View report page

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Acquisition and
Improvement of Houses
Housing Acts 1958/1969
A local authority may make advances for house purchase or improvement,
and may provide grants for home improvements and the conversion of
buildings into additional units of accommodation.
Except for standard grants (for which the financial limit is £200), grants and
loans are made at the local authority's discretion. The maximum improvement
grant normally available is £1,000 per dwelling—although for conversion
of a three storey dwelling the maximum is raised to £1,200. Two
hundred and eight dwelling houses were improved, 197 of these receiving
standard grants which were for the provision of full standard amenities.
The 1964 Housing Act gave local authorities power to declare Improvement
Areas and the Council were able to require 'landlords to provide standard
amenities at their properties. Seven such areas were declared in the
borough.
The 1969 Housing Act enables the local authority to declare general
improvement areas aimed at raising the level of all amenities in the
neighbourhood.
Under the Act of 1964 tenants of houses outside improvement areas can
require the owner to provide standard amenities. The Council may assist
owners with loans and grants for this purpose. Negotiations were commenced
with owners in 41 such cases.
House Purchase and
Housing Act 1959
Housing (Financial
Provisions) Act 1958
Three hundred and fourteen applications for loans for house purchase were
made to the Council, and £824,038 was advanced for this purpose. All
applications were dealt with by the Town Clerk, and claims of overcrowding
in support of applications were investigated by the Health Department.
Rent Regulation
Rent Acts, 1957,
1965 ,1968
The Rent Acts include provisions for regulation of tenancy, rents and
security of tenure and restrictions on eviction. There is also provision
whereby landlords may increase rents in order to keep rent controlled
property in good repair; but tenants may apply for a certificate of disrepair
which abates the increased rent until required repairs have been carried out.
One certificate of disrepair and one certificate of cancellation were issued.
The Housing Act 1969 provides for rents to be regulated in certain dwellings
with standard amenities, or improved with or without the assistance of the
local authority. Landlords may apply to the local authority for the issue of
a qualification certificate stating that the property complies with the provisions
of the Act, and on this evidence the Rent Officer may declare it a
regulated tenancy and fix a fair rent. Where a dwelling does not have the
standard amenities the Council may issue a provisional qualification
certficate prior to the works being carried out. During the year 903 applications
for qualification certificates were received and 417 certificates were
issued.
Land Charges Act 1925
Land Charges
Nine thousand and seventeen inquiries (1,853 more than the previous year)
were received concerning properties within the borough.
The necessary searches were made and the information supplied.
Caravans
Caravan Sites and
Control of Development
Act 1960
The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 makes provision
for the licensing and control of sites by local authorities and authorises
local authorities to provide and operate caravan sites.