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The Borough Council has paddling pools at the Middle Park Estate, in the
Briset Road Recreation Ground and in Plumstead Gardens, and there is another
paddling pool in Eaglesfield, Shooters Hill, belonging to the London County Council.
Street Cleansing and Refuse Disposal.
This was fully described in my Annual Report for 1949. During 1950, 41,570
tons of house and trade refuse were collected and, with the trade refuse delivered
by various tradesmen, brought the total to 48,586 tons dealt with at the destructor.
The salvaged material, weighing 1,889 tons, yielded £6,546 when sold. The raw
kitchen waste dealt with was 2,947 tons and realised £48,488. At the piggery, 269
pigs were maintained and the sale of pigs realised £5,428.
Public Conveniences.
Fourteen conveniences for men and a similar number for women are maintained
throughout the area, hours of opening and closing varying with local requirements.
In the town centre, for example, the conveniences are open from 5.30
a.m. Normally, however, this service is available between the hours of 6.30 a.m.
and 11 p.m. These conveniences were inspected regularly during the year.
The information regarding the street cleansing, refuse disposal and public conveniences,
has been kindly supplied by the Borough Engineer.
HOUSING
In December, 1950, there were 38,424 houses in the Borough. The number
inspected for housing defects under the Public Health or Housing Acts was 14,849
compared with 6,242 in the previous year. The number found not to be in all
respects reasonably fit for habitation was 2,835. Some 1,520 houses were rendered
fit in consequence of informal action by the sanitary inspectors, including the service
of Intimation Notices. Statutory Notices were served for the first time in respect
of 1,315 houses.
The work necessitated by the large number of complaints of all descriptions
received in 1950 continued to restrict the number of house-to-house inspections
carried out under the Housing (Consolidated) Regulations, 1925, 83 dwelling houses
being inspected under these Regulations in 1950.
Overcrowding .
The Council is under obligation, upon application made by either landlord or
occupier to give in writing the permitted number of persons in respect of any dwelling
house, and measurements were taken of dwellings on 640 occasions, compared with
126 in 1949. In all, 198 families were found to be living in overcrowded conditions.
Overcrowding reports were made to the London County Council on behalf of these
persons and in 76 cases alternative accommodation was obtained.
Demolition and Closing Orders.
Demolition Orders were made by the Council under the provisions of Section
11 of the Housing Act, 1936, in respect of the following unfit houses: Nos. 91, 92
and 93, Woolwich High Street.
The Council accepted an undertaking from the owner of No. 6, Bowling Green
Row, Woolwich, that the premises would not be used for human habitation.
During the year, Closing Orders were made in respect of the basement rooms
at Nos. 81, Eltham Road, S.E. 9, 22, Heverham Road, S.E. 18 and 9, Passey Place,
S.E. 9.
The Council authorised the service of a notice on the owner of No. 7, Heavitree
Road, Plumstead, requested that works to render the house fit be executed as required
by Section 9 of the Housing Act, 1936.
At the end of the year action was pending regarding a further six houses.
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