I read about the plans of Two Rivers Housing with disbelief last week.

 Have they really lost the plot? 

There is a recession and a massive attempt to cut public spending or did I dream that?

Twelve million pounds being spent on a new headquarters and some sheltered housing units is hardly using the public funding wisely, after all most of the income they receive is from housing benefit ie: public money.

When you look at the net increase in housing stock they have made since they took over from Forest of Dean Housing in 2003 they have managed to increase it by 123 homes!

That's about 15 homes a year and their vision and aim is to acquire 100 a year! – it's on the first page of their web­site!  Now maybe I am being stupid but £12 million could acquire a lot of homes. If they have the ability to raise this kind of funding then surely housing should be their priority.

Garry King should do his maths again and start doing what he is paid for – getting more affordable housing into the Forest and using funds for what they are intended. They have had eight years and still don't seem to understand their role in the community.

Incidentally how much in legal fees are they spending by fighting about the grass cutting that they blatantly should be doing?

I would also point out their name Two Rivers, implies they handle housing between the two rivers ie the Forest of Dean and yet they want to put their headquarters in Newent! 

Keeping Two Rivers in the Forest should be paramount to the council and therefore they should be doing all they can to get the Northern Quarter regeneration underway so that it gives the likes of Two Rivers no excuse to go elsewhere. 

   

I suggest they have a re-think about how they are spending "their" money and look at increasing their housing stock rather than splashing out on grandiose headquarters and further increasing overheads by having more staff to pay!

Putting units in for the elderly of the Forest will be no use in Newent. Foresters want to stay in the Forest where all their friends and family are.

Come on Garry King of Two Rivers put the public first for once and do your job or resign.

– Chris Gardner.