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Environmental Health
77

HOUSING
Improvement
(a) Improvement Areas
During the year the Council's policy to require the improvement of all tenanted dwellings in the
Borough was advanced by statutory action being taken in connection with the Hayes and Harlington
Improvement Area No. 1. When the area was declared in November, 1964, there were 108 houses
lacking in standard amentities. (This number included owner-occupied houses.)

In June 1966 when the Notices were served it was found that of the 108 houses in the original
survey, 61 had been fully improved or had become owner occupied and were therefore outside the scope
of compulsory powers. Of the remaining 47 houses, four were considered to be unfit for human habitation
and were included in a Clearance Area. Preliminary Notices requiring works of improvement were
served on the owners and occupiers of the remaining 43 houses. These Notices, in addition to specifying
the works required, informed the recipients that any proposals or objections they wished to make could
be considered.
There were 11 objections to the Council's proposals from occupiers who did not wish their houses
to be improved. Subsequently Immediate and Suspended Improvement Notices were served and appeals
were entered in respect of four Immediate Improvement Notices—these appeals were subsequently
withdrawn.
(b) Houses Outside Improvement Areas
It is possible for tenants to request improvements to their houses by making a representation to
the Council in accordance with Section 19 of the Housing Act, 1964. When such a representation is
made the same procedure is followed as in the case of Improvement Areas.
As so few of these applications are received it appears that this fact is not well-known to the public.