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conveniences, renewal of kitchen equipment, provision of additional washing facilities
for staff and improvement of hot water supplies for cleansing of equipment.
120 inspections were made during the year of these premises and in all cases
arrangements were made for the necessary works to be carried out.
Schools
At the request of the Middlesex County Council a detailed survey was made of
all schools in the Borough and reports submitted on lighting (natural and artificial),
ventilation and heating of classrooms, adequacy and condition of sanitary and washing
accommodation for pupils and staff, accommodation for meals, drinking water supplies,
kitchens and kitchen equipment, first aid facilities, drainage, refuse storage and
disposal, boiler houses, etc.
Recommendations for improvements were made in connection with several of the
schools and it is pleasing to note that some of these have already been implemented.
Cesspools
A number of the properties in the more rural parts of the Borough have cesspool
drainage.
The cesspools were emptied by the Council on 222 occasions during the year.
Overcrowding
The following report on overcrowding for the year ending 31st December 1959 was
submitted to the Minister of Health as required by the Public Health Officers
Regulations, 1959.
(a) Number of dwellings known to be overcrowded at end of year 10
Number of families dwelling therein 11
Number of persons dwelling therein 52
Equivalent number of persons dwelling therein (Sec.77, Housing Act, 1957) 38
(b) Number of new cases of overcrowding reported 11
(c) Number of cases of overcrowding relieved 3
Number of persons concerned 7
Equivalent number of persons concerned (Sec. 77, Housing Act 1957) 614
(d) Cases in which dwelling-houses in respect of which Local Authority has
taken steps for abatement of overcrowding and have again become overcrowded Nil
(e) Other particulars with respect to conditions in relation to overcrowding
upon which the Medical Officer of Health considers it desirable to report.
It is very unlikely that the above represents the entire extent of the overcrowding
in the Borough but they represent the only cases known to the Department.
These cases were brought to our notice either by tenants seeking to improve their
"points" position on the Council's housing applications list or by owners endeavouring
to secure possession of their properties on the grounds that they
were overcrowded.
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