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Refilling of gravel pits
Where the council have given authority for a gravel pit to be
refilled, the supervision of the type of fill to be used and
the manner in which it is to be carried out is under the
control of this section.
The procedure laid down in the conditions is basically
that only clean soil may be tipped into the water and to a
height of 2 ft above the water level. Various other
permitted materials are allowed to within 2 feet of the
finished tip level and the final surface to be again of clean
soil. Some of these areas have taken many years to complete
but at the end of 1972 there was only one tip still in
operation, namely Bedfont Lake. This is kept under close
observation but during the busy times, loads up to 10 tons
arrive approximately every 2 minutes and it is obvious
detailed scrutiny cannot take place.
General District work
The problems of living in a large community in close
proximity to neighbours produces a variety of complaints
which are too numerous to report in detail. Many of these
complaints find their way to the public health inspectors
office. Summarised below are the details of the complaints
received by the environmental health section together with
a record of the visits made.
Complaints received
General disrepair of premises 189
Dampness 152
Overcrowding 19
Defective drainage systems 92
Blocked drainage systems 368
Defective water supply and/or fittings 62
Accumulation of refuse or insufficient or defective
refuse storage facilities 225
Rats and mice 2,173
Pigeons 39
Insect pests 338
Wasps 193
Smoke 161
Noise 63
Unsound food 357
Caravans 27
Miscellaneous 273
Visits made
Smoke control areas 2,961
Other clean air 1,046
Drainage 1,128
Factories 342
Food premises 1,956
Market stalls and delivery vehicles and storage 141
Unsound food 690
Food and drugs sampling 768
Housing general 5,044
(of which 188 related to immigrants)
Housing — multiple occupation 3,355
(of which 250 related to immigrants)
Infectious diseases (+van drivers visits) 469
Rodent control 3,188

Conclusion
My sincere thanks are due to Mr F V Bell who retired from
the duties of a public health inspector on 10th January
1972 after completing over 42 years service. Nineteen
of these years were as Chief Public Health Inspector of
Feltham Urban District Council and following the
amalgamation he served Hounslow as the Deputy Chief.
Thanks are also due to Mr R A G James and Mr S H G
Stevens the deputy chiefs of Brentford and Chiswick and
Heston and Isleworth boroughs respectively who both
retired after completing their service as senior public health
inspectors with Hounslow. These men all served this
borough in their own capable and generous ways to the
benefit of the inhabitants.
Mr D J Wells was appointed to the position of Deputy
Chief Public Health Inspector and has proved himself ably.
I am indebted to him as I am to all public health
inspectors, technical assistants, administrative and clerical
staff who have co-operated and worked hard during the
year in an effort to fill the gaps left by persistant shortage
of staff.
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