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by the Council for the earmarking of 2,000 houses to be erected
at Harlow for occupation by Walthamstow applicants. Conjointly
with this general programme the repair or rebuilding of
bombed premises has also proceeded throughout the Borough.
"Of the lettings arranged during the year 252 were in
respect of requisitioned properties and 73 on the Council
estates and 56 in temporary houses, while nominations submitted
to owners from our list of applicants for tenancies of
private properties were agreed by the owners in 103 cases.
"The Council house lettings are analysed as follows:—
Resumption of tenancies by
Council tenants 15 cases involving 60 persons
Rehousing Council tenants
rendered homeless 11 „ „ 57 „
By normal lettings 13 „ „ 79 „
Rehousing homeless 2 „ ,, 11 „
Transfer from requisitioned
properties 7 „ „ 35 „
By recommendation of the
Medical Officer of Health 2 „ „ 10 „
Redistribution of accommodation
23 „ „ 126 „
73 378
"In August, 1945, in order that conditions existing on
the Council estates might be ascertained, a house to house
survey was carried out and it was established that 120 cases
were overcrowded, 51 of them being by reason of sub-letting,
and it was known that overcrowding would occur in 46 other
cases by reason of returning members of the Forces and children
reaching the age of 10. 306 houses (254 of them to
members in the Forces) were recorded as being sub-let to
married sons or daughters and a further 71 were sub-let to
miscellaneous persons.
"These figures occasion no surprises as it was already well
known that housing conditions on the Council estates had considerably
deteriorated during the war years. In prevailing
circumstances little can be done to alleviate the position beyond
the gradual rehousing of the subtenants by qualification within
the "Points" scheme of the Council. A careful check is
made, however, of all cases where sub-letting occurs and this
type of infringement of the Council regulations is very much
discouraged especially where overcrowding or other undesirable
features are the direct result. By the maintenance of
strict supervision of all subletting cases, it is hoped to avoid
further deterioration of the conditions which almost inevitably
occur as a result of sub-letting.