[Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Oxford City.

  • Oxford (England). City Council. no2012034102.
Date:
1966
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Oxford City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of employment provided at the Blind and Handicapped Workshop was carefully reviewed and, as a result, it was decided to make a change from the traditional trades to a book-finishing service for the printing trade. Once again the Meals on Wheels Service has been extended, nearly 40,000 meals being provided during the year, over half of which were prepared in our Old People’s Homes. In this connection, Marston Court and Cutteslowe Court joined Townsend House, Shotover View and Iffley House in supplying meals to their respective areas of the City. A serious staff shortage hampered progress in the Public Health Inspectors’ Division of the Department during the year. The primary inspection of premises registered under the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act has nearly been completed and there have been few major problems. Smoke Control Area No. 5 was confirmed and came into operation m October. The preparation of Smoke Control Area No. 6 in South Oxford is going ahead but this will be a smaller area, on account of the financial situation. No permanent solution has yet been found for the noise and paint odour problems emanating from the British Motor Corporation paint- shop. The proposal of British Rail and the National Coal Board to build a modern solid fuel distribution depot on the site of the old locomotive sheds to the north of Oxford Station was received with apprehension. After the most careful enquiry and after visits to modern plant elsewhere, the scheme was eventually agreed, subject to a number of important require¬ ments as stipulated by the Chief Public Health Inspector. Mr. H. H. Crawley, City Water Engineer, who for many years has kindly contributed to this Report, retires in March, 1967. Our two Departments have co-operated closely and harmoniously concerning our respective responsibilities, and I am most grateful to Mr. Crawley for the ever-ready assistance and advice I have received from him since 1948. We look forward to continuing this close co-operation with the new Oxford¬ shire and District Water Board who have appointed Mr. G. W. Fuller, previously Deputy to Mr. Crawley, as their Chief Officer. The principal feature of housing activity was attention to the problem of the gradual rehabilitation of the Jericho area by a process of clearance, repair and improvement, and in this connection two clearance areas and a compulsory purchase order were presented during the year. Flats will be built shortly on the Cranham Street site and will then be available for rehousing in the area. Very little progress has been made in the direction of improvement grant work, which is most disappointing after the ex¬ tensive surveys already undertaken. New standards have been introduced for houses in multiple occupation, some of which continue to give rise to concern.