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STEPNEY BOROUGH COUNCIL INFORMATION SERVICE.
I am indebted for the following information to the
Information Officer, Mr.J.Mordsley, who administers the
Service under the direction of the Borough Librarian.
The past year has seen the first full year of the establishment
of the Information Service at the Municipal Offices
at 227/233, Commercial Road, E.l., since its transfer from
671A; Commercial Road, and during this period the number of
enquiries reached a total of 11,686, an increase over the
previous year. An analysis of the enquiries is given on the
next page.
The scope of the enquiries has remainded as varied as
ever, and in general, except for one important item, the
relative number of enquiries under the headings given vary
little from last year.
The exception to this is the heading "Rates and Rents",
which shows an increase of well over a thousand, due to the
coming into operation at the end of August of the Housing
Repairs and Rents Act, 1954. For several months after this
Act became law there was a flood of applicants seeking information
and advice on the Notices of Increase they had received
under the new Act, and it was quickly realised by the citizens
of Stepney that the Information Bureau was the office where
their queries would be dealt with authoritatively.
As a result of the information and advice given, many of
the Notices of Increase served on tenants were withdrawn
because of errors they contained or upon which they were based.
Many other tenants were referred to the Public Health Department
for the issue of Certificates of Disrepair. Another outcome
of the new Act brought to light the fact that many tenants
of 'old controlled' properties were being overcharged on their
existing rents, and as a result of the information given them
the overcharges were recovered in accordance with the law and
the correct rents reinstated.
Many enquiries connected with the aged are brought to the
Information Bureau as old age continues to produce its own
problems despite the efforts made through social legislation
and,voluntary organisations to provide special facilities and
amenities for the more elderly of the Borough.
Accommodation in Stepney remains as scarce as ever, and
this brings with it numerous enquiries, included among which
are those relating to the alleged overcharging for furnished
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