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It is difficult to fill vacancies; the country requires at least another 500 Public Health Inspectors,
and although the Council pays the London scales of salaries, which are higher than the N.J.C. scales, other
authorities offer additional inducements such as housing accommodation or car allowances.
4 pupil Public Health Inspectors were on the staff at the beginning of the year; 2 qualified and received
their certificates (one was appointed to Willesden and the second took up an appointment with another
authority). One new pupil Public Health Inspector was appointed during the year, leaving two vacancies.
The Rodent Officer and four operatives are employed in the destruction of rats and mice in the
borough, and two labourers on vermin disinfestation, drain testing and general duties.
SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE AREA
The main aim of the Council is to preserve property which will otherwise deteriorate into slums and
then require demolition. Many tenants contact the Public Health Department only when defects are serious
and costly to remedy.
In March, 1954, the Council decided to organise house-to-house inspections in selected areas of
the borough. The survey commenced on the 1st April, 1954, and was completed during 1956. 3 out of
4 of the houses were found to have defects (table 28). The schedules of repairs were drawn up on the
basis of preventing houses becoming slums; special attention was paid to windows, roofs, brickwork, gutters,
down-pipes, walls and ceilings (table 29). Notices under the Housing Act, 1936, and the Public Health Act,
1936, were served for these defects (table 30).
Demolition and Closing Orders
Housing Act, 1936, Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1953.
Details of demolition and closing orders made under the above Acts are shown in table 31.
Slum Clearance
During the year the Council added an area in Church End, including Holly Lane and Mayo Road
and the whole of the Stonebridge area, to the proposals originally put forward in 1955 in accordance with
the Government's five-year slum clearance programme. Surveys were carried out in the following areas:—
Willesden Lane;
Granville Road and Peel Road;
Albert Road and Denmark Road.
The first slum clearance area to be dealt with was in Willesden Lane and Winchester Avenue comprising
27 houses and three cleared sites. An official enquiry by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
was held early in 1957, and the outcome is awaited.
The Council has now made further representations for slum clearance for the areas including Albert,
Denmark and Canterbury Roads. These areas are being dealt with as soon as it is possible to rehouse their
inhabitants. Slum clearance cannot be carried out in Willesden, a built-up borough, until the redevelopment
schemes are completed and houses provided for those living in slum clearance areas.
Overcrowding
There has been little change in the extent of overcrowding which still remains acute. Very few
licences under section 61 of the Housing Act, 1936, were issued to permit temporary overcrowding (table 32).
Landlords do not now try and obtain eviction orders on the grounds of overcrowding because they realise that
the Court usually deals sympathetically with tenants.
The Housing and Estates Manager has kindly supplied the details of overcrowding in the area which
have been based mainly on statements of housing applicants (table 32), and also details of new dwellings
constructed during the year (table 33).
Notices served under the Public Health and Housing Acts 1936
There was an increase in the number of notices served during the year compared with 1955 (table 35).
Housing Repairs and Rents Act 1954—Certificates of Disrepair
Details of certificates of disrepair issued to tenants and revocation certificates to owners are shown
in table 36. The total number of certificates issued was only 20 per cent of those issued in 1955. Houses
in Willesden which are below the " good repair " standard have not been appreciably affected by this part of
the 1954 Act. The extensive use of the Housing Act, 1936, and the Public Health Act, 1936, has been much
more effective in securing improvements to properties in a bad state of repair.
Nuisances Abated and Improvements Effected
A summary of nuisances abated and improvements effected is shown in table 37.
Inspection of Factories, Outworkers Premises and Food Premises
A summary of inspection of the above premises is shown in table 38.