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26.
HOUSING
Unfit houses
263 houses were inspected and 203 found to be unfit. The latter
were dealt with as follows:-
Repaired after negotiation with the owners 172
" " service of statutory notices 29
Condemned after being found not repairable at
reasonable cost 2
Because of the acute shortage of Council houses to accommodate the
occupants of the above 2 houses, demolition was deferred until 1964.
Dilapidated house
Under a new statute in the Public Health Act, 1961, the Council
required the owner to put in order an empty house which was in a
seriously dilapidated condition and detrimental to the amenities of
the neighbourhood. The house is now in a satisfactory condition and
occupied.
Improvement of sub-standard houses
The Council approved grants for the improvement of 27 houses;
21 by standard and 6 by discretionary grants.
A group of 25 houses was surveyed with a view to making an
"Improvement Area" in which all the houses would be provided with at
least the standard grant amenities of an internal water closet, a proper
food store and a hot water supply to a sink, wash basin and bath.
The houses were about 60 years old, in a reasonable state of repair
and well worth improvement. Six already had the above amenities, four
had some and fifteen had none. The former had been improved with a
grant and are now attractive and comfortable homes, contrasting greatly
with the remainder.
Difficulties were soon found. Some of the houses were fully
occupied, allowing little or no room for adaptation. In others the
tenants were reluctant to pay more rent for additional amenities and
in most tenanted properties, the owners were unco-operative.
I believe we could have accomplished this task, given full support by
the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. However, further
difficulties arose because of conflict with the County Development Plan
and the Council resolved to defer the scheme for the time being.