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Representations were made on behalf of the Council to the local Members of
Parliament, and to the local authorities concerned. The general question of this
nuisance was raised in the House of Commons.
A Committee, comprised of interested local authorities, on which representatives
of the management of the cement factories and officers of the Ministry of Housing
and Local Government also sit, is actively engaged in considering means of eliminating
this nuisance.
Burial of the Dead.
During the year arrangements for the burial or cremation of the bodies of
persons dying or found dead in the area have been carried out by the Council on
twelve occasions, as no other suitable arrangements were being made.
Expenses incurred in this work may be recovered from the estate of the deceased
person or from "a liable relative." The responsibility for the burial of the majority
of persons dying in local hospitals in such circumstances now rests with the local
Hospital Management Committee.
The total expenses in respect of cases dealt with by the Council during 1953
were £91 4s. 9d., of which £24 was recovered.
Mortuary Facilities.
The public mortuary at Sunbury Street is an old building, and, although
adequate for the accommodation of a few bodies in an emergency, is not suitable
for larger numbers without improvement. On the instruction of the Coroner all
post-portem cases are sent to the public mortuary at Lewisham in the case of Eltham
persons, and to Deptford in the case of Woolwich, Plumstead and Abbey Wood
persons. Approximately 200 Woolwich cases go to Deptford and rather more
than 100 to Lewisham.
Eltham Cemetery—Proposed Joint Crematorium.
Strong representations were made by the Council during the year to the Ministry
of Housing and Local Government urging that consideration should be given to the
Council's application for consent to the building of the proposed joint crematorium,
and that priority should be given to this area. During the year a conference was
held at the Ministry when it was pointed out that the Council were extremely anxious
to secure crematorium facilities locally, the nearest crematorium on the east being
at Charing in Kent, and on the west at Honor Oak, this crematorium at the present
time working to capacity. It is understood that every consideration is now being
given to the Council's application.
Street Cleansing.
Each main thoroughfare is cleansed daily, secondary roads twice weekly and
district roads once weekly. There are 86 road sweepers employed on the work and,
in addition, a mechanical sweeper and sprinkler is used to sweep the roads in the
shopping areas adjacent to Powis Street, Plumstead High Street and Eltham High
Street.
Altogether, 9,200 street gulleys are cleansed periodically by mechanical gulley
cleansing machines.
House and Trade Refuse.
During the year under review 46,087 tons of refuse were collected by the
Council's vehicles and 55,630 tons disposed of at the Council's Refuse Destructor.
The difference between the two weights is largely the quantity of refuse delivered
to the Destructor from the Royal Arsenal and from the Army Barracks. Material
salvaged weighed 1,427 tons and was sold for £6,441. In addition, 2,592 tons of
kitchen waste were collected within the Borough and, with the kitchen waste collected
by neighbouring authorities, was processed into pig food at the Council's plant at
White Hart Road.
A system of house-to-house collection of kitchen waste has been instituted in
an area approximately equal to one third of the Borough. Aluminium containers
are issued to householders and result in the removal of communal bins from the
streets in the district in which the new system has been introduced, and in the
obtaining of an improved quality of kitchen waste.
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