[Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Rhayader R.D.C.

  • Rhayader (Wales). Rural District Council.
Date:
1966
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Rhayader R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/26 (page 6)
    Rhayader is perhaps reasonably well placed to assimilate newcomers for its position near the border marches and the influence of Birmingham have given the district a more cosmopolitan outlook than those of more insular areas. This latest upheaval has raised problems which should be recognised if the present trend, or the larger projected expansion is to succeed. Not all of these problems come within the orbit of the Rural District Council and the appropriate departments of central Government would do well to give them their proper importance if future expansion plans and other schemes are to achieve any sort of results. Chief amongst these is the lack of social activities. To a generation brought up on canned entertainment and non participant sports, the lack of community halls, cinemas, dances, etc., is proving a great obstacle. Almost without exception, the cause of discontent is the lack of social amenities. To the newcomer, one television programme only, partly in Welsh, is also a source of dissatisfaction. These particular items may seem at first sight to be insignificant but our present experience shows them to be very real problems. One other factor which should be noted is that amongst those people who do settle here most successfully are those of more mature age or outlook. It is inevitable that there should be some spill back” but the less there is of this the better because it has unsettling effects both at the reception area and the point of departure. The lack of a proper community centre or even a well equipped village hall could very well be the cause of dissipated effort in the scheme for re-population. Other problems exist, do cause distress, and have actually ended in return to the larger conurbation. Amongst these are the fact that in many instances the families enjoyed two incomes before moving here. There is a lack of suitable alternative employment for women other than a limited amount of seasonal work and it seems essential that development should include openings for both sexes. Other contributory factors are (a) lack of nursery schools; (b) the high cost of living in rural areas; (c) the fact that isolation and lack of public transport mean that a car is essential - and this on a reduced income; (d) the high building costs, which at the moment run to more than £-4. 10. 0. per square foot - even if land were available; and (e) the lack of opportunities for school leavers. All these facts militate against successful large scale re-population. Some of the factors are within the scope of the local authority under existing legislation, some of them lie within the province of central Government and it seems unwise to expect a small local authority to go it all alone without additional help. HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AREA The personal health services are the responsibility of the County Council. Environmental health lies in the hands of the District Council who