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removed, by force if necessary, and that once the sites were cleared, to take immediate
action to fence them or repair existing fences or othersie make the sites more secure
against further trespass.
A further meeting between the parties was held on 28th March, 1958. to which
representatives of the Plaistow Police were invited. It was reported that estimates for
fencing the sites were being prepared. The following arrangements for removing the caravans
from the sites were finally agreed.
(a) That on 31st March, 1958, representatives of the parties concerned, including the
police, should warn the caravan dwellers to be off by the 3rd April, 1958 at 10.0 a.m.
otherwise they would be dragged off.
(b) That on 3rd April, 1958, at 10.0 a.m., the sites should be visited with the largest
force of constables available, together with transport for dragging off, if required.
The arrangements as agreed were carried out, and eventually the sites were fenced in.
No further trouble from caravan dwellers was experienced in respect of these two sites.
RENT, ACT, 1957
1958 was the first full year during which this Act has been in effect and at the
commencement of the year the numbers of applications for Certificates of Disrepair was still
very high, following the initial rush which began in October, 1957. During the first quarter
154 applications were received, and 150 in the second quarter, but they fell to 94 in the
third quarter and 6l in the last quarter. This fall however offset by 85 applications for
cancellation of Certificates and 137 applications for Certificates as to the Remedying of Defects.
These figures do not take into account the large number of enquiries received
regarding those aspects of the Rent Act, 1957, dealt with by the Public Health Inspectors,
or the many other enquiries answered by the Legal Section of the Town Clerk's Department.
The following table shows details of all applications received in 1958.
Part 1 - Applications for Certificates of Disrepair
(1) Number of applications for certificates - 459
(2) Number of decisions not to issue certificates - 12
(3) Number of decisions to issue certificates - 4 58
(a) in respect of some but not all defects - 277
(b) in respect of all defects - l8l
(4) Number of undertakings given by landlords under paragraph 5 of the First
Schedule - 306
(5) Number of undertakings refused by Local Authority under proviso to paragraph 5
of the First Schedule - Nil
(6) Number of Certificates issued - 210
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