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9
SANITARY SECTION
Staff
The establishment of Public Health Inspectors includes a Chief Public Health Inspector, a Deputy
Chief Public Health Inspector, 18 District Inspectors and 5 Pupil Public Health Inspectors.
At the beginning of the year there were two vacancies for District Inspectors and during the year
there were two resignations. One appointment was made, leaving three vacancies at the end of the year.
The shortage of Public Health Inspectors in the borough is seriously affecting the work of the
department. During the past three or four years additional duties have been placed on them. Their work
on housing has increased, because of slum clearance and the Rent Act, 1957, on atmospheric pollution,
because of the Clean Air Act, and on the supervision of food premises, because of the Food Hygiene
Regulations.
Although the present establishment (including the Chief and Deputy Chief) was fixed at 20 in 1954,
it was full only for six months between November, 1954, and April, 1955. The average number on the staff
since 1954 has been 17 — at one time in 1957 it was only 15. As a result of this there has had to be certain
priorities in the work. In July, the Public Health Committee decided that work be continued on the survey
of slum clearance areas in Mayo Road/Holly Lane, Granville Road, and Poplars and Richmond Avenues,
and the No. 1 (Neasden) Smoke Control Area. Inspections in the proposed Stonebridge Redevelopment Area
were stopped and it was decided not to proceed with inspections in the No. 2 Smoke Control Area.
Two Pupil Public Health Inspectors were on the staff at the beginning of the year. There have
since been two appointments, leaving one vacancy.
The Rodent Officer and four operatives are employed in the destruction of rats and mice in the
borough, and two labourers on vermin disinfestation, disinfection, drain testing and general duties.
SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE AREA
The majority of houses inspected during the year followed complaints from tenants; there was no
systematic house-to-house inspection. Unfortunately many tenants contact the Public Health Department only
when the defects are serious and costly to remedy.
Demolition and closing orders
There were no demolition orders made during the year (Table 26).
Slum clearance
Slum clearance surveys were carried out in six areas; one with 55 properties on the north side of
Granville Road; one with 70 properties in an area embracing the south side of Granville Road and parts of
Carlton Vale, Kilburn Park/Percy/Cambridge Roads; a third in the Mayo Road, Holly Lane, Taylors Lane,
Oak Road area, including 344 dwellings; a fourth in the Richmond/Poplars Avenue area, comprising 50
dwellings; a fifth in Pound Lane, Nos. 1-9 involving nine houses ; and finally 1-4 Stevens Cottages, a total
of four houses.
In addition, the survey of 357 houses in the "pink" and "green" phased zones of the Stonebridge
Proposed Redevelopment Area, was carried out.
The Minister of Housing and Local Government held a Public Inquiry into, and confirmed the
Albert/Denmark and Canterbury Road Compulsory Purchase Order, and also a public inquiry into the
Carlton Vale/Canterbury/Peel Roads Compulsory Purchase Order, the result of which is awaited.
Overcrowding
There has been little change in the extent of overcrowding which still remains acute. Very few
licences under section 80 of the Housing Act, 1957, 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 Act, 1936, and the Housing Act, 1957
There was an increase in the number of statutory notices served during the year, compared with 1957
(Table 30).
In spite of the continued shortage of Public Health Inspectors more inspections were carried out.
There were two vacancies at the beginning of the year and three at the end. Four Inspectors (one of whom
resigned) were engaged on special surveys ; three on slum clearance and the proposed redevelopment area,
and one on the smoke control area.