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Water Supply.
At the end of the year 1952 there were estimated to be 39,697 houses in the
Borough, comprising 30,024 privately-owned houses, 7,752 local authority houses,
1,299 prefabricated dwellings and 622 tenements (i.e., buildings divided into flats),
and all these premises receive water direct from the public water mains supplied by
the Metropolitan Water Board.
The water supply was satisfactory in both quality and quantity, the very few
complaints received relating to defective cisterns. No complaints regarding the
quality of the water were received. All the eight active wells in the Borough are
used for trade purposes.
Drainage.
Some 581 drainage defects were discovered during the year and the Sanitary
Inspectors supervised their repair or reconstruction. 181 combined drains were
also cleared. Thirty-four smoke tests were carried out on suspected defective
drains, and 17 of these produced a positive result, 11 proved to be negative and
the remaining six were in respect of old, disused drains which, when found, were
permanently sealed off. Seven combined drains were found to be defective, and
after the service of the necessary notices under Section 40 of the Public Health
(London) Act, the Borough Engineer's Department carried out the work of
reinstatement, the cost being apportioned among the owners responsible. In one
instance the work was carried out by a contractor on behalf of all the interested
owners.
Six private drains were also cleared, and for this work charges totalling
£6 15s. Od. were made upon the responsible persons.
Building Licences.
During the year, 714 applications for building licences were received by the
Borough Engineer, compared with 1,444 during 1951. Altogether, 843 licences
were issued during the year, covering a total value of £307,530.
Provision of Dustbins.
Under Section 105 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, if any house is
found to be without an adequate dustbin the Council may serve a notice on the
owner or the occupier requiring the supply of a dustbin at the house. A person
aggrieved may appeal to the Magistrate's Court. For many years, except in
exceptional circumstances, the Council has regarded the provision of a dustbin as
a matter for the owner of the house. However, following decisions in recent court
cases, the Health Committee decided in 1951 that in future where an objection was
raised by a person receiving a notice under the Byelaws requiring him to provide
a dustbin, the circumstances of each case should be reported to the Committee,
together with information as to the type of tenancy, the rental, the number of
tenants, details of any sub-letting, whether there had been any negligent usage of
the previous dustbin, the financial circumstances of the occupier and the owner,
and any other relevant information, to enable the Committee to decide whether
the notice under the Public Health Act should be served on the owner or on the
occupier.
During 1952, in thirteen cases owners objected to their providing a dustbin.
Each of these cases was carefully considered by the Health Committee, and in ten
it was decided that the owner ought properly to be required to provide the new
dustbin. Notices were accordingly served under Section 105 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936, on these persons. No appeals were made against the Council's
decisions.
There were 16 instances following the service of a notice under the Byelaws
requiring the provision of a dustbin, where the owner, although not objecting,
nevertheless did not provide the dustbin, and the Health Committee authorised
the sending of a cautionary letter to the owners concerned. Dustbins were subsequently
provided at each of the premises.
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