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was subsequently vacated.
Thirty-seven other cases of overcrowding were
abated without legal proceedings.
During the year representations under Section
19 of the Housing Act 1964 were received from
the tenants of five dwellings.
3 preliminary notices and 1 immediate improvement
notice were served. 2 undertakings were
accepted from the owners, and by the end of the
year one dwelling was improved to the full
standard.
Under the Rent Act 1957 one application for a
certificate of disrepair was received and granted,
and two undertakings by landlords under paragraph
5 of the 1st schedule to the Act were
submitted.
The Director of Housing is kept informed of
adverse housing conditions and assistance is
given in assessing applications for rehousing
where priority on medical grounds is claimed.
Similarly a great deal of time is spent in inspecting
houses subject to mortgage loans by the
council where overcrowding in breach of a condition
of mortgage is suspected, and in assisting
the Valuation & Estates Officer to decide whether
a dwelling in respect of which a repairs loan or
improvement grant has been applied for will
satisfy the requirements of Section 43 of the
Housing (Financial Provisions) Act 1958. 377
dwellings were so inspected, of which 192 were
found to require some repair.
Moveable dwellings
Invasions by groups of itinerant van-dwellers continue
to afflict residents in parts of the borough.
1,977 inspections were made during the year in an
effort to relieve residents of intimidation by some
of the van dwellers and of the nuisances associated
with their unauthorised occupation of land.
Few of these people display any desire to settle
down for longer than suits their purpose or to
learn to behave as responsible citizens. The protection
of the amenities of the borough and
indeed the protection of persons from physical
injury by the van dwellers and their dogs demands
nothing less than the sternest measures available.
To this end 50 summonses and 9 warrants for
arrest of van-dwellers were issued during the year.
Fifteen convictions were obtained, fines
totalling £5412 0d were imposed and costs
amounting to £21 awarded. In only two cases
were summonses dismissed. The large number of
cases in which convictions were not recorded
arose from the disappearance without trace of the
caravan dwellers after summonses were served.
While much has been done in recent years to
regulate and improve caravan sites occupied by
law-abiding citizens. and most local authorities
would be prepared to attempt to integrate into
the community some of the less enlightened van
dwellers who might respond, the fact remains
that there is an element among the travellingtrader
type of van-dwellers who completely disregard
all laws and acceptable moral standards.
Their livelihood depends largely upon supplies of
discarded materials. mainly scrap metal, and
mobility is essential when supplies in any one
area are temporarily exhausted. The separation of
finer metals from other unmarketable material by
breaking-up or burning are not processes which
could be introduced or tolerated in or near a
built-up area since inevitably nuisances from
noise and smoke are added to those arising from
the absence of elementary sanitary facilities. The
van-dwellers are not prepared to conduct their
businesses on separate sites out of sight from
their caravans. They prefer to move on rather
than dispose of valueless material, leaving someone
else to clear up the mess they leave behind.
Much of the material, though extremely unsightly,
is inert and cannot be said to be a nuisance from
the strictly public health point of view.
In the interests of their resident population
local authorities in built-up and fringe areas have
no alternative, in the absence of national control
of this particular type of van-dweller, but to
exercise every power available to them to prevent
or discontinue the unauthorised occupation of
land in their areas.
Clean Air
The council continues to co-operate with Warren
Spring Laboratory by maintaining 8 sets of
smoke and sulphur dioxide measuring apparatus
and by forwarding to the laboratory monthly
returns showing the highest, lowest and average
daily readings.
23 Smoke Control Orders were in operation
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