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63
HOUSING
The volume of the department's housing work has continued at a high
level throughout the year, but the accompanying staff shortage has
necessitated greater emphasis on some aspects, notably house improvement,
to the detriment of others, for example general house repair work and
conditions in houses in multiple occupation.
Unfit Houses and Houses in Disrepair
During the year all the houses in the Fairfield Place (Clearance
Areas) Compulsory Purchase Order Site were demolished,,
The negotiated acquisition by the Council of 1, 2 and 3 Fullbrooks
Cottages, Worcester Park (a Clearance Area declared in 1970) met legal
difficulties, following which a decision to acquire compulsorily was taken.
By the end of the year it became apparent that negotiations might profitably
continue and they have since been satisfactorily concluded.
Part of the 1973 Slum Clearance Programme was advanced and a report
made to the Council on fifty houses in the Canbury Park Industrial Area.
A Clearance Area was declared and the Council decided to acquire compulsorily
the properties in the area together with some land adjacent to it.
During the year 257 houses were repaired as a result of informal
action and nine demolition or closing orders were made. One house
previously closed was made fit and the order determined, whilst in the
case of three houses closing orders made by the former Borough of
Kingston upon Thames were revoked, demolition orders substituted and
demolition effected by the Council in default of action by the owner.
House Improvement
The Council made a substantial local contribution to the Greater
London House Improvement Publicity Campaign, sponsored by the Department
of the Environment in the Spring of 1972. Publicity material provided
by the Department of the Environment together with additional local
information was displayed widely through the assistance of public
utility undertakings, estate agents, building societies, builders,
builders merchants etc. The Health Department staged and maintained
sixteen publicity exhibitions in libraries, clinics, etc. throughout
the period of one month during which there was massive television and press
advertising regionally and locally. At the end of July a follow up feature
was arranged in co-operation with South Eastern Gas Board when, following
a typical improvement scheme, a Council owned house was put on show to the
public and attracted 731 visitors during daily sessions over two weeks