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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
was required during the year. Nonetheless, public health inspectors paid 533
visits to houses in multiple occupation.
Slum Clearance and
Individual Unfit Houses
No clearance areas were confirmed by the Minister in 1971 but there are
several awaiting confirmation.
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. These grants and loans are
made at the authority's discretion, excluding standard grants for which the
financial limit is £200. The maximum sum normally available through an
inprovement grant is £1,000 per dwelling although for conversion of a
three-storey dwelling the maximum is raised to £1,200. Four hundred and
seven dwelling houses were improved, 148 of these receiving standard grants
which were for the provision of full standard amenities.
The 1964 Housing Act empowers local authorities to declare improvement
areas where the Council are able to require landlords to provide standard
amenities at their properties. The seven areas declared within the Borough
during 1970 are still in operation.
The 1969 Housing Act enables the local authority to declare general improvement
areas aimed at raising the environmental conditions of the locality.
The 1964 Housing Act makes provision for tenants with houses outside
improvement areas to require the owner to provide standard amenities. The
Council may assist these owners with loans and grants for this purpose.
Negotiations were commenced with owners in thirteen such cases.
House Purchase and
Housing Act 1959
Housing (Financial
Provisions)Act1958
Four hundred and thirty-three applications for loans for house purchase
were made to the Council, and £693,965 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 make provision for the regulation of tenancy, rents, and
security of tenure and restrictions on eviction. Provision is also made for
landlords to increase rents in order to keep rent controlled property in good
repair; tenants may however apply for a certificate of disrepair which abates
the increased rent until required repairs have been carried out. One such
certificate of disrepair was issued.
Housing Act 1969
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 or their agents 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 upon this evidence the Rent Officer may
declare it a regulated tenancy and fix a fair rent. In addition to this where a
dwelling does not have the standard amenities the Council may issue a
provisional qualification certificate prior to the works being carried out.
During the year 1,737 applications for qualification certificates were received
and 577 certificates were issued. (See Tables 33 and 34).
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