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7
children to be accommodated in other nurseries both within and without the
Borough. Finally, because of the lack of heating in winter months the
nursery had to be closed, and the core of children remaining had to be transferred
and accommodated in a small suite of rooms in Shoreditch Health Centre.
Here the staff worked under extreme difficulty, and it is a tribute to their
devotion to duty that the children continued to be so well cared for.
The Borough inherited what was one of the first, and certainly one of
the most ambitious health centres in the country - the John Scott Health Centre
at Woodberry Down. When plans were being considered for possible new health
centres it was decided that one of the most urgent needs was a centre in West
Hackney. A small site was found in Somerford Grove, and enquiries as to
whether this should perhaps be more than a maternity and child welfare centre,
met with an almost unexpected, but enthusiastic response from a group of local
general practitioners. The Committee wisely decided that as many services
possible should, therefore, be put into the new building, and approached other
departments of the Council, and the Executive Council with this in view.
Initial plans were drawn up in 1966, but as with all new ventures, difficulties
in planning and organisation were encountered. At the end of the year there
had been one preliminary discussion with an officer from the Ministry of Health,
but negotiations were still continuing into 1967.
On the environmental side Hackney's main problem still remains that of
Housing. It cannot be too often stated that good housing is the fundamental
of physical, mental and social well-being. Necessary as good hospitals, good
schools and good public building are, they are only an adjunct to the fundamental
unit of family life - the home. Far too many Hackney residents still live
in squalor: crowded into houses often lacking in the fundamental amenities of
hot water, adequate heating and cooking arrangements, and perhaps the greatest
amenity of all, privacy. The department, as such, can only make its small
contribution by implementing legislation which helps to ameliorate some of the
worst conditions through slum clearance, by its efforts to secure reasonable
standards in houses in multiple occupation, and also by attempting to remedy
faults that unfortunately some landlords allow to occur and to continue. The
body of the Report contains detail of the work done under the Housing Acts of
1957, 1961 and 1964, and also tabulates visits made in connection with housing
complaints. The Council itself, through its various departments, has continued
throughout the year to provide new housing units which it is hoped will be no
tin box honeycomb units for people to occupy but good neighbourhood units that
people can enjoy and be proud to live in. Other aspects of environmental
health have, as usual, been carried out during the year. The Borough is now
virtually a smoke free area, only one area now remaining to be dealt with
during 1967 before the programme is completed.
During the year the department has continued to co-operate with the Inner
London Education Authority in its duties to secure the health of school
children. The main body of the Report contains details of how this has been
done. We have received in respect of this work full co-operation and courtesy
from the various officers of the Inner London Education Authority. One advance
in particular has been made during the year and that is the extension of
facilities to some establishments for higher education.
During the year the council felt there was a need to extend at Member
level liaison between the various social service Committees of the Council,
and with this in view set up a new Committee, the Family Services Advisory
Committee, consisting of elected representatives. At officer level, there
was already in being a Co-ordinating Committee consisting of officers from the
Health, Children's, Housing and Welfare Departments, as well as representatives
from the Inner London Education Authority, the Greater London Council's Housing
Department, the Ministry of Social Security and Voluntary organisations, and
the more frequently held Field Workers' Conference consisting of a permanent