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48.
HOUSING.
Individual Dwellings - Clearance Areas.
During the year rapid development has taken place particularly under
part V of the Housing Act, and under the five years Slum Clearance Programme,
one small clearance area involving five houses has been represented and a
Clearance Order in respect of these dwellings was confirmed.
Particular progress has been maintained in re-housing the occupants of
Whitecross Place, and at the end of the year 67 families had been re-housed
from these dwellings leaving only 25 families to be re-housed to complete this
part of our Slum Clearance Programme. The 196O-1965 Slum Clearance Programme
therefore is virtually completed two years in advance.
With increased staff, house to house inspections have again been made and
during the year 286 houses were inspected. Whilst it is gratifying, it should
be noted that more progress would have been made if it had not been for the
fact that the Department was without a Smoke Control Officer for three months
during the year, and the District Public Health Inspectors carried out work
under the Clean Air Act (which would normally have been carried out by the
Smoke Control Officer) at the expense of other district work.
At the end of the year the Council were fortunate in obtaining the
services of a Smoke Control Officer, and it will be possible again to implement
a full programme of house-to-house inspections.
Details of Redevelopment during 1962.
As some indication of the work involved during 1962
1 Clearance Area was resolved
3 Compulsory Purchase Orders were confirmed involving 195 premises
1 Demolition Order was made
2 Closing Orders were made
36 Undertakings not to re-let until premises were made fit, were
accepted.
308 Premises were demolished
249 New flats were completed
597 New flats were in course of erection
286 Routine inspections under Section 3, Housing Act, 1957•
Loans and Grants.
3 Applications for loan to repair were received
2 Applications for Standard Improvement Grants were received and
approved
6 Applications for Discretionary Improvement Grants were received
and approved
Underground Rooms
During 1962 representations were made to the Public Health Committee
resulting in -
2 Closing Orders being made
3 Undertakings being accepted not to re-let until premises rendered
fit