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8
1963 was another busy year for the administrative, clerical and
inspectorate members of the Health Department. Much of the work is
routine in nature but once let the routine inspection work lapse and bad
health habits tend to creep back again. Maintenance of high health standards
needs a little effort and I suppose it is a human failing that once the
"persuasion" is relaxed the "effort" flags somewhat. This is especially
so in the case of food hygiene. It is very encouraging however to see the
great interest displayed by the public in this aspect of public health. We
get many queries in the Department from members of the public seeking
opinion as to whether some particular practice they have observed is in the
best interests of health. This shows that health propaganda is having an
effect and one does not feel that Health Departments are fighting alone in
the wilderness! The public health inspectors with their technical knowledge
and their ability to meet the public are in an unique position and in
my opinion are the health educators par excellence. Although stronger
measures by way of court action had to be taken in a few cases the vast
majority of the improvements sought were achieved by friendly advice
and persuasion. Work on the Borough's Smoke Control programme
progressed during the year and by the end of 1963 the whole of the wards
of Roxeth and Roxbourne and part of West Harrow were the subject of
operative Smoke Control Orders. Some difficulties over fuel storage were
encountered during the year, but were resolved with the help and cooperation
of the Housing Committee.
Unfortunately I regret to report very little reduction in the number of
complaints regarding the accumulations of rubbish repeatedly and indiscriminately
dumped on sites in the Borough. Under the Public Health
Act, 1936, the Health Department can only initiate action for clearance it
there is a danger to health, e.g. the presence of putrescible material. This
occurs only rarely with the result that the matter has to be referred to
other departments for action. This problem has been with us for a number
of years but instead of improving seems to be on the increase, so much
so that any open space seems to be fair game for this indiscriminate
dumping! The Council has discussed this problem on numerous occasions
and in 1959 the Highways and Cleansing Committee agreed to widen
the interpretation of what constituted household refuse and to continue
the existing practice of making a nominal charge for special collections
of items such as old water tanks, rubble, garden rubbish and trade
refuse. Still the dumping goes on apace! Blame is laid on "visitors to
the Borough but when one considers the amount of rubbish, this takes
a lot of believing! What is the answer? A free collection service? Possibly
this is the answer, however it must be borne in mind that a large amoun
of ratepayers money is already expended each year on the collection an
disposal of refuse. Surely it is not too much to ask that individuals who
have some "non-conforming" refuse for disposal, should get in touc
with the Cleansing Department who for a nominal sum will do the wor
for them. To my mind this would be a much more public spirited action
than to dump the refuse behind some garden fence. A little more consideration
and thought on the part of these offenders whould help to keep