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32
Housing on Medical Grounds
Each medical certificate and all medical evidence provided in support of an application for rehousing,
is submitted for assessment, and points may be granted up to a maximum of 5 in respect of a medical claim.
The medical part of the evidence is carefully examined and, in order to achieve uniformity, the whole of these
assessments are made by one individual officer. It is possible for the Medical Officer to recommend a separate
bedroom if requisite and in case of exceptionally severe illness a recommendation may be made that the case is
brought to the immediate attention of the Committee.
From 1st June, 623 cases were considered and awarded points, where appropriate, on medical grounds.
In addition 242 applications for transfer on medical grounds were dealt with during this period.
Notices Served under the Public Health Acts, 1936 and 1961,
and Housing Acts, 1957 and 1961
The considerable increase in the number of statutory notices served during 1966 was maintained during
this year (Table 31).
No Management Orders under Section 12, Housing Act, 1961, were served during the year.
Nuisances Abated and Improvements Effected
A summary of nuisances abated and improvements effected in dwelling houses is shown in Table 32.
Rent Act, 1957
Details of the applications received and the certificates issued up to the end of the year are shown in
Table 33.
Work in Default
The Department assumes responsibility for carrying out work when owners do not comply with the
requirements of Statutory Notices served under the Housing, Public Health and various other Acts.
CLEAN AIR
There are 22 Smoke Control Orders in operation as shown in Table 34.
Two Smoke Control Areas became operational during the year. The No. 3 (Kingsbury) covering 460
acres with 4,292 dwellings and 108 commercial and other premises came into operation on 1st August, 1967,
and No. 4 (Mapesbury) covering 306 acres with 4,322 dwellings and 329 commercial and other premises came
into operation on 1st December, 1967.
The No. 5 (Preston Park) Order was confirmed by the Minister of Housing & Local Government on the
5th October, 1967 to come into operation on 1st July, 1968. This Area covers 662 acres and contains 4,593
dwellings with 235 commercial and other premises.
The Smoke Control Area programme approved by the Council in 1965 will be completed in 1971.
The volumetric analysis of sulphur dioxide and measurement of smoke concentration has continued at
two stations, Kilburn Grammar School and The G.P.O. Research Station.
Forty-three notifications of new boiler plant were received in accordance with the provisions of Section
3 of the Clean Air Act and the heights of new chimneys were determined in 16 cases.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD AND FOOD PREMISES
The Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960, prescribe standards for the preparation, storage and
sale of food, and since the earlier Regulations of 1955 came into force there has been a steady improvement in
hygiene in the production and sale of food. In January 1967 The Food Hygiene (Market, Stalls, and Delivery
Vehicles) Regulations, 1966, came into operation with the object of bringing the hygiene of stalls to the standard
required in premises. Provision is made, however, for the vendors of certain low-risk foods e.g. fruit and vegetables,
to be exempted from the need to carry full washing facilities if these are available nearby, and nine
stallholders have qualified for certificates of such exemption.
Public Health Inspectors inspect food premises and stalls (Table 35) regularly and serve verbal or
written notice to improve the standards of food hygiene. Improvements in some premises are still either in
progress or arrangements are being made for them to be carried out (Tables 36 and 37).
For contraventions of the Regulations of 1960 and 1966, legal proceedings were authorised by the
Council with the following results:
Hawkers:
(a) Five contraventions—fined £10.0.0d. £5.0.0d. costs.
(b) One contravention—fined £10.0.0d. £10.0.0d. costs.
(c) Three contraventions—absolute discharge and six alleged contraventions—dismissed.
(d) Nine contraventions—fined £45.0.0d. no costs
(e) Eight contraventions—fined £16.0.0d. £3.0.0d. costs.
(f) Seven contraventions—fined £55.0.0d. £10.10.0d. costs.
(To be paid within 3 months or 3 months imprisonment).
Premises:
(g) Four contraventions—fined £20.0.0d. £10.10.0d. costs.
(h) Six contraventions—fined £54.0.0d. £9.9.0d. costs.
(i) Fifteen contraventions—fined £20.0.0d. £5.5.0d. costs.
Persons:
Four persons were individually prosecuted for smoking whilst handling food for which fines totalling
£19.0.0d. were imposed and costs totalling £11.9.0d. awarded.