[Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Woking U.D.C.

  • Woking (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1970
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Woking U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    42/84 (page 40)
    an area containing 100 houses and flats - all preliminary investigatory work was completed by the end of the year, and it is expected that designation will follow early in 1971 . LAND CHARGES ACT, 1925 In accordance with the provisions of the Land Charges Act, 1925, enquiries relating to 28 93 properties were received from the Clerk of the Council. The enquiries concerned the following: (a) Outstanding notices under the Public Health and Housing Acts . (b) Proposals for Slum Clearance or Smoke Control Areas. (c) Certificates in force under the Rent Acts, 1957/1968. The necessary searches were made and the information supplied. SEWERAGE SCHEMES During 1970 further preliminary design work was carried out on the scheme for the proposed extension of the Old Woking Sewage Treatment to provide additional capacity for an ultimate population of 80,000. A tender was accepted for the renewal of the pumping machinery at Anthony's and for the replacement of the pumping station at West Hall and at Sanway Close and work on the contract will commence early in 1971. The contract for the replacement of the pumping station at the Old Depot Site at Goldsworth Road was completed except for the installation of the pumping machinery. Five isolated dwellings which were served by cesspits at Prey Heath were connected to main drainage. The Council agreed a scheme with the Bagshot Rural District Council which will enable 3 9 dwellings at present served by cesspools in the Scott's Grove Road Area of the district to be connected to the Rural Council's main drainage. INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD During the year two public health inspectors were wholly engaged on duties related to food control. These include the routine inspection of wholesale and retail food premises, restaurants and canteens, food delivery vehicles, market stalls, and slaughterhouses; the sampling of food and drink for chemical and bacteriological analysis; the examination of unsound food in shops and stores and the investigation of complaints from the public and elsewhere concerning unsatisfactory conditions in food. The policy of carrying out inspections of food premises in much greater detail than has hitherto been possible is beginning to shew satisfactory results and many premises have been brought up to a much higher standard. Our relationship with food traders in the area remains good and in a number of cases re¬ organisation of shop layouts and methods of stock handling has taken place as a result of consultation with and guidance from the public health inspectors. 107 complaints of extraneous matter in food or other unsound conditions were made by the public during the year. Every one was investigated thoroughly and appropriate action taken to try and avoid recurrence. Legal action was found to be necessary in four cases, and fines ranging from £10 to £20 were imposed by the local magistrates court. The number of complaints made shewed a substantial increase on the previous year, which is to some extent I feel, a reflection of the growing awareness of the public in matters affecting the purity and wholesomeness of the food and drink they buy. Nevertheless, despite our continuing policy of health education in matters relating to food handling and hygiene, it is a matter of some concern that at least 25% of complaints were concerned with mouldy conditions in perishable foods, almost all of which resulted from breakdowns in systems of coding and stock rotation at shop premises. At the end of the year, there were in the Urban District 548 food premises subject to the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1960. The table, set out on the following page, shows, in categories, (a) the number of premises; (b) the number of premises fitted to comply with Regulation 16 (provision of wash-hand basins). (c) the number of premises to which Regulation 19 applies (facilities for washing food and equipment); (d) the number of premises fitted to comply with Regulation 19.