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43
Failure to give 24 hours written notice
to the Local Authority of intention
to re-construct drain such drain
having been covered over without
notice (two houses concerned) Warning given.
VI.—HOUSING CONDITIONS.
There was a special drive during 1933 throughout the
country to abolish slums, but I am happy to report that
Bromley possesses no slums, the housing conditions have
always maintained a high standard of repair and every
tendency to overcrowd or to create an unhealthy environment
being rapidly dealt with. The Local Authority has
in fact built 524 houses for the working classes, which
is equivalent to 4.3% of the total number of inhabited houses.
When one considers that Bromley is purely a residential
town and not industrial, this in my opinion should be
adequate to meet the needs. Private enterprise has nowtaken
the field and is building houses at a much lower
rental than existed a few years ago, thus providing for
the owner-occupier an environment which must lead to
public health, provided such houses are built on lines
of sound construction and will not call lor early structural
repairs at such a cost as will effect a lower standard of
living of the occupier. This, in my view, is a possible
danger and one that can only be controlled by strict
compliance with the Building Bye-laws.
It is specially noticeable on new housing estates,
council houses included, that no sooner are they occupied
than all sorts of sheds are haphazardly erected in the back
yards, not only detracting from the orderliness of the
housing lay-out but giving a general appearance oi
neglect and a harbourage for rats and other vermin.
Housing Acts, 1925-1930.
No less than 1045 houses were inspected by the
sanitary inspectors, 952 of which were not in all respects
reasonably lit for habitation ; 714 of these were remedied
by informal action.