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Lettings
A total of 1,219 new tenancies were granted, including 580
to applicants from the waiting list and 306 to tenants transferred
to alternative accommodation. 159 mutual exchanges were granted.
29 families were moved from hostel accommodation and 24
potentially homeless families from the waiting list were rehoused
as a result of Court Orders requiring them to vacate privatelyowned
premises.
The rehousing of 17 families from 3 sites required for redevelopment
was completed and 3 families were rehoused from
properties the subject of Demolition or Closing Orders.
Housing priority on medical grounds
Applications for priority on medical grounds dealt with during
the year numbered 482. 388 of these were in respect of new
applications for rehousing and 94 were from existing tenants
requiring transfer.
Houses in multiple occupation
There has been no change in the situation as outlined in my
report for 1967.
During the year, however, the Ministry of Housing and Local
Government prepared a leaflet in English, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi,
Hindi, Gujerati, Greek and Turkish on shared houses which is
handed to all immigrants at their port of entry to this country
and in which is outlined the special laws governing houses
occupied by more than one family or let in lodgings.
Improvement Grants
During the year members of my staff liaised with the staff
of the Borough Engineer and Surveyor in connection with 169
applications for improvement grants.
The main provisions of the 1969 Housing Act came into
operation on the 25th August, 1969. They implement the main
recommendations contained in the White Paper "Old Houses into
New Homes" (Command 3602) which was published last year.
The Act contains increased Improvement Grants and more flexible
powers for dealing with the improvement of old houses. This
legislation should speed up considerably the rate of house
improvement. One of the main innovations is the provision of a
grant to improve the environment.
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