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The two Smoke Control Areas under survey at the end of the
year will cover an additional 421 acres with 3,770 premises.
On 1st January, 1970, the percentage of the total 'black area'
acreage in the Greater London Area, which was covered by Smoke
Control Orders confirmed or awaiting decision was 73 and the comparative
figure for the London Borough of Merton was 72.5.
The total number of visits made during 1970 in connection with
the Clean Air Acts, for all purposes, was 24,674.
After the operative date of any Order, observations are made
from time to time by Public Health Inspectors and Technical Assist
tants to ensure compliance.
Noise Abatement Act, 1960.
Excessive and unwanted noise is one of the great problems of
life. In areas where residential housing ends and industrial development
begins, it is sometimes difficult to strike a balance between what
is acceptable, considering the nature of the area, and what standards
should be used to determine the degree of nuisance or annoyance.
Assistance is given in this respect by the use of noise level meters,
and by the application of British Standards and of recommendations
contained in the Wilson Report.
During the year 1970, 98 complaints regarding noise were received,
and the investigation of these entailed 405 visits, many of which
were made outside normal office hours.
The most common causes of noise complaint were factories (26),
domestic premises (25) and motor vehicles (10).
The Council has associated itself with the Local Authorities
Aircraft Noise Council, and I attended several meetings of this organisation
during the year.
Legal proceedings were instituted in two instances during the
year, under Section II (3) of the Noise Abatement Act, 1960, against
persons sounding loud-speaker chimes attached to ice-cream vehicles
outside permitted hours. In each case the defendants pleaded guilty,
and fines totalling £25 together with costs of £14 were imposed.
The Pharmacy and Poisons Acts, 1933-1941
One hundred and sixteen 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.
Twelve samples of fertiliser were submitted to the Agricultural
Analyst. Four were found to be unsatisfactory, and after investigations
had been made with the manufacturers or suppliers, the Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were notified on Returns.
Burial Act, 1857.
Three licences under this Act, for the removal of human remains,
were received from the Home Office during the year. In two cases
exhumation and re-interment was carried out, but in the third case,
where it was proposed to transport the remains to Italy, the licence was
allowed to lapse. Exhumation work is normally carried out in the
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