View report page

15
HOME NURSING SERVICE.
The Home Nurse employed by the Council nursed 431 cases during the year, and in connection
with such cases paid 4,291 visits. 1,512 of these visits were paid in the South Kilburn Ward, 1,087
the Mid-Kilburn Ward, 514 in the North Kilburn Ward, 251 in the Willesden Green Ward, 226 in the
Stonebridge Ward, 206 in the Cricklewood Ward, 177 in the Roundwood Ward, and smaller numbers
in the other wards of Willesden.
Of the 431 cases nursed during the year, 419 were new cases. 362 of these 419 new cases were
referred by the Health Department for nursing, 26 by private doctors and 31 by Hospitals,
Associations and private persons.
Ophthalmia neonatorum received 121 visits and other ophthalmia cases 838 visits.
SANITARY WORK.
The number of houses in Willesden at the end of 1935 was 32,540. Smaller flats contained under
one roof being counted as one house, larger flats in blocks being counted separately.
During the year the total number of inspections and re-inspections made by the Sanitary
Staff was 27,449 as compared with 28,677 in 1934.
The houses inspected under the Housing Acts numbered 1,249 as compared with 1,403 in 1934.
The number of complaints received, 2,168 is lower than in 1934.
The total number of Notices issued and nuisances abated were 5,178, and 25,849 respectively
Work done under the Housing Acts is shown in the tabular statement in the body of the report.
The above is exclusive of work carried out in connection with Clearance Areas.
Housing.—The Health Department ever since the passing of the Public Health Act, 1875
has been concerned with the housing conditions of the people. The work of the Department has
from time to time been extended by the various Housing Acts which have been passed, beginning
with the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1885, and ending at present with the Housing Act of 1935.
Many complaints reach the Department as to nuisances in connection with dwelling houses
and these complaints generally are dealt with under the nuisance sections of the Public Health Act,
1875. The work is carried out in the vast majority of cases by an intimation notice served by the
sanitary inspector and recourse to legal proceedings is only required in relatively few instances.
The main work, however, of the Department relative to housing, comes under the Housing
Acts. Under the Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 and 1932, the Department is enjoined to
make regular routine inspections of the houses in the Borough. This has been carried on now for a
number of years and the average number of houses which have been inspected per annum during the
past ten years is approximately 1,200. As a result of these inspections the necessary work to make the
houses fit for human habitation is carried out by notice served by the Department. Again the great
majority of such notices are complied with, legal proceedings as a rule being unnecessary.
Within recent years Parliament came to the conclusion that the existing powers of local authorities
to secure adequate housing for the population was not sufficient and consequently the Housing Act,
1930, was passed, which gave power to the local authority to clear slum areas and to build dwellings
to rehouse the displaced slum dweller.
Acting on the instructions of the Ministry the Council surveyed its area and adopted a programme
of clearance on the 13th October, 1933. The Health Department completed their work
relative to this programme on 4th October, 1935, and the Minister of Health completed his work of
enquiry by 10th January, 1936.
It is interesting to observe that the number of families to be displaced in the original programme
was estimated at 241 and the actual number of families to be displaced according to the decisions
of the Minister is the same. The number of inhabitants to be displaced according to the original
programme was 1,046 and the actual number to be displaced according to the decisions of the Minister,
1,023.
Circular 1,138 addressed to the Local Authority and dated 19th August, 1930, directed the
Local Authority to provide houses in advance of the displacement of slum dwellers, and the Council
acting under this exhortation, directed the Housing and Town Planning Committee on 24th July,
1934, to provide 266 flats and houses at Curzon Crescent. It is expected that some of these 266
homes will be ready in June, 1936, and all by January, 1937.
Although it is beyond question that overcrowding is one of the conditions most detrimental
to health and most likely to spread disease, it is a curious fact that there never has been for private
dwelling houses any legal standard of overcrowding. The latest Housing Act, namely, the Housing
Act, 1935, was passed by Parliament, laying down a legal standard of overcrowding. The Local
Authority was accordingly required to make a survey of all the working-class houses in its area with the
view of ascertaining the extent to which overcrowding existed, having regard to the standard laid
down in the Act, and to report to the Minister as to the extent of the overcrowding and to submit
proposals for the provision of the houses necessary to relieve such overcrowding.