▁pover ty . ▁ ▁It ▁had ▁become ▁apparent ▁that ▁local ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁parish ▁of ▁West ▁Ham ▁was ▁not ▁ade qu ate ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁which ▁was ▁divided ▁between ▁the ▁parish ▁vest ry , ▁highway ▁board ▁and ▁the ▁Ha ver ing ▁and ▁D agen ham ▁Commission ers ▁of ▁S ew ers . ▁Problem s ▁cent red ▁on ▁provision ▁of ▁ade qu ate ▁p aving , ▁water ▁supply , ▁fire ▁fighting ▁and ▁control ▁of ▁development . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁rate pay ers ▁initi ated ▁moves ▁to ▁improve ▁local ▁administration . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁public ▁enqu iry ▁by ▁Charles ▁Dick ens ' ▁brother ▁Alfred , ▁a ▁medical ▁officer , ▁who ▁published ▁a ▁report ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁sever ely ▁critical ▁of ▁conditions ▁in ▁the ▁sl um ▁areas . ▁ ▁According ly , ▁the ▁Public ▁Health ▁Act ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁was ▁applied ▁to ▁the ▁parish , ▁and ▁a ▁local ▁board ▁of ▁health ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 . ▁The ▁board ▁had ▁ 1 5 ▁members : ▁ 1 2 ▁elected ▁and ▁ 3 ▁nominated ▁by ▁the ▁Commission ers ▁of ▁S ew ers . ▁ ▁Initial ▁administrative ▁response ▁to ▁urban isation ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 0 ▁the ▁parish ▁was ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Police ▁District ▁and ▁soon ▁after ▁the ▁built - up ▁area ▁of ▁London ▁had ▁en comp ass ed ▁West ▁Ham ▁and ▁soon ▁after ▁in ▁the ▁London ▁postal ▁district , ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7