Foreword

         This handbook has been prepared for circulation among the tenants of the Council in the hope that it will be of assistance to them. It contains particulars of the Council's regulations and conditions of tenancy, notes on the maintenance of the house and the garden and useful hints on first aid and what to do in case of fire.

         The Council sincerely hope that tenants will recognise that they have a direct interest in the maintenance and protection of the property they occupy and that by themselves repairing small defects when they first occur, they can do much to reduce the cost of maintenance and to increase their enjoyment of their houses.

Basildon Urban District Council

Clerk of the Council:
A. Hatt, LL.B., D.P.A.,
Barrister-at-Law.

Deputy Clerk of the Council:
A. J. G. Cooper, LL.B., D.P.A.,
Solicitor.

Treasurer:
L. R. Cousins.

Engineer and Surveyor:
S. A. Wadsworth, A.M.I.C.E., A.M.I.Mun.E.

Medical Officer of Health:
Dr. P. X. O'Dwyer, M.B., B.Ch., D.P.H.

Chief Public Health Inspector:
A. L. Leddon, M.S.I.A., Cert. S.I.B.

Regulations and Conditions of Tenancy

         The Council have made their conditions of tenancy as simple as possible as they do not wish their tenants to be subjected to any unnecessary restrictions. But some conditions are necessary in the interests of tenants generally - for instance, in the absence of tenancy conditions a tenant might carry on a noisy business to the annoyance of many of his neighbours.

         The conditions are made for the benefit of all tenants, and must be complied with.

         The present regulations and conditions are set out on the back of the Rent Card and should be studied by all tenants.

Repairs and Decorations

         The Council require tenants to be responsible for some part of the maintenance of these premises and for all internal decorations, and have adopted a scheme whereby tenants who carry out their own internal decorations and keep their properties in good condition will qualify for a rent rebate once every two years. Tenants are responsible for the cost of the following items : this work will be carried out by the Council at the tenant's expence and payment will have to be made in advance in accordance with the schedule of fixed prices.

Advice to Tenants

         Congealed grease may partially close pipes and drains and so form a trap where small pieces of solid waste, that otherwise would do no harm, may collect and cause stoppage. It is a good thing, therefore, to pour boiling water in which some washing soda has been dissolved, down the pipes from time to time. A little cleansing powder too, sprinkled on your sink and left there for an hour or so will efficiently cleanse it.

         Sometimes it happens that the water from the sink, wash basin or bath runs away very slowly. This is usually due to small pieces of cloth or sponge having collected in the " U " or bend of the pipe immediately below where it is joined to the sink, basin or bath. There is an instrument consisting of a wooden handle attached to a rubber cap that can be used for clearing such stoppages. You will find a plug beneath the bend in the pipe ; this plug may be unscrewed and the stoppage cleared with wire. Don't forget to put a bowl or bucket beneath the bend before you unscrew the plug and remember to put the plug back when the job is done.

         Your house will be much sweeter if you clean and flush the outside gullies occasionally.

         A fire in your chimney may render you liable to legal proceedings, but there is no fear of this happening if you have all chimneys swept regularly.

Insurance

General Amenities

Health Services

         The general and maternity hospital in the area is at St. Andrew's, Billericay, telephone number Billericay 602, which has over 400 beds and is controlled by the South East Essex Hospital Management Committee. It is situated in Stock Road close to Billericay railway station.

Infectious disease cases are normally admitted either to Thurrock Hospital, Stifford Long Lane, Grays, telephone number Tilbury 4601, or to Westcliff Hospital, Balmoral Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, telephone number Southend-on-Sea 44415.

County Health Services.

         Health Services provided by the Essex County Council are as follows :-

         Information may be obtained at any of these Clinics regarding the arrangements for expectant mothers, post natal examinations, infant welfare, school medical matters, dental clinics, eye clinics and other specialised sessions.

         All of the County Services mentioned above are administered from the Area Health Office of the County Council and enquiries regarding any of these services may be addressed to the Area Medical Officer of Health, Dr. W. J. Moffat, 153 High Street, Rayleigh, (Telephone No. Rayleigh 831).

         Services administered direct from County Hall, Chelmsford, by the County Medical Officer of Health, Dr. G. G. Stewart, are the Ambulance Service and the Mental Health Service.

Ambulances.

         Ambulances are available free of charge on the recommendation of a doctor or nurse. In an emergency where there is a telephone dialling system dial 999; where there is no dialling system simply lift the receiver press the emergency button and ask for an ambulance. 999 calls are relayed to Chelmsford and callers should state fully the name of the district where the ambulance is required so as to avoid confusion. There are two local ambulance stations, one at Craylands Clinic, Timberlog Lane, Vange, and the other at St. Andrews Hospital, Billericay.

Mental Health.

         The County Council are responsible for the care of mentally ill persons before admission to hospital, and for the ascertainment and care of the mentally defective. Occupation Centres are provided for those of the latter group who are able to travel to the Centres.

School Health Services.

         In addition to the services outlined above, the School Health Service arranges for the regular medical inspection of all pupils. Where a child is regarded as handicapped by reason of a physical or mental defect, the Education Committee makes special provision for the child's education.

         Enquiries in connection with the School Health Service can be made at the Clinics listed or addressed to the Divisional School Medical Officer, Dr. W. J. Moffat, 153 High Street, Rayleigh, the same address as the Area Health Office.

