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83
SANITARY SECTION 1953
This section of the report relating to sanitary circumstances, housing,
food inspection and general routine work of the Section has been completed
by the Chief Sanitary Inspector, Mr. D.G. Tonkin M.S.I,A.
The staff position with regard to Inspectors showed an improvement on
the preceding years. Mr. Miles commenced in March to fill one vacancy and
Mr. Fish was appointed in July to take up the additional post on establishment
necessitated by the increasing volume of work in the Section. Mr.
Riley terminated his services with the Corporation in December.
During the year the Report of the Working Party on the Recruitment,
Training and Qualification of Sanitary Inspectors was published, but the
recommendations in the Report had not received Parliamentary or official
approval by the year end.
Mr. A. Lightly, mortuary attendant, retired owing to ill-health in
January after many years of valuable service to the Corporation.
There were no areas of unfit houses declared during the year, but the
Minister after Public Enquiries, approved the Orders made in 1952 in respect
of houses in Greenhill Grove and flats in Colston Road.
The investigation of accommodation occupied by applicants for Council
houses continued, and over 3,600 visits were made in connection therewith.
Food and food premises occupy an ever increasing amount of the
Inspectors' time. In particular much attention was given to smaller type
of premises and many improvements effected thereon. This work, though
not spectacular in itself is nevertheless of extreme Importance in ensuring
that wholesome food is served to the public.
The Food Hygiene Guild made steady progress, and the aim has been to
register only those premises which reach a high standard of hygiene rather
than to award certificates indiscriminately, though of course every
encouragement is given to retailers to qualify.
It was not necessary to prosecute any shop-keeper for occupying dirty
or unwholesome food premises, though quite a number had to be persistently
"persuaded" to carry out improvements.
The number of complaints received at the office showed an upward
trend over the previous year (2638 - 2749) and consequently the number of
notices served also rose from 2836 to 3151, of which 831 were statutory
notices, against 593.
ANNUAL REPORT, 1953
(A) Inspections 1953
The number of inspections of all classes 32,994
(1 ) Housing
Under Public Health Act 6,415
Re-Inspections 14,076
Housing Act 1936 3,642