RESIDENTS in Parkend Road, Bream, are at loggerheads with the Two Rivers Housing Association over who is responsible for the upkeep of their pavements.

According to Stuart Gray, who has lived in Parkend Road for 15 years: “The pavements on the other side of the road are maintained by Gloucestershire Highways and are kept in good repair.

“Those that are maintained by Two Rivers on my side of the road are in a terrible state. The tarmac is breaking up and vegetation is growing over on both sides."

However, while Two Rivers admit that the pavement needs repairing, they have told Mr Gray that the residents have to chip in towards the cost of repairs.

He said: “Two Rivers has complete ownership of this land and has a moral duty to put this path into good repair and not to put it down to us the residents.”

Two Rivers Home Ownership Manager, Jasmine Ellicott, has written to Mr Gray saying he has a maintenance liability for the footpath and must contribute to the costs of repairs.

She said the cost of the work would include geotechnical, topographic and structural surveys, designs and specifications and permission form highways, planning and building control authorities.

County and District councillor for Bream Richard Leppington has taken up the issue on the resident’s behalf.

“This is an appalling situation,” he said.

“Two Rivers are shirking their responsibilities and trying to offload the cost of this work on the residents, many of whom are pensioners and just can’t afford this kind of expenditure.

“I have taken it up with Two Rivers but it’s like hitting your head against a brick wall.”

A spokesman for Two Rivers Housing said: “Mr Gray and Cllr Leppington brought the condition of the path to our attention in the summer and we promised to look into the matter, which is what we have done.

“Many people in this road bought their homes from us or the council, signing contracts at the time accepting their legal responsibility to contribute towards the upkeep of any communal facilities serving their homes.

“This path is regarded as a communal facility so everyone who owns a property accessed from this path – including ourselves – is obliged to share the cost of its repair and maintenance.

“It is unfortunate this path is not adopted and, although it is unlikely the County Council will agree to adopt it until the path has been repaired, we will be asking the council to consider this for the future.

"We have asked Cllr Leppington to support us with this request.

“We are co-ordinating the work and taking expert advice on what is required so that we can discuss what needs to be done, and its cost, with the other owners.

“We understand many of them may not have the savings available to pay their share as a single lump sum, so we will offer to spread repayments over a period that suits them.

“Two Rivers Housing is a charity and 90 per cent of our income comes from the rent our tenants pay.

“Morally, it would be wrong to expect our tenants to pay to repair a path that others have accepted legal responsibility for.”