View report page

During the past year several articles have been published in
national newspapers and professional journals on this subject and
correspondence has ensued. The Association of Public Health Inspectors
are endeavouring to establish the degree of difficulties which
have arisen in the working of the Regulations, and it is to be hoped
that ultimately a satisfactory system of notification and detention will
be formulated.
Of all the duties carried out by Public Health Inspectors, one of
the most important is in the field of housing. The aspects of housing
work for which they are responsible include the clearance of houses
which are unfit for human habitation; the repair of houses; the improvement
of individual houses; the improvement of houses as part of
the policy of improving housing areas as a whole; the inspection and
control of houses which are in multi-occupation, and miscellaneous
duties including the inspection of houses in connection with Rent Act
legislation.
Whatever might be the involvement of other officers, these are
all matters which in one way or another concern the Public Health
Inspector, and the housing authority of the future, no less than the
present, will require a strong staff of Inspectors.
Applications for Improvement Grants referred to me by the
Borough Surveyor numbered 544 (Standard 150; Discretionary 394).
All the houses concerned were inspected to Housing Act standards,
and by arrangement with the applicants, were made fit as a condition
of the approval of a grant. The number of applications received was
slightly less than last year, but what is most noticeable is the large
increase in the number of Discretionary grants in proportion to Standard
grants, the Discretionary grants now forming 73% of the total
applications. This is no doubt due in part to the fact that the Council
can now pay grant towards the cost of certain essential repairs where
they form part of the improvement.
Applications for Qualification Certificates (Part III, Housing Act,
1969) referred to me by the Town Clerk, continued to be dealt with,
and the position on 31st December, 1972, was:—
Section 45, Qualifying Certificates—
New applications 139
Certificates granted 126
Certificates refused 25
Section 46, Certificates of Provisional Approval—
New applications 65
Certificates granted 44
Certificates refused —
Total number of applications dealt with
either by approval or refusal 1,251
Number of applications still subject of
negotiation at end of year 694
Total 2,344
SERVICES UNDER HOUSING ACTS
71