[Report 1971] / Medical Officer of Health, Ashton-under-Lyne Borough.

  • Ashton-under-Lyne (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1971
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1971] / Medical Officer of Health, Ashton-under-Lyne Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    30/56 (page 28)
    ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES Enbodying the Report of the Chief Public Health Inepector for the Year 1971 Public Health Department, Market Place, Ashton-under-Iyne. Mr. Mayor, Mr.Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have pleasure in presenting my report on the work of the Health Department for the year 1971. Happily there were no staff changes during the year, so that work was able to proceed without interruption. In the training sector, your choice of a University training scheme for Student Public Health Inspectors was amply justified by the attainment of Mr.Kenneth Hodgson, who obtained a first class honours degree in Environmental Sciences at Salford University. Alderman Gleave and I were privileged to attend the degree present- ation ceremony as your representatives. After the unsuccessful attempt to appoint an additional student during 1970, our efforts were successful in 1971, and Mr.Peter Goodwin was appointed. He entered Salford University at the commencement of the academic year on a three-year course leading to a degree of Bachelor of Science. The principal matter affecting the well-being of the residents of Ashton undoubtedly is, and will be for many years, housing. Whilst our record for the clearance of unfit properties is very good, there is still a great deal of work to be done. Much has been heard about the improvement of houses and of environmental improvement associated therewith, by the promotion of General Improvement Areas. Very little has been heard of the time- consuming survey work, the large amount of administrative work and delays in implementation occasioned by the need to obtain agreement amongst all the property owners in a designated area. Action to introduce such areas in Ashton would be ill-advised at the present time, since the staff needed to implement such schemes would be the same as are required to deal with the more important work of slum clearance. By all means encourage the improvement of houses through the medium of Improvement and Standard Grants to those householders who wish to improve their home standards and try to persuade those who are not so enthusiastic of the value of those grants, both in terms of improved amenity within the home and increased value of their property, but let the removal of unfit and obsolete dwellings be the prime concern.