[Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Sherborne U.D.C. / Town.

  • Sherborne (Dorset, England). Town Council.
Date:
1955
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Sherborne U.D.C. / Town. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    17. HOUSING. Total No. of houses in the district_2,087 Inspection of dwelling houses during the year - r-j. ~- Total No. of dwelling houses inspected during the year No. of inspections made 67 123 No. of informal notices served Nil No. of informal notices complied with Nil No. of statutory notices served Nil No. of statutory notices complied with Nil No. of houses reported under Section 11 of the Housing Act 1936 Nil Action taken by the Local Authority in respect of such houses - (a) Demolition Orders made Nil (b) Undertakings accepted for - (i) Closure_Nil (ii) Reconditioning_Nil (iii) Other action_Nil No. of houses included in Clearance Areas during the year54 Slum Clearance. The return required under Section 1 of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act 1954 was made to the Ministry during the year. This showed that you estimated that there are 150 houses in the district which are ’unfit’ and which you propose to deal with under Section 11 of the Housing Act 1936 or Clearance during the next five years. Action was taken during the year in respect of fifty-four houses included in Clearance Areas declared during the year. The standard of ’unfitness’ to be applied in taking action in connection with slum clearance is by no means yet clear. Some County Court decisions have made the indeterminate standards laid down by the Act even more difficult to apply and some difference in standard from officer to officer and Council to Council can be expected until more definite standards are laid down by statute. Overcrowding. Three cases of statutory overcrowding were found during the year and two cases abated. Houses Let in Lodgings. No houses are known to be let in lodgings. Housing Repairs and Rents Act 1954. No applications were received during the year for certificates of disrepair under the above-mentioned Act. It is clearly apparent that little, if any, advantage is being sought by property owners to increase rents under the provision of the above-mentioned Act and there is little evidence that the Act is assisting in obtaining necessary repairs being carried out. Improvement Grants (Housing: Act 1949 and Housing Repairs and Rents ActlTblT.-- - - - Eight applications were received during the year for grants under the above-mentioned Act and six grants were made.