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60
Further notices appeared in the press in March and April after the
scheme had been confirmed.
The Town Hall, the Municipal Offices, Stoke Newington, and all
Public Libraries were circulated with copies of the scheme and the explanatory
notes for inspection by members of the public. Copies of the
scheme were displayed at all Council Departments and were available for
purchase at five pence per copy from the Health Department. Posters
are still being displayed on all Council billboards.
Some of the large managing agents in the Borough made arrangements
to submit returns for their properties over a period and many of these
returns are still coming in.
Estate agents and a large number of private owners in the Borough
were notified individually of the existence of the scheme.
Many properties, although let to a number of people do not come
within the terms of reference of this scheme which only applies to
houses having heavy multiple occupation. Nevertheless an assessment
based on the electoral roll suggests that there may be 5,000 registrable
properties in the Borough. In view of this figure returns for the
year were disappointingly low. There were very few spontaneous enquiries
from owners who seemed unaware that it was in their own interest
to register and by December 31st, 1971, only 344 properties had been
registered.
A number of problems inevitable in the initiation of a new scheme
were satisfactorily overcome but it is now felt that more publicity may
be necessary to make the scheme fully effective.
FOOD AND DRUGS
The control of food supplies by inspection and sampling, and food
hygiene work generally forms an appreciable proportion of the Environmental
Health Section's duties.
FOOD PREMISES INSPECTIONS
As a result of the reorganisation of the Public Health Inspectorate
and the creation of a section to deal with commercial premises, it was
possible to give increased and specialist attention to food premises.
FOOD COMPLAINTS
Following investigation into complaints that articles of food
purchased by members of the public were unwholesome, legal proceedings
were instituted in 5 instances resulting in the vendors being fined a
total of £70 with £35 costs. The Summonses related to foreign matter