London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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| Clearance areas. | No. of dwelling houses to be demolished. | No. of families. | No. of inhabitants. | No. of buildings not in occupation as dwelling houses to be demolished. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (9) Comprising- Cambridge Mews East, Nos. 1 to 9 consecutively and a single-storey food store | 9 | 9 | 45 | 1 |
| (10) Comprising- Cambridge Mews West, Nos. 1 to 5 consecutively and No. 1 Percy Yard | 5 | 5 | 22 | 1 |
| (11) Comprising- Lincoln Mews, Nos. 1 to 18 consecutively | 18 | 18 | 94 | - |
| (12) Comprising- Market Place Yard, Nos. 1, 2 and 3 | 3 | 3 | 15 | - |
| (13) Comprising- Canterbury Yard, Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 192 | 241 | 1,046 | 22 |
2. -We have given further consideration to the area which we formerly recommended should
be dealt with by improvement or reconditioning, and we are now of opinion that this area in whole
or in part should be dealt with in conjunction with the clearance areas Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The area
comprises the following:-
Canterbury Road, 61 premises; Chichester Road, 13 premises; Cambridge Avenue,
8 premises ; Alpha Place, 5 premises. A total of 87 premises, involving 194 families and 626
inhabitants.
We recommend accordingly.
We are of opinion that areas (1) and (2) can be dealt with during the first year, and the
remaining areas dealt with at later periods as our experience indicates. We further recommend
that the Clerk be instructed to submit the foregoing programme to the Minister of Health in
due course.
The next step will be for the Medical Officer to make an official representation to the
Council wherever he is of opinion:-
(a) That any area is an area which should be dealt with as a clearance area ;
(b) That any area is an area which should be dealt with as an improvement area ;
(c) That any individual dwelling-house is unfit for human habitation.
This authority is required to take into consideration any such representations of the
Medical Officer and may then make any necessary clearance or improvement Order which
would be subject, of course, to the confirmation of the Minister of Health.
II. -Whilst the Council is required to provide accommodation in advance of demolition,
it is not possible at this stage to give any precise indication of the financial aspects of the
programme of re-housing contemplated during the next five years, but we feel it desirable to
draw attention to the following facts:-
(a) Exchequer subsidy at the rate of £2 5s. per annum for a period of 40 years is payable
in respect of each person displaced, or £3 10s. per annum in cases where it is necessary
to provide accommodation in tenement buildings of more than three storeys ;
(b) A local subsidy of £3 15s. per annum is payable from the General Rate Fund in
respect of each additional house or flat erected ;
(c) There is no liability upon the Council to re-house displaced tenants at the same
rents as those previously paid, but the Council is empowered to charge differing
rents for the same types of property in cases where the circumstances justify this
course ;