While I appreciate it is not fashionable to mention grass cutting and Two Rivers in the same breath, I have today become aware of some new figures that may give other Two Rivers rentpayers some grist to the mill.

On Joys Green, where approximately 70 dwel­lings are still in the hands of the housing association, the weekly 'donation' – they are a charity after all – for estates maintenance is now 41 pence per week (it's gone up since last year). Across the board this amounts to £28.70 per week.

They pay this money all year round whether or not the grass needs cutting. The total for the year across all households is £1492.40. For this they are at present getting 4 cuts per year which works out at £373.10 per cut.

At this point I would like to advertise to the Two Rivers tenants on Joys Green that their Recreation Ground which is used by local families as well as those from further afield, due to the good quality of maintenance, costs £90 per month to keep the grass cut (twice a month by a contractor hired by Lydbrook Parish Council).

I would like to add that I have measured the dimensions and Two Rivers land ownership is mightily smaller than the size of our Rec. 

Maths has never been my strong point, but it seems to me that Two Rivers, using the same competitive contractors that all councils, parish councils, and indeed housing associations, are now obliged to use in these days of austerity, have absolutely no excuse to limit their grass cutting to four times a year.

It depresses our old people to have to see their estate in such a sorry state. Long grass that is not managed as meadow is a harbour for Limes Disease (many reports of ticks on dogs on our estate since grass was left unattended).

If Two Rivers used the money that they are taking from you as tenants appropriately – not for profit – it would cost them £1080 a year to cut twice a month. That would still leave them with a profit enough to, and I quote, 'cover admin'.

Please take the time to do the maths on your estate. No one likes being taken for a fool, and I've got a bad feeling that this is what's happening right now.

I'm not a Two Rivers tenant, but I've got lots of really good friends who are and I don't like seeing my mates taken for fools.

– Rachel Mowatt, by e-mail.