[Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Bilston Borough.

  • Bilston (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1947
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Bilston Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    24/60 (page 22)
    It is not to be wondered at that such houses are often badly kept and even unclean. This applies especially to the younger inhabitants who have no incentive to improve their standards of health and cleanliness owing to the lack of facilities under which to work. It is a fallacy to say that what was good enough for my father is good enough for me. The ‘younger generation expect better conditions as a mark of sound progress. The standard laid down in the Housing Act by which such houses can be judged means little to many owners or agents of properties. A better method of judgment for the latter would be whether or not they themselves would be content to live in such houses. It is grossly unfair to use the present shortage of houses as an argument for the retention and re-inhabiting of slum properties.. If the houses do not conform to the standards laid down and such amenities they lack cannot be provided at reasonable expense, then demolition is the only sensible and reasonable coui'se to adopt. A report upon Housing Conditions was submitted and accepted in September, 1946. That report lists, in addition to the 1,504 houses already declared as slums, a further 722 houses which should be dealt with in a similar manner. The estimated number of houses required in the next 10 years is 4,000. To replace unfit houses 2,800 To abate overcrowding and provide for families requiring separate homes 600 To provide for natural increase ....!. 600 These figures are taken from the same report accepted by the Council. These facts are given not with any sense .of pride or even arrogance, but with the honest desire to face a difficult problem and if possible find a sound solution. We have had the good sense to discover the true facts, which is more than many can say, and it is within our power to face these facts and find a remedy. Overcrowding. The number of applications during the year to the Health Department for consideration for recommendations for priority in accordance with the grouping system was 562. %