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42
The nett reduction of 23 is the difference between the 53 cases in
which the overcrowding was abated and the 30 new cases.
In 16 instances the abatement of the overcrowding was brought
about by families being rehoused in Council houses.
Of the 30 new cases, the overcrowding was caused in 16 by the increase
in the size of the family or by the ageing of the children and in 10 by the
marriage of one of the children. The fact that the Council is now unable
to help those families whose overcrowding has occurred by the marriage
of one of the younger members of the family means that until the general
housing situation becomes easier, it can be expected that there will be
many more of these cases. Two new cases of overcrowding which
occurred during the year were the result of the taking in of lodgers;
in both these the overcrowding was abated before the end of the year.
Two other houses became overcrowded by the taking in of relatives;
one of these cases of overcrowding was abated by the end of the year.
Of the 86 premises which were overcrowded, in 62 the overcrowding
was by not more than one unit. Twelve families were living in premises
overcrowded by 11 units, 4 in premises overcrowded by 2 units and 8 in
accommodation overcrowded by 2½ or more units.
New Housing
The total number of new dwellings provided in this district from the
end of the war up to the 31st December, 1956 was 4,929. Of these
2,399 were new permanent Council dwellings and 200 were new temporary
dwellings. 1,659 permanent dwellings have been provided by private
enterprise. 338 dwellings destroyed by enemy action were rebuilt, and
333 existing houses were converted. At the end of the previous year
the number of permanent Council dwellings provided was 2,301, and the
number of buildings provided by private enterprise 1,488.
In addition 954 family dwelling units were provided in requisitioned
premises. Of these, by the end of the year 662 had been released and 61
had been reduced from two to one unit dwellings, 231 in all being held at
the end of the year.
Further use has been made of the arrangements for the removal
of Harrow families to the new and expanded towns. 83 Harrow families
were housed in one of the new or expanded towns during the year. By
the end of the year the total number housed was 1,143. Of these 565
were from the normal waiting list. Most of these removals were to the
new towns of Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage and Harlow and the expanded
towns of Bletchley and Swindon. Smaller numbers went to Welwyn,
Hatfield, Basildon, Bracknell and Aylesbury.
Section 9 of the Housing Subsidies Act, 1956, changed the basis of
payment by the Corporation in respect of persons rehoused at the
expanded towns of Swindon and Bletchley and at the eight new towns
now in course of completion. Instead of the Council paying direct to
the receiving authority, whether the local authority or the new towns
development corporation, the sum of £8 8s. 8d. annually for ten years
for each family nominated by them and rehoused, the Council will have to
refund to the Minister a sum not exceeding £4 annually for ten years for
every family transferred from Harrow after April 1st, 1956, whether or not