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10
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 27).
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 27), and also details of new dwellings
constructed during the year (table 28).
Notices served under the Public Health and Housing Acts 1936
There was a decrease in the number of notices served during the year compared with 1956 (table 30).
Fewer inspections were made because of the shortage of Public Health Inspectors ; there were two vacancies
both at the beginning and end of the year, and four Inspectors were engaged on special surveys (three on slum
clearance and the proposed redevelopment area and one on a preliminary survey for a smoke control area).
Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954 ; Rent Act, 1957
Details of certificates of disrepair issued to tenants and revocation certificates to owners under the
Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, are shown in table 31.
The Rent Act, 1957, came into operation on the 6th July, 1957, and details of the applications
received and certificates issued up to the end of the year are shown in table 31.
Nuisances abated and improvements effected
A summary of nuisances abated and improvements effected is shown in table 32.
Inspection of factories, outworkers premises and food premises
A summary of inspections of the above premises is shown in table 33.
CLEAN AIR
Measurements of grit and sulphur in the air have been carried out during the year and the results
in the areas surrounding the three power stations show general improvement (tables 35, 36).
In January and February there were excessive grit emissions from Acton Lane Power Station. The
Council sent a warning letter to the superintendent. Frequent visits were made by the Public Health Inspectors
and the grit arresting plant was completely overhauled. Several defects were found and after repair
there were no further excessive emissions. The superintendent undertook to inspect the plant daily and report
any defect to the department immediately.
When the extension to the Acton Lane Power Station was approved in 1952 the British Electricity
Authority (now the Central Electricity Authority) gave an assurance that the whole of the existing plant
would be taken out of commission by the end of 1959 or such later date as might be approved by the Minister.
The present position in the old station is that of the original 24 boilers 8 have been cut off and are being
demolished, and in 1958 another 12 will gradually go out of commission and will subsequently be demolished.
This will leave four modern boilers which are equipped with the latest type of grit arresting plant. Three
cooling towers have been demolished and others will follow as they go out of use.
Following a series of complaints regarding grit emissions from the Taylors Lane Power Station,
the Clean Air Sub-committee, the officers, and three local residents met the Divisional Controller of the Central
Electricity Authority and six members of his staff at the Town Hall on the 5th April, 1957. Following a
lengthy discussion the Divisional Controller stated that due to the restriction on capital expenditure, the
installation of an ash plant, which should abate the nuisance almost completely, had been delayed. However,
authority had been given for the necessary expenditure, and the plant, if available, would be completely
installed within eighteen months. The Divisional Controller assured the sub-committee that the work would
be started as soon as possible.
The station was closed from early August for two and a half months for major modifications and
improvements. Unfortunately when the plant was brought into operation at the end of October a considerable
quantity of fragmentary brickwork, together with some fly ash, was emitted from the stack. The plant
was shut down and the inside of the stack was examined. It was found that the brickwork was flaking and
steeplejacks scraped the inside and removed all the disintegrated brickwork. The plant was put back into
service, and no further excessive emissions were observed.
A successful public meeting was held at Anson Hall, Cricklewood. in February to discuss the
problems of atmospheric pollution, and the Council's methods and proposals for dealing with them. More
than 80 people attended the meeting, including representatives from 25 organisations. They were addressed
by Mr. Arthur Blenkinsop, M.P., and Councillor Piddington, Chairman of the Council's Clean Air Subcommittee.
After the addresses questions were invited from the audience and these were answered by the
two speakers and the Chairman of the Public Health Committee, the Director of the Society for Clean Air,
the Town Clerk, the Medical Officer of Health and the Chief Public Health Inspector, who were also present
on the platform.
Early in 1957, part of the Clean Air Act came into operation. The remainder of the Act will come
into force in June, 1958. The Council have always considered clean air as a priority, and as long ago as 1930
appointed a number of Public Health Inspectors qualified as Smoke Inspectors.