[Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Reading County Borough.

  • Reading (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1964
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Reading County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    111/142 (page 106)
    areas covered by Smoke Control Orders confirmed by the Minister but not yet in operation. This was an interesting development so far as Reading was concerned as Area No. 9 was with the Minister for confirmation when the Circular was issued, having been prepared on the basis that open grate gas-coke would be available. However, in April, 1964, the Minister confirmed the Order. As, in the light of the new fuel circumstances, every encouragement had to be given to householders to choose a space heating appliance other than the improved ■open fire, it was necessary to make some amendments to the original estimates to meet these new contingencies. After very careful consideration of the new situation and the increased costs likely to be incurred, the Council decided to put back the ■date of operation for one year which has consequently given two years in which to •carry out the adaptations and meet the cost. In the case of Council houses, the Housing Committee decided to carry on with adaptations which mainly involved the installation of gas ignition—on the solid fuel improved open fire basis, at the same time agreeing that where tenants wished to install an appliance other than smokeless solid fuel, they were free to do so. Whilst the new fuel situation is likely to increase costs of adaptations where these are necessary, there is an increasing tendency on the part of householders outside ■Smoke Control Areas to go over to the wired and piped fuels as well as closed stoves capable of burning hard coke, and other solid smokeless fuels. This will not only have the effect of equalizing demand over the whole range of smokeless fuels—solid, liquid, gas and electricity—but will gradually reduce the degree of adaptations necessary as smoke control work proceeds. Later in the year, Section 95 of the Housing Act, 1964, brought about further changes in Smoke Control Area procedure. The major alterations are:— (a) The definition of “new dwelling” for grant purposes applies now to dwellings, the construction of which was commenced on or after August 16th, 1964. (b) Where it is found after consultation with fuel producers and distributors that insufficient supplies of solid smokeless fuels will be available, installation of improved open fires will not attract grant. In such cases, alternative means of heating as, for instance, openable stoves, under-floor draught open fires, gas fires, electric night storage heaters or fixed oil heaters, will be required. (c) Grant may now be paid towards the provision of means of ignition where no ancillary works are involved. (d) Direct-acting electrical space heaters will no longer be eligible for grant, as tending to impose undue strain on available fuel resources by consumption of electricity at times when it is generally used. As a result of this legislation, some 119 dwellings within the No. 9 Area construct¬ ’d between July 15th, 1956 and August 15th, 1964, were no longer defined as new Iwellings and became accordingly eligible for grant towards the cost of necessary vorks of adaptation. In view of the staff position, work done on the Reading No. 10 (Bath Road) Area, which has been declared in principle, was very limited. It is hoped, however, to out this forward for confirmation next year.