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group, formerly the redevelopment working party is still considering whether these areas can be
declared general improvement areas but as a result of action by this department the position in both
areas is as follows:
Cowley North Area
This area forms part of improvement Area No. 3 declared in January 1968. The improvement area
included both sides of Cowley Mill Road, the north side of the Greenway, west side of Whitehall
Road, Derby Road, Waterloo Road, Chiltern View Road, Bridge Road, Tachbrook Road, Mill Road,
Glebe Avenue, Westcott Way and the east side of Waterloo Road. There are 189 private houses in
this area, 122 owner/occupied and 67 tenanted dwellings. As a result of formal action against
landlords only 21 tenanted dwellings are lacking in standard amenities and as a result of voluntary
action only 56 owner/occupied dwellings are lacking out of the original 122.
The proposed general improvement area being considered by the housing programme action
group contracted the boundaries of the improvement area by excluding roads on the east side of
Cowley High Road and the south side of Cowley Mill Road. This area contained 130 private houses
lacking in standard amenities but the position in August 1972 is that 36 owner/occupied dwellings
are lacking and only 13 tenanted dwellings are lacking. The owners of these remaining dwellings
have been approached and advised of the improvement grant scheme and there is no doubt there
will be a further reduction in outstanding numbers.
West Drayton Area (Bentinck Road/Padcroft Road)
When this area was considered by the former redevelopment working party there were 40
private houses lacking in standard amenities out of a total of 134 dwellings. The 40 houses comprised
21 owner/occupiers and 19 tenants. 10 owner/occupiers were willing to improve and 4 tenants
only were unwilling to have the standard amenities provided. Today there are only 24 houses lacking
as follows:
10 owner/occupiers (6 willing 4 not willing)
8 tenants (4 willing 4 not willing)
6 occupancy not known but 2 are vacant.
The four willing tenants have been advised on improvements and will shortly make representations
to the Council to use its powers to secure the provision of the standard amenities. It does
appear that all the tenanted dwellings will be provided at least with the standard amenities when the
tenants are willing, and unless the Director of Planning and the housing programme action group
find there is a necessity on planning grounds to declare these areas general improvement areas
existing Housing Act powers can deal with the individual properties.
Dwellings Outside Improvement Areas—Section 19 Housing Act 1964
The opportunity of a tenant of a dwelling house to make a representation to the Council with
a view to the exercise by the Council of its power under the above Act to require a landlord to provide
missing standard amenities is still retained, and public health inspectors use every opportunity to
advise tenants of this procedure. Experience of the use of this Act by tenants continues to be disappointing.
Old people do not wish to have the inconvenience of building alterations, and there is
some reluctance to pay higher rents.
Dwellings outside Improvement Areas (Section 19 Applications)
1. Number of representations made by tenants 8
2. Number of Preliminary Notices served (full standard) —
3. Number of Immediate Improvement Notices served (full standard) —
4. Number of dwellings improved:
(a) full standard 6
(b) reduced standard —
83