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(2) the Council has power to regulate the height of new chimneys
serving industrial premises.
(3) subject to Ministry approval, the Council may declare the
whole, or any part of the Borough to be a smoke control
area : only smokeless fuels may be used in such an area:
(4) the Council, through the operation of its Building Byelaws
may now require new dwellings to have heating and cooking
facilities which do not produce smoke :
The remainder of the Clean Air Act which gives local authorities
power to deal with smoke and grit from industrial and commercial
premises is expected to come into force during 1958.
PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY PESTS ACT, 1949.
The rodent control section of the staff have done much useful
work during the year in eradicating rats and mice from premises and
foul sewers.
A total of 3,574 visits was made to dwellings and business premises
throughout the year.
Complaints of infestation by rats or mice numbered 221 and
inspection and investigation revealed rat infestation at 118 premises
and mice infestation at 67 premises. By the end of the year infest'
ation had been cleared at 173 of these premises.
Treatment of the foul sewers was carried out on two occasions, a
total of 1,096 visits being made for this purpose in connection with
inspection, baiting, poisoning and checking results. In all, 311 manholes
were dealt with and of this number 163 were found to be
infestated and were poison baited.
The method of extended pre-baiting, using a mould-inhibitor
(paranitrophenol), was continued for sewer treatments, allowing a
longer period for rats to establish a feeding habit in the sewer
manholes. A comparison between the baiting time-tables of the old
and new methods clearly shows this advantage.
A comparison between the baiting time-tables of the old and new
methods clearly shows this advantage.