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10
CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR'S REPORT
Council Offices,
Feltham,
Middlesex.
June, 1947.
To Dr. F. H. Woods, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.,
Medical Officer of Health,
Sir,
I beg to present a report upon the work of the
department which I administer.
The housing position is the cause of many bad cases
of overcrowding which have been visited. Many people
living under overcrowded conditions solicit the aid of
the department in advancing their applications to the
Council for rehousing. These cases are visited and, if
considered necessary, are reported for consideration by
the Housing Committee. Unfortunately, there are cases
where much inconvenience and unhappiness is caused
by the occupation of a house by more than one family,
but where there is no illegal overcrowding, and one
feels that some of these people will have to tolerate such
conditions for a considerable time. Applicants for
rehousing have been visited by the Sanitary Inspectors
before interview by the Housing Committee, and I am
hopeful that these fact-finding inspections have helped
the Committee to assess those applicants with the greatest
need.
The urgent necessity of providing new houses also
affects our efforts in connection with the repair of
dwelling-houses. It is necessary to concentrate upon
the most urgent defects, other works, necessary though
they often are, have to be deferred. This position is not
satisfactory, but is unavoidable. Some of the older
houses present problems. There is only one real course
of action and that is demolition; but as there are no
replacements available for the occupiers, efforts have to
be made to keep these worn-out houses habitable.