View report page

109
APPENDIX K.
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH ON THE HOUSING ACT, 1930,
IN SO FAR AS IT AFFECTS THE WORK OF THE HEALTH COMMITTEE.
The Willesden Urban District Council is required :—
(1) To consider the housing conditions in their area.
(2) To consider the needs of the area with respect to the further provision of housing
modation for the working classes.
(3) To submit to the Minister proposals for the provision of new houses for the working
classes. (N.B.—This is to be done as often as occasion arises, or three months after
notice by the Minister.)
(4) In the year 1930 and each fifth succeeding year to submit to the Minister a general
ment of the measures which they propose to take during the five next succeeding years
for dealing with—
(a) the housing conditions of their area, and
(b) the provision of further housing accommodation.
The Medical Officer of Health is required to make an official representation wherever he is
of opinion—
(1) That any area is an area which should be dealt with as a clearance area.
(2) That any area is an area which should be dealt with as an improvement area.
(3) That any dwelling house is unfit for human habitation.
The local authority is required to take into consideration any official representation of the
Medical Officer of Health.
Clearance Area.
Clearance areas contain dwelling-houses and buildings.
Dwelling houses can only be included in a clearance area if they are—
(a) unfit for human habitation, or
(b) dangerous or injurious to the health of the inhabitants of the area owing to their
bad arrangement, or the narrowness or bad arrangement of the streets.
Buildings other than dwelling-houses can only be included in a clearance area if they are
dangerous or injurious to the health of the inhabitants of the area owing to their bad arrangement
or the narrowness or bad arrangement of the streets.
All the buildings in a clearance area must be demolished.
The area of a clearance area may be of irregular shape.
The local authority, however, may purchase adjoining property in order to secure a cleared
area of convenient shape and size.
Property in the clearance area will be purchased at site value or less, but property adjoining
a clearance area will be purchased at market value.
The demolition of a clearance area may be carried out—
(1) By requiring the owners to demolish ;
(2) By purchase of the area either by agreement or compulsion by the local authority
who will then carry out the necessary demolition.
Before a clearance area is taken in hand on the above lines, the following conditions require
to be satisfied :—
(1) That the resources of the local authority are sufficient ;
(2) That the necessary re-housing accommodation will be provided in advance of
displacements of the persons for whom re-housing is required.
It will therefore be noted that an undertaking to re-house is a necessary antecedent of any
action in respect of a clearance.
The object of the Act in dealing with clearance areas is the abolition of slums.
Improvement Area.
An improvement area unlike a clearance area may contain fit as well as unfit houses.
It is not necessary that all the houses should be demolished, but a great improvement in an
improvement area can be secured if the worst houses are removed ; if steps are taken to remove