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37
of £35 in respect of small administrative expenses to be incurred by the
Harrow Old People's Welfare Committee.
The needs of the elderly vary and small numbers in the district can
be helped in one way or another.
Housing. The Council for some time has provided an increasing
proportion of housing accommodation of a type which is suitable for the
special needs of the elderly. This arrangement is not only a kindness to
those for whom these houses are intended, but is also a contribution to
the relief of the housing problem as the larger accommodation in which
they live is released for occupation by a larger number of people.
The particular problem of the rent charged to the elderly has been
under consideration for some time and a report of the special SubCommittee
for rent reads:—
"For some time your Committee have felt that the Council Rent
Scheme does not make adequate provision for the assessment of
rents of dwellings occupied by old age pensioners because in the
majority of such cases the tenant's income is much less than that
laid down in the Scheme for a minimum rent. The Committee
decided to recommend 'that a special Old People's Rent Scheme,
whereby each tenant qualifying thereunder shall pay a net weekly
rent of 10% of weekly gross income or the minimum rent for the
property occupied, as calculated under the Council's main Rent
Scheme, whichever is the smaller sum, be approved and adopted
with effect from the 1st June, 1959." The recommendation
accepted by the Council at its meeting on the 30th January, 1959.
The Harrow Housing Society provides accommodation for a number
of elderly persons at Pinner House, Church Lane, Pinner.
Feeding. There are two arrangements by which some of the elderly
can obtain a mid-day meal. The one is at one of the Luncheon Clubs held
at the Assembly Halls in North Harrow and at Belmont. The other is by
Meals on Wheels" service organised by the W.V.S. by which meals are
taken to some elderly persons confined to their homes.
Companionship. This is what so many of the elderly need. Some obtain
it by becoming members of one of the six Evergreen Clubs run by the
British Red Cross Society or one of the five Darby and Joan Clubs
provided by the W.V.S. or one of the Over-Sixties Clubs. These clubs
meet for a half-day once a week or once a fortnight. Another method is
by the home visiting service arranged by the Co-ordinating Officer of the
Harrow Old People's Welfare Committee.
Chiropody. The Harrow Branch of the British Red Cross Society
ave for some time provided a chiropody service for the members of
their Evergreen Clubs. More recently they have extended that service
to needy old people in the borough who are not club members. The
council authorised the making under Section 31 of the National Assistance
act of a contribution of £100 per annum towards the expenses of the
Harrow Old People's Welfare Committee in providing this service. The
Divisional Director of the Harrow British Red Cross Society reported