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26.
which supply the Council flats. These ducts provide a favourable
breeding ground for cockroaches and beetles but an arrangement has been
made whereby the Disinfectors of this Department place Insecticide powder
in the hot water ducts when they are being constructed, thus killing off
any beetles and preventing harbourage for others. This method of control
has been proved to be very successful in the past year.
To prevent the breeding of flies on putrescible matter which has
been deposited on vacant sites by unauthorised persons, many of the sites
have been sprayed during the year, 189 articles being removed and 76 sites
sprayed.
Disinfection of sandpits and public open spaces.
By arrangement with the Borough Surveyor the sandpits in the
children's playgrounds in the Borough were disinfected with "bleaching
powder as a precaution against the spread of infectious disease,
particularly poliomyelitis.
HOUSING REPAIRS & RENTS ACT., 1954.
The above-named Act, which came into force during the year, placed
added responsibility and duties on local authorities, particularly in
regard to standards of fitness for human habitation and the rent
increases in respect of repairs which were allowed to armers under the
Act. During the year 101 applications were made on behalf of tenants
for Certificates of Disrepair where Notices of Increase of Rent had been
served by the owners. The work entailed placed an added burden on the
work of the Public Health Department and it was found necessary for the
Chief Sanitary Inspector and his Deputy to take this work completely in
hand so as to form a standard of defects for the issue of certificates
of disrepair where the condition of the premises justified it. The work
in connection with this part of the Act meant several visits to premises
in order to make sure that the Certificates of Disrepair were accurate.
The added work in connection therewith after the Certificates of
Disrepair had been issued has also been considerable and included the
reinspeotian of work which had been done, with a final inspection where
a Certificate of Revocation had been asked for. This work has been most
onerous, particularly in view of the shortages of Inspectorial staff.
REGISTRATION OF HAIRDRESSERS.
Under the London County Council General Powers Act, 1954, the
registration of hairdressing premises may be enforced by the Borough
Council, and in this connection 46 hairdressing establishments have been
registered in the Borough.
The Borough Council having decided to make Bye-laws to control
these establishments, a higher standard of cleanliness can new be demanded
by the Council's sanitary inspectors.
The number of visits made during the year was 65.