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HOUSING
Of the 83 houses included in the provisional programme of slum clearance submitted to
the Minister of Health in 1955,3 still remain to be dealt with. A further five years'programme
of 72 houses was approved by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government on the 17th
August, 1961. During 1962 an undertaking was given that Nos. 3 and 4 Park View Road,
which were in the second list, would not be used for human habitation, and Nos. 1-14
Buckingham Terrace from the first list were represented as unfit; no order for demolition
had, however, been made up to the end of the year. No slum properties were demolished
during the year.
Improvement Grants (Housing Act, 1949, as amended by the Housing (Financial Provisions)
Act, 1958).
Twenty-nine applications were approved for grant for property improvement.
This figure was thirty-eight in 1961, and it is a great pity that grants for works of
improvement which can be subsidised in part by the State are not applied for to a very much
greater extent. As can be seen from the earlier part of the Report, the need for the provision
of sanitary facilities, particularly baths, is quite considerable, enough to justify the provision
of new slipper baths, and therefore certainly enough to warrant support and assistance
for the improvement of houses which are still structurally sound, though lacking in
modern facilities.
In all, up to the end of 1962 only 146 of these Improvement Grants have been approved.
Certificates of Disrepair (Rent Act, 1957)
During the year 8 applications were received, 8 proposals to issue certificates were
approved. One certificate of revocation of the disrepair certificate was approved.
Overcrowding
More visits were required in 1962 to be paid for estimation of overcrowding and thirteen
cases of new overcrowding were confirmed. Ten cases of overcrowding were relieved
during the year. The number remaining on the Department's register of overcrowding at
the end of the year was 38 dwellings, which is an increase of three on last year's figure. For
further details see Table XII, page 69.
Rehousing of Applicants for Council Dwellings
Council Housing within the Borough
The number of families obtaining Council accommodation for the first time in 1962 was
36. Nine old persons were rehoused from the waiting list and six were transferred from
larger Council properties. Two old age pensioners' bungalows in Telford Road and eight
bedsitting room flats in Jersey Court were completed during the year.
New Town Housing
The total number of families removing to New or Expanded Towns: 25 families
nominated under the Industrial Selection Scheme up to April, 1956 (since when the Council
has had to pay subsidy for every family moving from this Borough to New or Expanded
Towns); in addition, 50 families who had found their own accommodation in one of the
New Towns were subsequently accepted as Council nominees; the total number of families
who have moved to New or Expanded Towns since that date is a further 296, thirty-six
families having been rehoused in this way during 1962.
Modernisation of Council Houses
There were 426 houses, built between 1930 and 1936, which still had old ranges with
hot water supply, except where the tenants themselves installed modern fireplaces. Twentysix
of these ranges were replaced by the Council during 1962, making a total of 305 modernised
up to the 31st December, 1962.
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