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stances warranted. Wembley is a comparatively new town and
consequently has not a large number of houses which should be
cleared.
A Survey was carried out and 43 houses were included in the
figure submitted to the Minister, 39 of which it was thought would
be included in Clearance Areas and the remainder dealt with as
individually unfit houses. None of the proposed Clearance Areas
is large and the sites therefore do not lend themselves to extensive
redevelopment. Of the 43 houses listed, 8 have already been
demolished by the owners without statutory action being invoked
by the Council and 2 have been demolished in accordance with
Demolition Orders; 4 were included in a declared Clearance Area
but the Minister did not confirm the Order as the owner gave an
undertaking to put the houses in a proper state of repair. Although the
problem in Wembley is a small one, the rehousing of displaced persons
is not easy having regard to the Council's commitments and
liabilities for the rehousing of other families. Wembley has practically
reached saturation point and there is virtually no land available in
the Borough for the erection of more Council houses or flats.
During the year 14 applications were received from tenants for
certificates in compliance with Section 26 of the Act; 13 certificates
were issued and one was refused. In 4 instances landlords applied
for revocation of certificates following the execution of the necessary
works of repair and these were granted.
This part of the Act dealing with certificates has been revoked
by the Rent Act, 1957. The new Act formulates a different procedure
which will be dealt with in next year's Annual Report.
Legal Proceedings.
In one instance legal proceedings had to be taken in the
Magistrates' Court in respect of repairs which had not been carried
out by the owner following the service of a statutory notice under
Section 93 of the Public Health Act, 1936. The Court made an
order for the work to be carried out in 28 days and fined the
defendant £2 0s. 0d. with £1 10s. 0d. costs, plus a witness fee of
£1 10s. 0d. The necessary repairs were subsequently carried out
by the owner.
Details of inspections made, notices served and works carried
out at dwelling houses are given in the statistical appendix.
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