ADVISORY COUNCIL OF WOMEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 21 June 1937, Page 9

ADVISORY COUNCIL OF WOMEN

BRITAIN’S HOUSING SCHEME

A Women’s Advisory Housing Council has been formed in London. This has come about largely through the enthusiasm of the women who, in the main, are responsible for a wellknown Housing Center which already exists in Suffolk street. So valuable has been the work there that official advice from, the Ministry of Health has suggested that the present informal status of the Suffolk street women should be raised to something mote official and that a standing committee should be formed, capable 1 of forwarding to local authorities “the woman’s point of view in regard to housing.” In 1919, Dr Addison, Minister of Health, issued a circular to local authorities in which he urged the wisdom of obtaining women’s views in regard to the layout anefc internal arrangement of Addison houses. He advised local authorities to co-opt women members onto their Jiousing committees, to form women's advisory committees in each urban district, and to allow plans for new rural houses to be publicly exhibited in Women’s Institutes.

Not many local authorities took his advice, however. A few women were co-opted to local housing committees, while quite a number of women councillors took their place on statutory committees. But little else occurred. Advisory committees of women were formed in certain localities, but they accomplished so little that, one by one, they ceased to exist.

Perhaps, it is now being said, England was too near the World War at that fini" to settle f< anything easily Unrest, was the main characteristic of 1919. so far as women were concerned. Nevertheless, the advice of women is felt to oe needed and it is hoped now to revive an interest in housing matters not only through the formation of the new council, but also through the oiganisation of a women’s housing week, to be held in collaboration with the Housing Centre next June.