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Certificates of Disrepair were issued. Under Paragraph 8 (2) of the
First Schedule of the Act, two Certificates were issued. This paragraph
deals with the issue of Certificates to landlords or occupiers stating
whether or not work detailed on an undertaking has been carried out
in a satisfactory manner; it is not obligatory on a landlord to apply
for such certificate on completion of works and in fact many do not
do so. In five cases applications from the landlords for the cancellation
of Certificates of Disrepair were made and as no objections were
received from the tenants the Certificates were cancelled.
As mentioned in my report for 1958, the number of applications
for Certificates of Disrepair has been, surprisingly, very low for the
number of tenants who could make a successful application for such
a Certificate is high.
FOOD HYGIENE
During the year 2,089 visits were made to various food premises
in the district. These visits show a decrease of 261 over the number
made in 1958. This decrease was due to the time spent during the
latter part of the year by the Inspectors inspecting properties in connection
with the proposed Smoke Control Order No. 1.
Some types of premises and trades required more frequent visits
than others and this fact is reflected in the figures for restaurants,
snack bars and butchers shops.
In my report for 1958, I commented on the fact that although
the Food Hygiene Regulations had been in operation since 1955 it
was still necessary to remind assistants in food premises of the importance
of observing hygienic practices at all times when handling
open food.
Whilst the general conditions of food premises is without doubt
gradually improving it has still been necessary to draw the attention
of some food handlers to practices which are unhygienic. The number
of part time workers now employed in the food distributing trade
makes the Inspectors task more difficult. A call made during the
morning and comments made to staff then might well prove useful. A
subsequent visit made in the afternoon can reveal at least 50 per cent
different staff.
Some customers also are not so particular in respect of hygienic
practices as one would like to see them. Whilst expecting cleanly
conditions behind the counter too many are still prepared to smoke
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