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ties probably cannot contemplate taking action on these lines, in which
case, the houses, presumably, must be allowed steadily to deteriorate and,
in the meantime, those living in the houses are living in insanitary
conditions. In this district, the problem is one of relatively small dimensions
which perhaps makes it all the more desirable that the situation
should be faced and the problem dealt with.
Local authorities have had steadily increasing responsibilities in
regard to providing houses. The earlier legislation referred to the
housing of the working classes. The difficulties arising from the first
world war resulted in many persons being glad to accept Council houses
who before then would not have been considered for tenancies. Although
the situation eased between the wars, it seemed that in many towns, more
especially the industrial districts, the local authorities would have to
assume the burden of providing houses for many and in some areas
perhaps for most of their residents. The second world war appears to
have made this more certain so that in many towns a high proportion of
the inhabitants can be provided with suitable houses only by the local
authority.
Where it was necessary to take action following receipt of complaints
about the state of houses, in most the powers of the Public Health Act
were used. To a greater extent than previously since the war, the
machinery of the Housing Acts is being used and 100 informal notices
were served under Section 9. The work requested was carried out in
most cases but in 36 statutory notices had to be served; in 12 cases,
the work had to be done in default.
A number of houses were considered to be unfit for human habitation
and to be not capable of repair at a reasonable cost. Demolition Orders
were made in respect of four, and Closing Orders on parts of two. The
undertaking of the owner to recondition and convert three into one
housing unit was accepted.
During the year 17 houses were demolished, 14 of which were in the
Poets' Corner area. At the end of the year 39 houses were still being
occupied which were the subject of Closing or Demolition Orders.
Overcrowding.
At the beginning of the year, 338 families were known to be living
in overcrowded conditions, during the year 91 new cases were learned of,
but in 155 the overcrowding ceased. The number of families known to
be living in accommodation which, by the standard of the Housing Act,
were overcrowded at the end of the year was 275.
The abatement of the overcrowding in 59 was by the family's being
rehoused by the Council.
Of the new cases, in all but five the overcrowding was the result
either of children passing from one age group to the next, of the natural increase
in the size of the family, or because of the marriage of older children.
Provision of New Houses.
215 houses were completed in 1946, 255, 365 and 286 in the next
three years, and 181 in 1950. By the end of 1951, the total number of
new permanent and temporary dwellings completed and handed over
for occupation since the end of the war was 1,668.