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70
On the last day of the year the Secretary of State, Department of Health
and Social Security replied that he was pleased to learn of the Council* s
support for fluoridation but felt it was premature to adopt the Council's proposals.
CLEAN AIR
The Council's smoke control programme was completed in 1967 and the noticeable
reduction of smoke in the air during the last decade is apparent to everyone
living or working within the Borough. The improvement is likely to continue
as other London Borough Councils work towards the completion of their own smoke
control programmes. The increase in the number of hours of winter sunshine is
in itself a very attractive bonus to the primary object of breathing cleaner
air.
The rapid closing down of gas producing plant in the London area has created
a shortage of gas cokes, and since the majority of householders in the Borough
using solid fuel have open fires a shortage of particular varieties of smokeless
fuel in the Borough has caused some hardship, as other open fire reactive
fuels have not been sufficient to meet the demand. The rising price of smokeless
fuel is causing some concern to residents living on restricted fixed incomes.
The Clean Air Act, 1968, came into operation during the year. The object
of the Act is to extend certain provisions of, and to revise some of the procedures
under the Clean Air Act, 1956. An important new requirement is placed
on the Council by Section 6 which authorises the Council not to approve the
height of a chimney in certain installations unless satisfied it will not be
prejudicial to health or a nuisance. The Act requires the local authority's
approval for the installation of dust and grit arresting apparatus in large
furnace plant.
The delivery and sale of unauthorised fuels by coal merchants to premises
in a smoke control area is made an offence under the Act.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTS
During the year 142 drainage plans were submitted and each one was examined
and necessary amendments made before approval was given.
PUBLIC HEALTH (RECURRING NUISANCES) ACT, 1969
This Act came into force in July and gives the Council power to serve a
prohibition Notice where satisfied that a statutory nuisance has occurred on any
premises and is likely to recur. SuchaNotice prohibits the recurrence of the
nuisance, requires steps to be taken to prevent a recurrence and may require
works to be executed for that purpose. A prohibition Notice may be served
whether or not a nuisance is in existence at the time of service and irrespective
of whether an abatement notice has been served or not with respect to that
nuisance. A prohibition notice and an abatement notice may be contained in the
same document.
Where the nuisance arises from a default of a structural character, the prohibition
notice must be served on the owner, but in any other case it must be
served on the person by whose act, default or sufferance the nuisance arose and,
if that person cannot be found, on the owner or occupier of the premises.
A number of Notices under this Act were served during the latter part of
the year.
CLEANSING, DISINFECTION AND DISINFESTATION
A total of 107 adults, and 42 children under 5 years were treated for
scabies and 33 adults, and 16 children under 5 years of age treated for vermin