Housing Act 1957

Procedure of local authorities: Official representations

154Joint action by local authorities

Where, upon an application made by one of the local authorities concerned, the Minister is satisfied that it is expedient that any local authorities should act jointly for any purposes of this Act, either generally or in any special case, the Minister may by order contained in a statutory instrument make provision for the purpose and any provisions so made shall have the same effect as if they were contained in an order made under section six of the Public Health Act, 1936.

155Buildings situated in districts of more than one local authority

(1)In the case of a building which is situated partly in the district of one local authority and partly in the district of another, the local authorities may agree that this section shall have effect in relation to the building or to the building and the site thereof and any yard, garden, out-houses, and appurtenances belonging thereto or usually enjoyed therewith.

(2)Whilst such an agreement as aforesaid is in force, the enactments relating to housing shall have effect as if the district of such one of the local authorities as may be specified therein included the whole of the building and, if the agreement so provides, the site thereof and any such other premises as aforesaid.

156References by local authority to Public Health and Housing Committee

In the case of a county council, other than the London County Council, all matters relating to the exercise and performance by the council of their powers and duties under this Act (except the power of raising a rate or borrowing money) shall stand referred to the public health and housing committee of the council, and the council, before exercising any such powers, shall, unless in their opinion the matter is urgent, receive and consider the report of that committee with respect to the matter in question, and the council may also delegate to that committee, with or without restrictions or conditions as they think fit, any of their powers under this Act, except the power of raising a rate or borrowing money and except any power of resolving that the powers of a district council in default should be transferred to the council.

157Official representations

(1)The medical officer of health of a local authority shall make an official representation to the authority whenever he is of the opinion that any house in their district is unfit for human habitation, or that any area in their district is an area which should be dealt with as a clearance area.

(2)If any justice of the peace acting for the district of a local authority or, in the case of a rural district, the parish council of any parish within that area, complain to the medical officer of health in writing that any house is unfit for human habitation or that any area should be dealt with as a clearance area, it shall be his duty forthwith to inspect that house or that area and to make a report to the local authority, stating the facts of the case and whether, in his opinion, the house is unfit for human habitation or whether, in his opinion, the area should be dealt with as a clearance area, but the absence of any such complaint shall not excuse him from inspecting any house or area or making a representation thereon to the local authority.

(3)A local authority shall as soon as may be take into consideration any official representation which has been made to them.

(4)In this Act, the expression " official representation " means in the case of any local authority a representation made to that authority by the medical officer thereof, and includes also, in the case of the council of a rural district or of an urban district not containing according to the last published census a population of more than ten thousand, a representation made by the medical officer of health of the county to the county council and forwarded by them to the council of the district, and, in the case of the council of a metropolitan borough, a representation made by the medical officer of health of the County of London to the London County Council and forwarded by them to the borough council.

(5)Every representation made by a medical officer of health in pursuance of this Act shall be in writing.