I AM writing in response to the two letters published regarding comments made by Alan Preest about Two Rivers Housing Association. 

My understanding is that it is the role of a local councillor to represent people, and to be in a position to make a difference to the quality of other people's lives. Alan expressed his opinion which is exactly what is expected of a local councillor. Alan, alongside other councillors turned up to represent this member of the community in her time of need. Alan spent time with the family and familiarised himself with the paperwork surrounding this case. His comments were most likely born of anger at the way in which Two Rivers have conducted their business with this elderly woman.

The Two Rivers Board Member, David Garnett who penned one of the letters, talks about the 'home improvement programme'  needless to say, the young lady from Meadow Road in Cinderford who featured a few pages after Mrs Watts in the same edition paper (Wed 22 May)  hasn't benefitted from this 'programme' waiting an excessive 18 months for basic repairs!

Perhaps this should be highlighted to Homes and Communities Agency, to enable them to assess the effectiveness of this programme. Especially if this programme is funded by tenants' money, considering the featured tenant's experience, I question whether Two Rivers' other tenants would consider this as good value for money?

I find it unusual that no estimate to validate the sum of £80,000 repairs as quoted by Two Rivers, has ever been seen. If this figure can be disclosed to the public, surely the estimates to support it can also? The full report to detail the structural defectiveness of the house adjoining Mrs Watts' has never been seen either.

Two Rivers will not allow anyone to see the full report. I suspect that this is because an independent surveyor would conclude that the house is not defective.  

Yet, Mrs Watts is expected to leave her home, based on 'evidence' concealed within several secret pages? Perhaps this level of secrecy surrounding the way in which Two Rivers conducts their business is what leads people like Alan Preest to make comments such as those last week. This is easily avoidable by conducting business in a transparent way!

The other letter penned by Trevor Roach, states he is an 'outside observer', language deliberately used to make us think he is independent of the situation. However, what Trevor Roach fails to state is that he is a board-member of the Wilderness Project, working alongside David Garnett, chair-person of the board of Two Rivers Housing Association. Coincidence? I think not. Independent? Not a chance! It is exactly this type of disappointing  behaviour that makes people question the morals of Two Rivers Housing Association.

– Ryan Jenkins, also an 'Outside Observer.'