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HOUSING.
I am indebted to the Housing Officer for the following observations and statistics
relevant to the housing situation in the Borough during the year under review.
"During the year under review the progress made in providing accommodation for
inadequately housed persons has been maintained, and a further 225 families were rehoused
into permanent Council Houses. The number of permanent Council dwellings now
amounts to 3,271, of which 1,985 have been erected in post war years.
Despite this progress, however, the number of housing applicants registered as
in need of alternative accommodation continues to increase and, at the close of the
year, the waiting list totalled 5,581.
The need to put to the best use the diminishing amount of land left available
in Hendon for building purposes is reflected in the increased flat development undertaken
by the Council, and the majority of schemes in progress, or proposed, are
planned on this basis.
The assistance afforded in the past by the New and Expanded Towns has continued,
and during the past twelve months many families have been nominated by Hendon for
rehousing in those areas. Without this help these families, who are now happily
settled in decent living conditions, would have been obliged for many years to come
to exist in unsatisfactory housing accommodation.
The clearance of outdated dwellings has progressed, and the Cricklewood Lane
Redevelopment, providing 140 flats, is now nearing completion, while an early start
on the Hendon Park Row Redevelopment is expected. This latter scheme will provide 36
flats.
The welfare of elderly persons has not been overlooked despite the pressing
problems presented by overcrowding. Apart from the conversion of premises purchased
and converted by the Council to bed-sitting room accommodation, all new Estates
provide for a proportion of dwellings specially designed for rehousing the older
members of the community.
The policy of transferring to smaller accommodation Council tenants living in
accommodation in excess of their requirements has been continued., By so doing it has
been possible to make the larger types of houses available for re-letting to bigger
families and so relieve many cases of overcrowding. Advantage has also been taken of
opportunities to co-operate with other local authorities and private property owners
to secure exchanges of tenancies which have proved mutually beneficial.
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