[Report 1968] / Medical Officer of Health, Godalming Borough.
- Godalming (England). Borough Council.
- Date:
- 1968
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1968] / Medical Officer of Health, Godalming Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![Discretionary Grants are available for a wide range of more extensive forms of improvements, including the conversion or adaptation of larger houses and other buildings, and can include such items as the remedy of inherent structural defects, provision of adequate natural lighting and ventilation, provision of adequate facilities for heating, adequate points for electric lighting etc. The replacement of existing but obsolete, damaged or inefficient facilities or equipment does not normally rank for grant. Discretionary Grants, as the name implies, are given at the complete discretion of the Council; if the Council do not like the proposed scheme it can be turned down. If the scheme meets the Council's requirements the grant can be as much as £400 for each dwelling produced - £500 if flats are produced by the conversion of a house of three or more storeys. Although improvement grants were first introduced as far back as 1949 they did not become readily available until 1953 and the original scheme was supplemented in 1959 by the simpler standard grant scheme. By the end of 1968 the total number of applications received and dealt with under one or other of the two schemes available was 582 the details of how these applications were dealt with are given in the following tables:- Improvements & Discretionary Standard Grants Grants (since 1953) (Since 1959) Number of applications received ... ... 356 226 Works Completed Works completed but since withdrawn and repaid Grant. 257) ) 16) ) 39) 19] 273 192^ ') ) 22) '1 193 Applications withdrawn Applications refused 58 23 Works in progress 8 9 Applications approved but not yet commenced 17 1 For Consideration ... - - TOTAL 356 226 The table refers to privately owned houses only. In 1964 the Council reviewed the position with regard to Council-owned houses and it was found that a considerable proportion lacked the five basic amenities. The Council resolved to install these basic amenities in all houses owned by them as soon as practicable. The original estimated number was 400 and by the end of 1966 all the houses lacking the amenities on the Ockford Ridge Estate (about 150 in all) had been improved to the required standard. On the Farncombe Council-owned estates there remain about 250 houses lacking one or more of the five basic amenities; work to provide these houses with the amenities will commence in 19&9. In all, 34 private schemes were completed in 1968 and £7,300 paid to the owners of the houses improved. The Council has always encouraged landlords and owner/occupiers to take advantage of the generous financial aid available for house improvements and this policy has proved well worthwhile and resulted in 582 applications being dealt with and 466 schemes completed. These numbers compare very well with the number of houses improved under these schemes in neighbouring areas. COMPULSORY IMPROVEMENTS. Under powers contained in the Housing Act 1964, the Council can require owners, in certain circumstances to improve their houses. Action to secure compulsory improvement of tenanted dwellings can be initiated in two ways. The Local Authority can either declare an area to be an Improvement Area or a tenant of a house can request the Local Authority to enforce the provision](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29260905_0021.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
