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28
RODENT CONTROL
Rodent control, as approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Infestation Branch) has
been carried out in the properties below:—
Business premises 209
Borough Council properties 38
Private dwellings 537
Total 784
at the following cost:
Business premises £1,399 7s. 6d.
Private dwellings £956 l1s. 7d.
Total £2,355 19s. 1d.
The cost of disinfestation at business premises is recovered from the occupiers, and in 1952, 107 had
an annual agreement with the Council for regular inspection and disinfestation; ten were new agreements
and 97 were renewals. The service is free to occupiers of private dwellings but the Borough Council
recovers 50 per cent. of the cost from the Ministry.
The work of rodent control in the Council's sewers is carried out by the Borough Engineer's Department.
Where surface rat infestation is due to faulty connections in house drainage systems, the Borough
Engineer's Department arranges for opening the pavement.
CLEAN FOOD
Premises where food is prepared
The Borough Council maintains, a register of premises suitable for the manufacture, storage or sale
of ice cream, and for the preparation or manufacture of sausages, potted, pickled or preserved ,foods, including
cooked meat or fish intended for sale. If the Borough Council considers that the premises are, unsuitable
and refuses to register them or cancels a registration, the owner can appeal first to them and, if unsuccessful,
to a court of summary jurisdiction.

Ice Cream
Ice cream sold within the borough generally reaches a high standard of purity. Most of it is manufactured
outside the district and is usually pre-packed.
There was a marked increase in the number of samples taken in 1952 (61 as compared with 8 in 1951)
because faecal coli were found in samples of ice cream manufactured in the district. Frequent samples were
taken from different parts of the plant machinery. Unsatisfactory equipment was replaced, wash-hand basins
were installed, and talks on clean food handling were given to the staff. Faecal coli were soon excluded
from the samples, which reached Grade I.
CLEAN FOOD GUILD
The Willesden Clean Food Guild has continued its work of improving the standard of cleanliness
in food handling in the district. It is almost five years since the Guild was formed in May, 1948, when it
was known as the Willesden Hygienic Food Committee.