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building materials could be obtained, has meant that requests
have been received from owners and builders for housing
inspections to be made in order that the necessary Certificate
may be issued and repairs and/or replacements effected.
This was further accentuated during the early part of the
year, following damage to many houses as a result of burst water
pipes, etc., consequent upon the very severe winter.
The number of Certificates of Essential Repair issued by the
sanitary inspectors from 1st January to 31st August was 3,027.
The very large volume of work made necessary by the
number of complaints and requests for housing inspections has
meant that the routine duties of the sanitary inspectors have
been, of necessity, considerably curtailed, and there is, in this
respect, a great deal of outstanding leeway to be made up. This
has not, however, been overlooked, but at the present the
primary concern must be the rendering reasonably fit for human
habitation of as many houses as possible.
Of the 3,746 dwelling houses inspected during the year, 3,682
were found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human
habitation, and during the year it was possible to render fit
2,596 of these by informal action. The number of preliminary
notices served for housing defects was 4,851, and it was also
found necessary to serve three statutory notices.
Rehousing.
The acute problem of housing continued to cause considerable
anxiety to the Local Authority during the year, and I am
indebted to the Property Manager for the following information
which gives some indication of the very considerable efforts
made in the endeavour to remedy the unsatisfactory circumstances
in which many families in the Borough are living.
26 families, comprising 112 persons, were accommodated in
20 permanent houses.
19 families, comprising 58 persons, were " permanently"
housed in prefabricated dwellings during 1947, making a
total of 325 families, comprising 997 persons, so accommodated
at 31st December, 1947.
251 families, comprising 790 persons, were allocated accommodation
in requisitioned property. At 31st December
412 properties were under requisition by the Local
Authority, and afforded accommodation for 830 families,
comprising 3,093 persons.