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53
1961-65 Quinquennial Clearance Programme
The Ministry of Housing and Local Government Circular No. 2/60 suggested
that local authorities with a continuing problem who foresaw that they would
have completed their current five-year programme by the end of 1960 should
forthwith review the position and submit further proposals to the Minister.
A survey of the Borough made by the staff of this Department revealed that
some 1,123 houses justified consideration for inclusion in the new programme.
Consultations took place between officers of this authority and of the London
County Council with a view to preparing the next five-year programme, as a
result of which it was finally agreed that 654 houses were in such a condition
as to justify representation under Section 42 of the Housing Act, 1957 during
the course of the quinquennial period ending 1965. It was further agreed that
475 of these dwellings would be dealt with by way of clearance by the London
County Council, and 179 by the Borough Council. It was also considered that,
in addition to the clearance programme, approximately 50 individual unfit
houses would justify either closure or demolition under Section 17 of the
Act, making a total of 229 to be dealt with by the Borough Council during
the next five years.
Part IV
(Abatement of overcrowding)
SECTION 76 (Duty of local authority to inspect and to make reports and
proposals as to overcrowding). During the year 38 new cases were added
to the 787 such dwellings recorded in the department at the end of 1959.
Overcrowding was abated in 6 dwellings, three families being rehoused by the
Borough Council; in the remaining three dwellings the occupants found other
accommodation. It is certain that the 819 dwellings recorded in the department
at the end of 1960 as being overcrowded does not reflect the true position with
regard to overcrowding, the extent of which is unknown and cannot be ascertained
accurately except by a house-to-house inspection of all dwellings in the Borough.
SECTION 78 (Offences in relation to overcrowding). With the exception of
certain houses in multiple occupation no statutory action was taken in respect
of any overcrowded dwelling. As in previous years where overcrowding was
discovered, apart from any recommendation for rehousing which was sent to the
appropriate housing authority, a summary of the relevant provisions of the Act,
together with the permitted number for the dwelling, was sent to the landlord
with a warning to the effect that when the present occupants were rehoused he
must not permit the dwelling again to become overcrowded.
SECTION 86 (Duty of medical officers to furnish particulars of overcrowding).
The following is a summary of the position as recorded in the department with
regard to overcrowding during and at the end of the year:-
(a) (i) Number of dwellings overcrowded at the end of the year 819
(ii) Number of families dwelling therein 1,271
(iii) Number of persons dwelling therein 5,281
(b) Number of new cases of overcrowding reported during the year 38
(c) (i) Number of cases of overcrowding relieved during the year 6
(ii) Number of persons concerned in such cases 30
(iii) Number of families rehoused by the London County Council Nil
(iv) Number of families rehoused by the Borough Council 3
(v) Number of families finding other accommodation 3
(d) Particulars of any cases in which dwelling houses have again
become overcrowded after the local authority have taken steps
for the abatement of overcrowding Nil