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The work of approving proposed works of firegrate adaptations and
of examining grant applications has proceeded smoothly and the Clean
Air Officer has endeavoured to give householders full information and
advice on every enquiry made to the department. The Council have
given sympathetic consideration to many cases of financial hardship
and, where need has been shown, a 100% grant has been made instead
of the normal 70% grant.
7. Diseases of Animals Act, 1950.
Richmond was included in an Infested Area following an outbreak
of Swine Fever in Surrey between the 26th August, 1964 and the
22nd October, 1964, but no case of the disease occurred in the
Borough.
Routine visits were continued to the Ham piggery during the year
to ensure that all waste foods for animal feeding are sterilised by heat
treatment.
8. Petroleum Spirit Storage.
Forty-eight premises are licensed to store petrol and petroleum
mixtures and total storage amounted to 92,480 gallons. The conditions
of licence require storage tanks to be tested in the 20th, 25th and 30th
year after installation and thereafter in every second year, and 22
tanks were tested and all were found to be satisfactory. One petrol
filling station reported the loss of petroleum spirit from a leaking tank
which has now been taken out of use.
9. Caravan Sites.
The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, 1960 came
into operation during the year. The Act gives local authorities
effective powers for controlling sites so that they may be properly
equipped and conducted and permitted only in acceptable places.
There is, in the Borough, only one licensed site which accommodates
three caravans.
10. Shops Act, 1950.
A number of enquiries are dealt with each year about general
closing hours and Sunday trading and the advice given is usually acted
upon with confidence. The co-operation of shopkeepers in dealing
with the complexities of the Act has not been lacking, and no legal
proceedings were taken during the year for contravention of this Act.
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