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TENTS, VANS AND CARAVANS. There are six sites in the Borough which have been
used as caravan sites for many years. Some are occupied wholly or in part by persons
who use caravans for business in connection with a travelling circus, fair or stall.
Seven other sites are occupied by one or more caravans. During the year, the inspectors
made 468 visits of inspection because of the occupation of land by caravans
Trespass by caravans on road verges and unfenced land continues especially on
the western outskirts of the Borough. The vagrant type who occupy these caravans
deposit domestic refuse, litter of all kinds, waste water and faecal matter in the
neighbourhood of the sites occupied. Much time and effort have been given in attempts
to clear them from their usual camping sites but only too often within 24 hours they
are back again
Under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, 1960, five site licences
were issued for a limited period, and two licences for unlimited periods.
COMMON LODGING HOUSES. There is no common lodging house in the Borough.
CANAL BOATS. The Public Health inspectors continued their duties as canal boat
inspectors, and made 32 inspections during the year
FACTORIES, WORKPLACES, ETC The Factories Act placed on the Council certain
duties in regard to (a) outworkers; (b) employment of persons in unwholesome premises;
(c) basement bakehouses; (d) provision of sanitary conveniences in all factories, and
(e) cleanliness, over-crowding, ventilation and drainage of floors in the case of
factories in which mechanical power is not used. A summary of the work done is given
below and in Table IX
Inspection of (a) Factories - mechanical power 278
(b) Factories - non-mechanical power 20
(c) Other premises 26
(d) outworkers' premises 60
Defects remedied 9
At the end of the year the number of outworkers registered with the Department
was 250 and the trades on which they were engaged are shown in Table ix.
DISINFERTATION. The Health Department deals with bug and other infestations
in houses and other premises, and for this purpose D.D.T. and other insecticides are
used During the year, 50 rooms were treated, while 88 W8sp nests were destroyed, 8
premises cleared of cockroaches, 4 cleared of ants and 14 of other insects. Treatment
of ponds and tanks to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes was carried out as necessary
It is pleasing to record that in the Borough bug-infestations have become a
rarity, and activity in this sphere is now concerned more with the extermination of
other insects.
NOISE NUISANCE The sources of noises which were the subject of complaint to
the Department during the year were -
Factories, industrial premises, etc. 8
Private woodworking machinery 2
Private wireless sets 2
Band practice 1
Barking dog 1
Domestic poultry 4
Vehicles 1
General noise of occupants of houses 2
In all cases, investigation showed some justification for the complaint. With
the co-operation of the persons concerned the nuisance was remedied or abated except
in one case where the remedy had to await the cessation of the work
RATS AND MICE DESTRUCTION, ETC. The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act, 1949
20