Tuberculosis Care Association.

         This voluntary organisation exists for the special needs of persons suffering from tuberculosis and for their families. The Hon. Secretary is Miss J. A. Blanks, "Greyfriars," Highlands Avenue, Vange.

Care of Children Apart from their Parents.

         This is the responsibility of the Children's Department of the County Council and enquiries should be addressed to the Children's Officer, County Hall, Chelmsford.

Welfare of Aged and Handicapped Persons.

         The Welfare Department of the County Council is responsible for the welfare of aged persons and those handicapped by being blind, deaf, dumb or by illness, injury or deformity. The County Welfare Officer's address is 73 Springfield Road, Chelmsford.

Basildon Urban District Old People's Welfare Committee.

         An Old People's Welfare Committee has been set up for the Urban District to promote and assist the general good for all old people in the Basildon Urban District by assisting the work of statutory authorities and voluntary organisations engaged in providing facilities for physical and mental recreation, developing physical improvement, furthering health, relieving poverty, distress or sickness, or in pursuing any objects which now or hereafter may be deemed by law to be charitable.

         The Honorary Secretary of this Committee is Mrs. M. King, of " Terveuren," Hill House Drive, Billericay.

Gardening Notes

         The ground can be rough dug in the Autumn and manured and subsequently put down to a cleaning crop such as potatoes. On really light land Spring digging is best, and the ground needs yearly dressings of leaf mould, bulky manure or compost.

         Ordinary grass land can be doulble dug - the turf being skinned into each trench where, chopped up and lying face downwards it will soon turn to fibrous loam.

         Drainage where necessary, should be considered. It pays to get the land into good heart before embarking upon a garden.

         When starting a garden, care should be taken to select suitable crops - both in vegetable, flower and fruits, according to the type of soil, and a suitable strain of seed selected. Plants doing badly, or unsuitable to the soil, should be ruthlessly removed as it is important to maintain general health, and weaklings will soon introduce unhealthy conditions. At least three inches of well aerated humas containing top soil should be aimed at for seeds.

         Weeds should be suppressed in Spring and Autumn without fail. Weeds harbour pests and diseases rob garden plants of food.

         Mainly the fertility of the soil depends on :-

         To maintain fruit trees in a healthy condition care should be taken to see that the right varieties, suitable to the locality, are grown, and the correct pollinators selected.

         The trees should not be planted too closely together and must be on the right root stock. The soil must not be deficient in Potash, Nitrogen, ot Phosphates. Frost pockets must be avoided. Young trees should never be planted straight into grass. Heavy pruning, the cause of excessive wood growth, and little fruit, and a subsequent unhealthy unbalanced condition of tree, resulting in attacks from pests and diseases, must be avoided.

         Fruit trees should be grease banded at the beginning of each October to check caterpillar.

The Vegetable Garden.

         Here it is very important to practise an adequate rotation of crops - that is, to see that no crop occupies the same piece of ground two years running. If a three year rotation is carried out, two good things will result. First, the soil will be kept in good fertility, because different crops need different foods, and one particular plant food will not quickly become exhausted if a variety of crops take their turn on one piece of the garden. Secondly, crop rotation is one means of helping to suppress the pests and diseases which can become so troublesome

         If a three year totation is practised, one piece of ground will be used for potatoes, followed the next year by green crops, and after that by roots. The only exception to this rule will be the onion bed. Onions do not like new soil as a rule, and they require a very well cultivated bed with plenty of manure if possible, so they should be kept in the most suitable place unless they are attacked by any pest or disease.

         It is always a mistake to grow too many potatoes, and better to keep early and second early varieties, with not too many main crop ones. If blight occurs on the later ones, they should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture, or their tops should be cut off and burnt so that the disease will not spread to the tubers.

         When green crops are being planted out, it should be remembered that although they like manure, the ground must be firm when they are planted. Loose ground is often the reason why sprouts become " blown " instead of firm and hard.

         Root crops do not need manure, in fact it will cause the roots to branch out and become "fanged".

Rates - How the Money is Spent

         The remaining 6s. 3d. of every pound is spent by the Urban District Council on local services, including sewerage and sewage disposal, highways, housing, parks, cemeteries, public lighting, administration and sundry health services (including public conveniences and water supply), food and shops inspection and infectious disease prevention.

Education

SECONDARY GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.

         Brentwood County High School (Girls).
         Grays Palmers Endowed School (Boys).
         Grays Palmers Endowed School (Girls).
         Chelmsford County High School (Girls).
         King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford (Boys).
         Brentwood Ursuline High School (Girls, R.C.).
         Brentwood Sir Anthony Brown's School (Boys).

SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOLS.

         Grays County Technical School (Boys and Girls).
         Mid-Essex Technical College, Chelmsford (Boys and Girls).
         South East Essex County Technical School, Dagenham.
         Rayleigh County Secondary Technical School.
         Fryerns County Secondary Technical / Grammar School, Basildon.

Library Services in Basildon Urban District

         The Billericay, Laindon, Pitsea and Wickford Branches are all housed in temporary premises and consist of lending libraries for adults with some provision for children, though Billericay also has a reference and reading room. At every service point in the area there is a wide selection of novels, and non-fiction books on a variety of subjects.

General Information

Civil Defence

Salvage