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East Barnet Urban District Council
REPORT
of the
CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR
FOR THE YEAR 1962
To the Chairman and Members of the
East Barnet Urban District Council.
I have the honour to present my eleventh annual report to the
Council. The year 1962 was very similar in general pattern to 1961.
There was again an increase in the amount of work due to the operation
of the Clean Air Act, 1956, due to the fact that the last two Smoke
Control Orders dealt with contained rather more properties than the
first two. The appointment of an additional clerk at the end of the
year enabled the clerical work in connection with the smoke control
areas to be brought and kept up to date. Whilst four Smoke Control
Orders have now been made it will still be some years yet before the
whole of the district will be smoke free, but the work is progressing
steadily towards this goal.
Table I which gives an indication of the work carried out by the
Public Health Inspectors shows that there has been a slight increase
in the number of visits made to premises in the district. The visits
which show the largest increase in number are, of course, those made
in connection with the Clean Air Act. The various other Tables
reflect the general pattern of work of the Department in more detail.
It was reported during the year that the Council's programme under
the Housing Acts for dealing with houses suitable for demolition,
closing and when in groups, clearance areas, was completed. The
main factor for deciding if a house is in any of these categories is
whether or not the cost of repair is reasonable when compared with
the value of the house. Since 1955 the selling value of a house has
increased, and in general rents have also increased considerably, consequently
the cost of repairs which an owner can reasonably be
expected to make has risen in proportion to these selling prices.
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