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34
D (5)f Clean Air Act 1956
Borough of Erith (No. 1) Smoke Control Order 1961
The above. Order, which covers 390 acres, in which
there are 3,234 dwellings, was confirmed on the 18th April,
1962, and during 1962 several conversions had been carried
out. In the course of 1963 further information was sent out
to the majority of householders affected by the Order, and
by the end of the year 648 applications to carry out works
of conversion or adaptation of fireplaces had been received
and many premises had had work carried out to comply with
the Order. There remains a great deal of work to do before
this Order becomes operative on the 1st October, 1964.
Although the present Order is based on the conversion
of fires to improved inset open fires, the publication of the
Government White Paper on Domestic Fuel Supplies and
Clean Air Policy and the Circular 69/63 of the Ministry of
Housing and Local Government indicate that due to technological
changes in the Gas Industry it may not be possible
to ensure that adequate supplies of gas coke are available
for future Smoke Control areas and such areas may need to
be based on heating systems other than inset open fires.
D (5)g Swimming Baths and Pools
(1) The Council's open air bath is situated in Stonewood
Road, and comprises one pool of 57,000 gallons capacity
which now is exclusively used by the Kent Education Committee
during normal school hours and local youth clubs
during the evenings and on Saturdays. Water in the pool,
which originates from a well 40 feet deep, is heated to a
reasonable temperature by low pressure steam heating and
is sterilised by the chlorine process. There is a slipperbath
establishment with accommodation for 16 males and 4 females.
Adjacent to the bath is a mechanical laundry which
launders on behalf of the various undertakings in the locality
and which includes the Corporation Catering Dept., the
Works Dept., the County Health and Education Depts., and
the Royal Alfred Seaman's Home.
Due to the severe winter conditions experienced, it was
necessary to close the slipper baths to the public from
14th January to 17th April, 1963. During this period workwas
intensified on the changeover from coke fired boilers
to two Cradley "Steampacket" Oilfired Burners, which were
in operation when the baths re-opened on the 17th April,
1963.