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11
CLEAN AIR
The Clean Air Act, 1956, came into full operation on the 1st June, 1958. With certain temporary
exemptions the Act prohibits the emission of 'dark smoke' from all chimneys and provides for the establishment
of smoke control areas.
The No. 2 (Neasden) Smoke Control Order, covering 271 acres, with 2,351 dwellings, 112 commercial.
24 industrial and 7 other premises, came into operation on 1st October, 1960. The undermentioned appliances
were installed by owners and tenants:—
Open fires 628
Open fires with boilers 33
Gas fires 22
Electric fires 12
Immersion heaters 4
Free standing convectors 2
Gas cookers 2
Independent boilers 1
In addition, 140 appliances were adapted and 102 gas and 68 electric points were provided. 97 open
fires were installed in property owned by the Council, and 23 appliances were adapted for gas ignition.
The No. 3 (Church End/Roundwood) Smoke Control Area, of 380 acres, with 5,057 dwellings, 378
commercial, 52 industrial and 20 other premises, was confirmed by the Council in November and was submitted
to the Minister of Housing and Local Government. 4 of the industrial premises burn coal but the Council
decided that only 2 should be granted exemption from the Order. The proposed date of operation is 1st
November, 1961.
The usual measurements of grit and sulphur have been made and the results in the areas surrounding
the three power stations show little change as compared with the previous year when the figures were
relatively low (Tables 34. 35).
The Council is represented at an Inter-borough Smoke Control Liaison Committee, which includes
delegates from the Hammersmith, Fulham, Brentford and Chiswick, Acton and Barnes Councils. Meetings
to co-ordinate smoke-control area planning are regularly held at Hammersmith Town Hall.
BOMBED SITES
The Health Department continues to deal with nuisances such as rats or refuse on the few remaining
bombed sites in the borough.
DISINFESTATTON
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 decrease in
the work compared with the previous year.
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 230
Borough Council properties 12
Private dwellings 810
Total 1,052
at the following cost:
Business premises £1,450 19 8d.
Private dwellings £2,745 8 8d.
Total £4,196 8 4d.
The cost of disinfestation at business premises is recovered from the occupiers; 123 had an annual
agreement with the Council for regular inspection and disinfestation, 8 were new agreements and 115 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.