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In addition visits were made to premises of the 222 outworkers
who are persons undertaking at home work sent out from factories
or business premises.
Industrial Hygiene: The Council submitted to the Urban District
Councils Association their views that the responsibility for the environmental
and preventive health services for industrial premises should be
entrusted to County District Councils. The Urban District Councils
Association, however, hold the view that responsibility for environmental
and preventive health services in factories in the industrial areas is not
one for local authorities to undertake and that the matter is already in
part catered for in the Factories Acts.
Shops
Towards the end of 1952 the Defence Regulations which required
shops to close during the winter months at 6 p.m. Monday to Friday
and 7.30 p.m. on Saturday, the late day, were repealed ; and during 1953
the hours of closing for most trades were 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and
9 p.m. on Saturday.
Few traders kept their shops open to these hours and on only two
occasions were customers observed being served after hours. Both were
associated with the sale of cigarettes.
The shopping public seem to be continuing to follow the war-time
practice of shopping early and so far there are no indications that late
Friday and Saturday night shopping will return.
During the year, 1,846 visits to shops were made by the Shops Acts
Inspector and arising from the various contraventions found 326 warnings
were given to traders.
Most of the contraventions were the failure to exhibit notices or to
keep the records that are required by the Shops Act. 23 cases were
found where shops were inadequately heated and in the case of 72 others
cleansing or repair work was necessary.
32 offences against the provisions of the Shops Acts in respect of
Sunday trading were observed and warnings or advice were given to
those responsible. Two traders who had been warned previously for
the same offence, were reported to the Public Health Committee;
final warning letters were sent by the Clerk.
The total number of shops on the register at the end of the year was
2,343, an increase of 19 on the previous year.