View report page

In the early part of the year this Joint Committee dealt with
109, 111, 113, and 115, High Road, Woodford Green, 64, High Road,
Woodford Bridge, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, Back Church Row, Woodford
Bridge and 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, and 124, High Road, Woodford
Bridge, in consequence of which the Back Church Row and High
Road, Woodford Bridge, properties were the subject of an official
representation by the Medical Officer of Health, the remainder being
reported to the Public Health Committee by the Senior Sanitary
Inspector.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Woodbine Place, Wanstead, were considered
and referred to the Housing Committee with a request to consider
the Possibility of rehousing the tenants. These properties were later
the subject of another official representation by the Medical Officer
of Health.
No action was taken in regard to East Row and East Cottages,
Wanstead.
One must congratulate the General Purposes Committee on the
decision it made in November with regard to the future housing
policy and in particular with reference to unfit houses. Good
relationship has existed in the past between the Public Health
mittee and the Housing Committee, consequently there has been no
difficulty in rehousing tenants from such properties. The General
Purposes Committee made a bold step when they had before them a
request from the Housing Committee to consider the whole question
of the future available Council dwellings as a matter of policy. The
resolution quoted below made it possible for the Housing Committee
to allocate one third of their future supply of houses to the rehousing
of tenants from unfit houses.
"To inform the Housing Committee that, having regard to the
limited housing accommodation available in the Borough, all new
Council dwellings and all Council dwellings becoming vacant hereafter
be allocated in the following ratio: as to one-third for rehousing
occupants of sub-standard dwellings and as to two-thirds
to re-housing families in other categories, such allocation not to
affectindividual allocations already approved or present arrangements
for exchange or transfer of tenants."
Those connected with the Public Health service can readily
appreciate what a great help this resolution can be when a Local
Authority is doing its best to cope with sub-standard dwellings.
Because of the good progress made in clearing away many of the
sub-standard houses and further because of the terms of the resolution
quoted, it was found unnecessary to keep going the meetings of
the Joint Sub-Committee already referred to. At its meeting in
November the Public Health Committee appointed a further subcommitte
from its members to continue the study of unfit houses
and placing them in order for further action. The sub-committee were
the Chairman and Vice-Chairman (Councillor R. A. Dalton and
Councillor Dr. S. V. F. Ashton) and Councillor Relph, who, together
15