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24
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES (Contd.)
The employment of dictation machines in the Department has not only
enabled more profitable use to be made of the specialised knowledge of
Public Health Inspectors, but has reduced the need for shorthand typists in
the Department, providing more scope for the employment of non-shorthand
typists.
Basic Routine Inspection programme.
A properly programmed inspection of all business and commercial
premises within the Borough cannot efficiently be undertaken, unless simple
and speedy means are devised to control this programme. A great deal of
consideration has been given to this important work, with the result, that
there is now employed in the Department, under the control of the Chief
Public Health Inspector, a modern punched card system controlling basic
routine inspections. This was not introduced until the latter part of the
year and there can be little doubt already as to its value.
The result of efforts made to recruit experienced Public Health Inspectors.
To return to staff matters and to strike a happier note for the future,
for the first time in many years there will be a full staff of Public Health
Inspectors as from 1st January 1962.
Towards the end of I96I the Council, determined that the serious
situation which had arisen because of the serious shortage of Public Health
Inspectors could not be tolerated any longer, decided to alter the
establishment and the salary grades and advertise for three senior Supervisory
Inspectors and one senior Pood Inspector. Ultimately they advertised,
and from thirteen applicants, suitable candidates were appointed. This is
perhaps one of the most significant items to record in this year's Annual
Report.
The reduction of atmospheric pollution.
The appointment of a Smoke Control Officer in the Department in July
this year, gave added impetus to the Smoke Control Programme which is now
well on the way and gradually gaining momentum. If the present rate of
progress is continued, and as we sincerely hope the present complicated
requirements of the Ministry are curtailed, the whole of Shoreditch will be
declared to be Smoke Controlled within the next three or four years.
The pollution of the atmosphere from the exhausts of motor vehicles in
a very busy Central London Borough such as Shoreditch, has given rise to much
concern.