[Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Tewkesbury.

  • Tewkesbury (England). Council.
Date:
1966
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Tewkesbury. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    47/52 (page 42)
    PTOLIG H^‘ALTI-I ACTS Ai/JEim-Ib^NT ACT 1907 5e c t_i ori 94 THE PLEASURE BOATS (TEWK This Oi'der came into force on 25th May, 1966 and empowered the Council to grant licences to owners of pleasure boats to be let for hire. The Council resolved that all such pleasure boats for hire within the Borough would require to be licensed as from 1st July 1966. The total number of boats v\/hich w’ould come 'within the purview of the Order was approximately 40. I was authorised by the Council to undertake such inspections as necessary to ensure compliance with conditions of issue of a licence. It was considered that the mechanical condition and river worthiness of a boat could best be certified by an independent boat engineer/surveyor, and applicants for licences were required to submit a certificate with their licence applications* Comprehensive instructions were issued to Surveyors regarding which they were to be satisfied before issuing a certificate» These covered general construction of crafty and requirem-ents for machinery and gas installations* Other requirements concerned with fire extinguishers ^ first aid provisions cleanlinessy sanitary and cooking facilities^ water supply and refuse disposal were dealt with by myself. Seven licence applications were received during the year. The principal weakness of this legislation is that on inspection there may be found several serious contra™ ventions of the Council's requirements which could cause a serious accident to the hirery but the only penalty is revocation of the licence* There is also no real deterrent to the use of unlicensed boats as the maximum fine is only £2, More effective control of these craft could be exercised if each contravention of the Council’s requirements could be treated as a separate offence and liable to be prosecuted.