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In addition, at the end of the year, a further 254 dwellings were under construction
by the Borough Council.
Further progress was made in 1955 in the St. Mary's Comprehensive Development
Area. Since the scheme commenced, 261 families have been rehoused from
the area, and 183 new dwellings erected since building commenced in September,
1953. Further schemes are in hand, and in addition plans have been approved
for the first stage of the shopping centre.
The redevelopment of the hutment area at Abbey Wood has continued and
only 25 of these hutments remained occupied at the end of the year. One scheme
for 128 new dwellings has been completed, a second scheme for 76 dwellings is under
construction, and a third scheme for 124 dwellings is in preparation.
The development of various smaller sites in the Borough has continued, and
in addition a start has been made on three further schemes on the Coldharbour
Estate, totalling 136 dwellings which, when finished, will complete the development
on this Estate.
At the 31st December, 1955, there were 8,920 tenancies in property owned or
controlled by the Council, of which 702 were in Requisitioned Properties.
There were 3,732 applications on the Housing Register at the end of the year,
compared with 4,291 at the end of December, 1954.
The information regarding the housing progress in the Borough during 1955
has been kindly supplied by the Director of Housing.
HEALTH EDUCATION
Film Programmes and Informal Talks.
During 1955 a full programme was again undertaken by the Council's Health
Education Unit which regularly visits local organisations in their own meeting place
and presents informal talks and sound films and film strips dealing with health and
allied subjects.
Altogether, 84 film programmes were presented during the year to audiences
totalling 4,800 persons. In addition, nine informal talks, mainly dealing with
home safety, were presented, and during a period of six weeks in the months of
February and March, at the time of the visit to the Borough of the Smoke Abatement
Mobile Exhibition, a number of sessions were arranged dealing with smoke
abatement at which films were presented at meetings in various parts of the
Borough. The film "Guilty Chimneys" was shown extensively during this
campaign.
So far as the film programmes were concerned, the largest audiences by far
were met with at old people's meetings, where all meetings comprised audiences of
over 100 persons, and over 300 persons were present at one of these sessions.
As in past years, one film usually of 20-30 minutes' duration dealing with a
health subject was presented, this being augmented by shorter films of general
interest. All film showings are of approximately one hour's duration, the informal
talk preceding the showing of the film. Of the 84 film programmes presented, 12
were given to old people's meetings, 27 to mixed adult audiences, including professional
bodies, ten to youth gatherings and 35 were at afternoon meetings held
by local women's organisations. Therefore, it will be seen that these programmes
are given to a good cross-section of the community, and if in turn audiences pass
on to other members of the family something of what they have learnt at these
sessions, the value of this service is apparent.
Smoke Abatement and Air Pollution Publicity Campaign.
During the months of February and early March, the Council, in conjunction
with the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation, organised a publicity campaign devoted
to smoke abatement and the prevention of air pollution.
The inaugural meeting was held at the Town Hall on the 31st January, with
His Worship the Mayor as Chairman, and with Sir William Steward, Member of
Parliament for West Woolwich in support. The first part of the evening was
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