Manual on unfit houses and unhealthy areas / Ministry of Health.

Date:
1919
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Manual on unfit houses and unhealthy areas / Ministry of Health. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/122 (page 8)
    That shortage must be made good with the utmost despatch in order that there may be no delay in dealing with the not less grave problem of insanitary property. The Government are not prepared to subsidise remedial schemes except where such energy and despatch is shown in their adoption and fulfilment as is demanded by the interests of the nation. Where in any case local conditions permit at an early stag of more comprehensive measures than those which have been sketched for dealing with unfit houses and unhealthy areas those measures must be adopted. CHAPTER III.—CENTRAL AND REGIONAL ORGANISATION. 1. The housing problem is one, and all parts have to be considered in close connection one with another. At the same time the problem of dealing with insanitary houses and insanitary areas presents many .special questions, and special arrangements have been made to deal with it. Regional Staff. 2. As in the case of the provision of new houses, it is proposed to devolve as much of the detailed work as possible on the regional staffs. The general responsibility for the work will rest in each Region with the Housing Commissioner, who is assisted by a Deputy Commissioner. ; These officials are assisted by a staff of inspectors, whose business it will be to make any detailed investigations which may prove to be necessary. For the medical advice which is required for dealing with unfit houses and unhealthy areas, it is proposed for the present to rely largely on the County Medical Officers of Health so far as areas within the administrative counties are concerned. A copy of a letter which has been sent to County Councils on this subject is given in appendix IL; as will be manifest from the letter, it is not intended that the independent responsibility of the Local Authority and their officers in the matter of housing shall be in any way reduced. To whom Local Authorities may apply for information and assistance. ie 3. With the exception mentioned later, it is intended that, generally, Local Authorities shall deal with the regional staff in matters relating to insanitary houses and unhealthy areas just as they do with regard to the provision of new houses. ‘The staff is instructed to give the fullest assistance to the Local Authorities in the arduous duties which have been committed to them, and the Minister hopes that Local Authorities will not fail to take full advantage of this offer. _In so far as staff is available the Minister is willing that inspectors on the regional staff shall in special cases be placed at the disposal of Local Authorities for a short time in order to carry out detailed investigations which may be necessary. It is the wish of the Minister that matters should be dealt with, wherever | possible, by personal conferences, in order to secure the utmost despatch. Appeals and inquiries regarding unfit houses and unhealthy areas. 4. The Ministry have to exercise functions of a judicial nature in deciding appeals against, for instance, closing orders or demolition orders, and also in deciding whether an Authority is warranted in treating an area as an unhealthy one under Part I. or Part IT. of the Act of 1890. It is contemplated that for the present, at least, these functions shall be carried out at Headquarters, and communications relating to these matters should, therefore, be addressed to the Ministry and not to the Housing Commissioner for the Region. The local inquiries will be held by Inspectors from Headquarters who will report directly to the Ministry.