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One great difficulty which will have to be faced is the case of large families.
There are no flats within the borough large enough to accommodate many
of them and for economic reasons they are unable to remove to the outside
cottage estates.
Another factor which very materially affects both overcrowding and slum
clearance is the large number of elderly single persons and aged couples, many of
whom are mainly subsisting on old age pensions or public assistance. I fully
appreciate the reluctance of many of these people to leave the district where
they have spent the whole of their lives, and also many of them are too old
or infirm to live entirely on their own responsibility and are being looked
after by married children or relatives who live with or near to them. As
far as is reasonably possible, the desires of these old people should be
considered. Nevertheless to provide a large number of one roomed flats for
these people within the Borough is a matter of considerable difficulty, being
uneconomic for a housing authority.
There is no doubt that, an ideal solution of the problem would appear
to be to make special provision, for such of these old persons as desired to
avail of it, on an estate as near to London as possible, where they could be easily
visited by their friends and relatives and that on such an estate, provision
should be made for their physical and social requirements thus enabling them
to spend their remaining years of life in a happy and healthy environment.
This would not only conduce to their personal welfare but in many cases where
at present, they are a great source of anxiety to their relatives, the latter
would be relieved of much of this anxiety, and moreover, a large amount of
accommodation within the Borough would be set free for those who must live
near their place of employment.
Statistics.—I.—Inspection of dwelling houses during the year:—
(1) (a) Total number of dwelling houses inspected for housing
defects(under Public Health or Housing Acts) 21,218
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 28,122
(2) (a) Number of dwelling houses(included under sub-head (1)
above) which were inspected and recorded under the
Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 595
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 595
(3) Number of dwelling houses found to be in a state so dangerous
or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitatation
255
(4) Number of dwelling houses(exclusive of those referred to
under the preceding sub-head) found not to be in all
respects reasonably fit for human habitation 10,483
2.—Remedy of defects during the Year without service of formal Notices:—
Number of defective dwelling houses rendered fit in consequence
of informal action by the Local Authority or their
officers 7,831