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Gutters repaired or renewed 70
Brickwork, sills, etc. repaired or renewed 123
Premises provided with damp-proof courses 6
Yards and forecourts paved or drained 12
External painting 12
Rooms stripped, cleansed and redecorated 76
Floors, walls anjj ceilings repaired or renewed 185
Rooms in which ventilation provided or improved 8
Rooms in which lighting provided or improved 2
Windows repaired or renewed 146
Doors and other woodwork repaired or renewed 66
Staircases replaced or repaired 4
Lighting to staircases provided or improved 7
Handrails or balusters repaired or renewed 5
Grates provided or repaired 24
Washing coppers provided or repaired 1
Instances where ventilation under floor provided
or improved 21
Food stores provided or repaired 11
Domestic cleansing enforced 2
Verminous condition abated 7
Improper keeping of animals abated 4
Offensive accumulations removed 58
Other repairs carried out or nuisances abated 89
Pigstyes repaired 4
Complaints continue to be received of nuisance caused by pigeons. The Public
Health Act, 1961, now gives a local authority power 'to take steps for the purpose of
abating onmitigatingany nuisance, annoyance or damage caused by the congregation
in any built-up area of house doves or pigeons or of starlings or sparrows'. The
seizure and destruction of any birds must be carried out humanely and any action'
taken must not contravene the Protection of Birds Act, 1954. Action taken at 18 sites
in the Borough resulted in the destruction of 203 pigeons, but while food is liberally
provided by the public, there is little prospect of keeping the numbers down.
EXCHANGF OF ARTICLES FOR FAGS. Under the Public Health Act, 1961, it is an
offence for any person who collects or deals in rags, etc. to sell or deliver
whether gratuitously or not, any article whatsoever to a child under the age of 14
years in exchange for rags, etc. The Police notify the Council of any such contraventions
coming to their notice.
CLEAN AIR. During the year the Public Health Inspectors made 55 smoke observations
and paid many visits to premises in regard to which complaints of smoke
nuisance had been received. Two notices were served under Section 30 of the Clean
Air Act, 1956.
The Council continues to co-operate with the Department of Scientific and
Industrial Research by measuring atmospheric pollution in the Borough and forwarding
monthly returns.
The monthly average, highest daily reading and lowest daily reading are
shown in the table on page 16. The point to be noted is the wide range of pollution
that can occur. To date the indications are that these wide variations are linked
to meteorological conditions and the influence of fog is shown in the month of
December.
Work continued on the Council's programme of Smoke Control Orders and progress
to 31st December, 1962, is shown in the table. Area No. 3 consists largely of Council
houses and though considerable work had been done, full details are not yet
available.
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