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Power is given to the Local Authority to revoke at any time the
Closing Order and make a Demolition Order under section 11 of the
Housing Act, 1936, without further compliance with sub-section (1)
to (3) of that section.
Section 11 amends Section 2 of the Housing Act, 1949, which provides
for the quashing of certain outstanding Demolition Orders on
request under certain conditions. The new Act substitutes the words
"not later than twelve months" for the words "within the period of
twelve months from the commencement of this Act" (1949).
Powers are given to revoke Demolition Orders and substitute
Closing Orders in certain circumstances similar to that mentioned
in Section 10, the difference being that under Section 11 the Demolition
Order has been made whereas in Section 10 it could have been
made.
The fourth division is headed "Supplemental" and deals with
some financial provisions, interpretations, short title and commencement,
etc.
Houses the Next Step.
Two interesting publications were available towards the end of
the year, one the White Paper—Houses the Next Step, and the other,
issued at the same time was entitled "Operation Rescue" the latter
being a brief outline of the former. Both were forerunners of the
Housing Bill, so long awaited by those interested in Public Health.
In the opening section an outline of the housing position is given
and the Minister's view is given that "Housing" should now be
looked at in its widest sense, so as to embrace new houses, older
houses, dilapidated houses and slum clearance. In consequence the
White Paper is divided into four main sections which deal with (1)
the mass of essentially good houses, (2) the worst—slum houses, (3)
dilapidated houses, and (4) houses which would give good service if
improved, provided with bathrooms, hot water, etc.
It is impossible in a report such as this to give much
more than a quick look at the contents of the White Paper, hence
the following must be looked upon as a very sketchy outline.
1. This section is confined to the houses which require repair'
ing or year by year require some attention, and the way in which
the Minister suggests rents could be increased in order to meet the
cost. The suggestion put forward is that the increase, if any, should
be based upon twice the difference between the gross and net rateable
values, usually known as the statutory deduction. Examples
are given in "Operation Rescue". Important safeguards are given,
e.g., the landlord cannot claim an increase unless the house is in
good general state of repair and he must show that he has recently
spent a sum of money on repairs.
2. Slum Houses. Here the Minister believes that a start should
be made in pulling down many of the bad houses which have been
kept going because of the housing shortage.
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