[Report 1913] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset (England). County Council.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1913] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    45/122 (page 41)
    Health and Housing Coininittee of tlio rounty Council, seven of these being in regard to parislies hi rural distiiets. In one instance—Halse in Taunton Ilural—although a petition was jii'esented four householders alleging that the Taunton Rural District (V)uncil harl failed to exercise tlieir {lowers niy visit failed to give evidence in its su{)})ort. There were several unoccu- {)ied houses in the village and no evidence of insuthciency of houses, in all the other rural areas there was a decided need for more houses. Bason Bridge (Huntspill Parish), in Bridgwater Rural, is a good examjile of housing shortage due to local develo}iinents. A large condensed milk factory, ojiened there in 1910, employed at the time of my visit 22 {lersons. The factory company had erected five cottages, the rest of the workers having to find houses where they could. A number of the houses in Bason Bridge were occu{)ied by men working at the railway works at Highbridge. These twm causes had greatly increased the need for houses and the housing shortage was acute. A number of the existing houses were grossly insanitary owing to their drainage {lassing direct into an 0{ien ditch upon which they abut. This condition could be {lut right by the construction of a proper sewer, but the Local Authority had not dealt \\’ith the matter up to the end of 1913 although they or their officers had been cognizant of it for 3ears. At Combe St. Nicholas (Chard Rural) formal representation by four householders was received and Commissioners were appointed b}^ the County Council who held an inquiry in Ha^y 1913. The Commissioners came to the conclusion that additional houses were required and recommended the erection of a block of six cottages each with three bedrooms. The District Council subsequently decided to erect four cottages in this village. In the same waxy in February, 1913, Commissioners ajipointed b}^ the County Council inquired into the sufficiency of housing at Shipham and Winscombe. Jn both cases they found that the Axbridge Rural District Council had failed to exercise its powers under Jkxrt I ll of the Housing of the ^^ffirking Classes Act, 1890, powers which ought to be ex- ercis A local co-{iartnershi}) association xvas formed at Winscombe and houses were being erected earlv in 1914. In viexv of this development the County Council have alloxved the {irovision of houses at Shi{)ham to stand over for the time to see how far these nexv houses will remove the need at Shipham. At M eare stejis are being taken by the Wells Rural District Council to provide houses. Only some of the District Medical Officers of Health deal with the question of housing shortage in any detail ; the following remarks are taken from their re})orts :— Axhridge.—The Medical Officau' of Health remarks that There is no doubt that new cottages are re({uired for the working-classes, and that they will be givatlv a{)]ireciated. The want of new' cottages should be carefullv considered liv eveiw^ Barish (Viuncil, who naturally know the requirements of their own area, and their demands and statements laid before the District (Viuncil to carrv out the Act.'’ Hath.—The Sanitarv lns{iector remarks—“ New coUagC's aix' re([uired in tlu' mining jiai’ishes of (hnierton, Dunkerton, and Wei low. The demand hcix' is being met by {irivate eiiterjirise.” No a|i{ilication for cottages has been received b}' the District (Vmncil. Bridgwater.—The onl\' remarks in regard to shortage are the lollowing—‘‘ At Bason