(1) In every case the value will be taken to be the value of the land as a site cleared of buildings-i.e., nothing will be included in respect of the cost of the buildings. (2) When provision for re-housing will not be made on the same site the value of the site will be its value as a site available for development in accordance with the requirements of the building byelaws in force. The Local Authority should thus have no difficulty in selling without loss to the rates. (3) Where in the opinion of the Minister of Health it is necessary that provision for re-housing or for open spaces should be made on the site, or part of it, the Act provides for a reduction of the compensation payable on the above basis in respect of that portion of the site upon which the new houses or open spaces will be provided. The amount by which the compensation is to be reduced will be ascertained in accordance with rules contained in the First Schedule, and this amount will be deducted from the total compensation payable in respect of the whole site. Thus all the persons interested will be equally affected, irrespectively of whether their interest is in the portion of the site used for re-housing or in another portion not so used. It will be noted that none of the foregoing provisions apply to land included in a scheme only for the purpose of making the scheme efficient. Repair of Houses. Attention may also be directed to Section 13, which enables a Local Authority, subject to suitable conditions, to acquire by agreement land to be included in a Part I. or II. scheme in anticipation of the actual making or approval of the scheme. Section 30 Useful provisions are included which will go far to remove existing difficulties affecting the repair of houses by the owners. Under Section 22 loans may be advanced by Local Authorities to owners of working-class houses to enable them to put the houses in a proper state of repair. Under Section 28 the Local Authority may require the owner to execute the necessary works, and if he fails to do so they may themselves do the work required to be done. deals with the case where the houses in a particular area are falling into disrepair and the leaseholder fails to execute the necessary repairs. The Court may now authorise the superior landlord to enter on the property and to execute the works, or to carry out a scheme for the reconstruction or improvement of the property under the direction of the Local Authority. TOWN PLANNING. The enlargement of the powers and duties of the Local Authority. under the Housing Acts will inevitably focus attention on the wider problem of Town Planning. The importance of including in a Town Planning scheme any area which is likely to be developed in the near future is becoming more and more evident, and the provisions contained in Part II. of the Act will make more stringent the obligation of the Local Authority in this respect. Between the 1st January, 1923, and the 1st January, 1926, every Borough or Urban District Council, with a population of over 20,000, will be required to prepare and submit a Town Planning scheme, and the Minister may at any time require a Town Planning scheme to be made, where he is satisfied, after public local inquiry, that a scheme is necessary. Further amendments have been made with a view to simplifying the procedure as far as possible, and Section 45 contains an important amendment under which building operations may be enabled to proceed, subject to suitable conditions, pending the preparation and approval of a Town Planning scheme. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. The Standard of Housing. The raising of the general standard of housing accommodation, and of public opinion with regard to it, will depend very largely on the use which Local Authorities make of their powers. The planning of new houses on the best lines, consistent with strict economy of public funds, the improvement of existing houses, and the removal of houses which cannot be made fit, will all conduce to this end. Much may also be done by educational work and propaganda. Appointment of Housing Committee. The Local Authority should have the assistance of a Housing Committee, which should be appointed forthwith An amendment to Section 81 of the Act of 1890 enables the Committtee to co-opt persons who are not members of the Council, and to enter into contracts on behalf of the Council. It is desirable that some of the co-opted members should be women. Action in Default of the Local Authority. Sections 3 to 6 prescribe the action to be taken in the event of the Local Authority failing to carry out their responsibilities. In the event of the County Council or the Ministry acting in default of the Local Authority the expenses incurred will be recoverable from the Local Authority, whose contribution may not in that case be limited to the produce of a penny rate. The Responsibilities of Local Authorities. The Act lays very heavy responsibilities upon Local Authorities, and will make large demands upon councils and their officers, and it has been said, with much justice, that it will place upon its trial. the present machinery of Local Government. I think, however, that it will be felt that the character of the present legislation is justified by the gravity of the situation, and I rely upon Local Authorities to co-operate with me, and with the Ministry and the Housing Commissioners, in giving the fullest effect to the proposals which have now been sanctioned by Parliament. Copies are enclosed of a memorandum containing a short summary of some of the principal provisions of the Act, and it is requested that a copy may be handed to each member of the Council. It will be observed that the Act refers to the Local Government Board as the Central Authority. As, however, the Local Authority are aware, all the powers and duties of the Board have now been transferred to the Minister of Health. The Act is therefore to be read throughout as if "the Minister of Health " for "the Local Government Board." I am, Sir, were substituted Your obedient Servant, Minister of Health. The Clerk to the Local Authority. CIRCULAR OF MINISTRY OF HEALTH. APPLICATION OF THE HOUSING, TOWN PLANNING, ETC., ACT, 1919, TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNTY OF LONDON. Ministry of Health, 1st September, 1919. Sir, I am directed by the Minister of Health to refer to the circular letter of the 25th ultimo, of which a copy was sent to you, with reference to the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919, and to make the following further observations with regard to the application of the Act to the City and County of London. Schemes under Part III. of the Act of 1890. In particular I am to call attention to Section 41 of the Act by which the sphere of responsibility of each of the several authorities for the purposes of Part III. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, is more clearly defined. As the Council are aware, the term "the County of London," as used in the section, excludes the City of London, and the term "the administrative County of London " includes the City. The section makes the London County Council the Part III. authority so far as regards the provision of houses on sites outside the administrative county, while the Council of a Metropolitan Borough will be the Part III. authority so far as regards building on sites within the Metropolitan Borough. This is however without prejudice to any rights, powers, and privileges of the London County Council in regard to any lands, buildings, or works provided or carried out by the County Council before the passing of the Act. The Section also enables the London County Council with the approval of the Ministry to carry out a scheme within a Metropolitan Borough where the houses are required to meet the needs of districts lying outside the Metropolitan Borough. Subsection (1) (c) authorises the transfer of powers from one authority to the other by order of the Minister of Health. The position of the Common Council of the City as the Part III. authority for the City of London is not affected by the new Act, but Section 41 (3) enables the Common Council and the London County Council to enter into an agreement for carrying out a Part III. scheme. Schemes under Part 1. and Part 11. of the Act of 1890. The position as regards the Local Authorities for the purposes of Part I. and Part II. of the Act of 1890 is not affected by the new Act. The London County Council and the Common Council of the City may, however, enter into an agreement, under Section 41 (3) for carrying out a Part I. scheme, as in the case of a Part III. scheme. Financial Arrangements. Section 41 (2) provides that any loss incurred by the Council of a Metropolitan Borough in carrying out a scheme to which Section 7 applies shall be repaid to them by the London County Council, and that any payments so made by the London County Council shall be treated as part of the expenses under their own scheme, and shall rank for financial assistance from the Exchequer. The object of this subsection is to secure that a Metropolitan Borough shall not be called upon to contribute a penny rate both for their own scheme and for the London County Council scheme. Byelaws respecting Houses divided into Separate Tenements. Section 26 extends the byelaw-making power of the Local Authority with respect to houses divided into separate tenements. These byelaws (except those for securing stability, and the prevention of and safety from fire) will, as regards the County of London, be made by the London County Council (in supersession of existing byelaws), and enforced by the Metropolitan Borough Council, and will, as regards the City of London, be made and enforced by the Common Council. The byelaws for securing stability, and the prevention of and safety from fire, will be made and enforced by the London County Council as regards the whole of the administrative county. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, CHARLES KNIGHT, To the Clerk to the London County Council, or The Town Clerk. |