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Local Authority Accommodation (contd.)
Properties Sold
To sitting tenants — 40
Miscellaneous properties sold
with vacant possession — 5
45
One of the problems of modern life is the availability of
parking facilities for private cars. During the year the Council
provided 345 lock-up garages on their estates, plus 209 parking
spaces.
UNOCCUPIED HOUSES
The Council resolved as from 1st April, 1968 to rate empty
property under the provisions of Section 17 and Schedule 1 of the
General Rate Act, 1967.
This has resulted in considerable liaison being maintained
with the staff of the Borough Treasurer in cases where a landlord
claims exemption from the payment of 'unoccupied' rate on the
grounds that the property is uninhabitable. These cases necessitate
a comprehensive inspection by the Public Health Inspector and
the submission of an appropriate report to the Borough Treasurer.
HOUSING PRIORITY ON MEDICAL GROUNDS
Applications for priority on medical grounds dealt with
during the year numbered 449. 268 of these were in respect of
new applications for rehousing and 181 from existing tenants
requesting transfer to other accommodation.
Some of these cases have to be visited and investigated
by either a Social Welfare Officer, a Health Visitor or a Public
Health Inspector, not to mention liaison with the Childrens
Department. It can be seen that a considerable amount of time
is given to this aspect of certain applications.
HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION
There has been no change in the situation as outlined in
last year's report. Fortunately there is relatively only a small
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