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11
BOMBED SITES
The Health Department continues to deal with nuisances such as rats or refuse on the few remaining
bombed sites in the borough.
DISINFESTATION
The Public Health Inspectors inspect verminous premises and supervise the work of disinfestors
employed by the Council (section 83 of the Public Health Act, 1936) (Table 36). There was a considerable
increase in the work.
The Council provide transport for clothing, and bedding requiring disinfection and disinfestation
at the Neasden Hospital (section 84 of the Public Health Act, 1936). The Council's attendant disinfects and
disinfests rooms, and collects and delivers the clothing and bedding.
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 239
Borough Council properties 7
Private dwellings 769
Total 1,015
at the following cost:
Business premises £1,464 11 4
Private dwellings £2,032 10 4
Total £3,497 1 8
The cost of disinfestation at business premises is recovered from the occupiers; 124 had an annual
agreement with the Council for regular inspection and disinfestation, 12 were new agreements and 112 were
renewals. The service is free to occupiers of private dwellings.
Rodent control in the Council's sewers is carried out by the Borough Engineer's Department. Where
surface rat infestation is due to faults in the connections of the house drains with the sewer, the Borough
Engineer's Department arranges for opening the pavement.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD AND FOOD PREMISES
All food premises in the borough are regularly inspected by the Public Health Inspectors (Table 37).
Improvements in premises
The Food Hygiene Regulations, 1955, which came into operation on the 1st January, 1956, prescribe
standards for the preparation, storage and sale of clean food. There has been a marked improvement
in hygiene in the production and sale of food.
Public Health Inspectors visited food premises frequently and serve verbal or written notices to improve
their standard. Works in some premises are still either in progress or arrangements are being made for
them to be carried out (Tables 38 and 39).
Three persons were prosecuted for smoking while handling open food. One was fined £10 with
£2.2.0 costs; the second was fined £10 with £3.3.0 costs and the third was fined £5 with £2.2.0 costs.
A greengrocer was prosecuted for 17 contraventions of the Food Hygiene Regulations; he was
granted an absolute discharge on 5, 3 were dismissed and he was convicted on 9 with fines totalling £33 and
£10.10.0 costs.
A baker was prosecuted for four contra vent ions of the Regulations; he was granted an absolute
discharge on 1, one was withdrawn and he was convicted on 2 with fines totalling £20 with £10.10.0 costs.
Premises where food is prepared
Premises which manufacture or sell ice-cream or prepare or manufacture sausages, potted, pressed,
pickled or preserved foods, including cooked meat or fish intended for sale, must be registered by the Council.
If the Council refuses or cancels a registration, the owner can appeal first to them and if unsuccessful to a
court of summary jurisdiction (Table 40)
Premises where ice-cream is manufactured are kept under constant supervision. Most of the icecream
sold in the borough is manufactured outside the district, and is usually pre-packed. The ice-cream
reaches a high standard of purity (Table 9).
Education in food hygiene
Lectures and talks, illustrated with film shows, filmstrips, and bacteriological cultures, were given
to social and political organisations, and school-leavers.
At the end of the year posters were issued to food shops asking the public not to take their dogs into
the shop and to refrain from smoking while shopping.