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to the Clean Air Act so as to enable the provision of gas,
electric or other special means of ignition to rank for grant. This
has the effect of including all pre-1964 houses burning solid
fuel and not provided voluntarily with means of ignition to rank
for grant, even if they had approved appliances.
Various steps have been taken by the Minister to ease the
administrative burden on Local Authorities, resulting in several
circulars being issued.
Recent communications from the Ministry indicate that in
certain areas supplies of gas coke may be insufficient for the
demand to be met solely by gas coke. The Minister states, therefore,
that it would no longer be justifiable for Local Authorities
not to pay grant for the replacement of an improved open fire by
an appliance capable of burning hard coke or by an electric
storage heater, gas room heater or fixed oil burning appliance.
He added, however, that he anticipated that Local Authorities
would not normally find it necessary to designate improved open
grates as being unsuitable for installation in their area unless
they were satisfied that the combined supplies of all kinds
of smokeless fuels are likely to be inadequate for a particular
smoke control area.
I would once again like to place on record my appreciation
of the assistance given by the Alkali Inspector in connection
with the problem of smoke and fumes from the heavy industrialised
Thames-side region in the southern part of the Borough.
Details of complaints in this connection have been submitted
to the Council from time to time and it is gratifying to record the
ready advice which is always obtainable from the Alkali Inspector.
Atmospheric Pollution
Details of the number of stations operatingwithin the Borough
in connection with the investigation of atmospheric pollution
were given in last year's report.
During the year 24 notifications were received under Section
3 of the Clean Air Act, 1956 regarding the installation of
furnaces. In addition two applications for prior approval were
granted by the Council.
Plans were submitted to the Department for adjudication
in connection with the height of new chimneys, as required
by Section 10 of the Clean Air Act, 1956.
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