough in Smoke Control Areas Nos. 22, 23, 24, 25 and 27. Area
No. 26 is to be visited during 1966 since it contains very few private houses, the
great majority of the properties being owned by the Council. The residents are
therefore less in need of advice and information as the necessary adaptations to
fire grates are carried out by the Council.
Visits by these exhibitions are a most useful method of advance publicity in
proposed Smoke Control Areas. The Department distributes circular letters in the
area immediately prior to the date of the visit so that the local residents are informed
of the place where the vehicle may be found on any given day. The Federation
supports this publicity with advertisements in the local press, and the Department
is indebted to it for the valuable assistance given during the year.
GRANT ARRANGEMENTS
With the object of cutting down the volume of administrative work and so helping
to speed up the establishment of Smoke Control Areas, the Minister of Housing and
Local Government issued Circular No. 51/65 on 28th June. This Circular laid down
a scale of cost limits for the various types of appliances which he considered to be
"reasonably necessary" replacements for existing appliances in Smoke Control
Areas and clarified the procedures under some of the previous circulars. The
Council adopted the new schedule of prices.
Circular No. 77/65 issued on 31st December, 1965, further simplified the procedures
for submitting estimates and final costs for Smoke Control Areas.
SUPPLY OF FUELS IN SMOKE CONTROL AREAS
The Ministry Circular No. 13/65 issued on 17th March drew the attention of local
authorities to the fact that any increase in the availability of solid smokeless fuels
would relate only to some of the specially reactive premium fuels, and that owners
and occupiers in Smoke Control Areas should continue, for grant purposes, to have
freedom of choice between appliances using solid fuel, gas, off-peak electricity and oil.
In October, the Minister of Power issued a White Paper on Fuel Policy. This
described, with the necessary background information, the principles which should
govern a co-ordinated national fuel policy and the machinery and measures whereby
the Government proposed to secure and maintain such a policy. With regard to the