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After the operative date of any Order, observations are made
from time to time by Public Health Inspectors and Technical Assistants
to ensure compliance.
Noise Abatement Act, 1960.
Excessive and unwanted noise is one of the great problems of
modern life. Noise levels in this and many other countries are becoming
intolerable, and unnecessary noise is a menace of modern
living. The growth of motor traffic, the jet plane, complicated industrial
machinery, building operations, music from public halls, all
contribute their quota of noise. There is an increasing public awareess
that noise, which has been described as the wrong sound in the
wrong place at the wrong time, interferes with the comfort of the
community.
During the year 1967, 105 complaints regarding noise were received,
and the investigation of these entailed 466 visits, many of
which were made outside normal office hours.
The most common causes of noise complaint were in factories
(26), domestic premises (19) and road works (7). During the year the
Health Committee considered the Ministry of Housing and Local
Government Circular 22/67 which relates to industrial noise, and
records are being kept in accordance with the requirements of that
Circular. Public Health Inspectors have been and are still attending
courses of instruction in noise abatement and particular attention has
been given during the year to the problem of noise.
During the year legal proceedings were instituted in three cases
against the drivers of ice-cream vehicles for sounding chimes outside
permitted hours. In each case the defendants pleaded guilty and were
fined in two cases £5 each and in the third case £3 with £3 3s. Od.
costs.
The Pharmacy and Poisons Acts, 1933-1941
One hundred and thirty-seven applications were received for
Certificates of Entry, Retention or Alteration from persons who wished
to sell poisons included in Part II of the Prescribed Poisons List.
The Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926.
No samples were taken during 1967.
Housing Acts, 1957-1964.
In accordance with the Ministry of Health Circular 17/55, details
of housing matters are omitted from this Report, but I think that some
reference should be made to the work carried out in this field. Public
Health Inspectors are concerned with Slum Clearance, the repair and
reconditioning of houses, the control of houses in multiple occupation
and the improvement of houses.
The implementation of the Council's slum clearance programme
was continued, and a number of houses were inspected for repair, or
for Closing Order or Demolition procedure. The total number of
visits made to premises of all kinds for the purposes of the Housing
Acts was 2,445.
During the year two Clearance Areas were declared, involving
a total of 129 dwelling houses. In addition Closing Orders were made
in respect of six other dwelling houses.
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