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Pollution control - nuisances

The foundation of Public Health is based on nuisance work. In the mid nineteenth century the health of residents in large towns and cities was by today's standards very poor. People suffered serious effects or died from illness, which were made worse by poor public hygiene. Refuse collection services didn't exist and drains and flushing toilets were still not common.

To control such problems the first Public Health acts brought in powers to control such problems. Some of these problems are still with us, such as accumulations of foul matter and defective or inadequate drainage, but to a lesser extent. New styles of living have however provided new problems such as noise.

The section regularly gets involved in resolving nuisance problems. In most instances this is done by informal advice. Where people are reluctant or unwilling to take steps to stop causing the problem then we can take action, which can result in fines. If you are suffering from problems such as loud music, very strong smells, and drainage problems or accumulations of rubbish then please contact any of our officers and they will discuss your problem and help you to resolve the issue.

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