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A preliminary survey of the Borough showed that there are approximately 2,000
houses in the Borough let in multiple occupation. A large proportion are in areas
scheduled for redevelopment but bringing the remainder up to a proper standard will
keep the Department's resources as fully occupied during the next few years as they
have been recently in dealing with slum clearance. The squalid conditions found in
some of the muIti-occupied houses certainly demand as energetic action as any devoted
to clearing the areas now under re-development.
A further survey also indicated that there were approximately 1,000 houses in
good structural condition with a useful life left of at least 20 - 30 years but
which were without the standard amenities detailed in (b) above. Steps are being
taken to visit each of these blocks of property and to bring to the notice of the
owners and tenants the benefits of the Improvement Grants Scheme.
OVERCROWDING
The following report on overcrowding for the year ended 31st. December, 1962
was submitted to the Ministry 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 12
Number of persons dwelling therein 64
Equivalent number of persons dwelling therein
(Section 77 Housing Act, 1957) 57
(b) Number of new cases of overcrowding reported during the year 9
(c) Number of cases of overcrowding relieved during the year 10
Number of persons concerned 46
Equivalent number of persons concerned
(Section 77, Housing Act, 1957) 35
(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
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 application list, by
Medical or Hospital Authorites, or by owners endeavouring to secure possession of
tneir properties on the grounds that they were overcrowded. It is probable that
much more evidence of overcrowding will be discovered now that the systematic
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