GRASS cutting and estate maintenance services could be done in-house by Powys County Council again.

At a meeting in Llandrindod Wells, officers let slip that Greenfingers, who have had a contract to maintain outdoor areas for residents with Powys council since 2016, has decided not to renew it.

The revelation was part of a wide-ranging discussion by the Health, Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee about the council’s tenants.

It’s not known why Greenfingers, a national operation with head offices in Blackburn, want to discontinue their contract with the county council.

However the decision has come after a number of complaints were received about the grass-cutting service by the council.

In the summer of 2017 disabled man David Creamer, who suffers from chronic back pain, complained that the grass verges around his bungalow in Groesfford had not been cut for weeks.

Besides the area "looking like a jungle" he said the waist-high verges were also a hindrance to him getting into and out of his home. He was also shocked when it was suggested to him when he called the council that he cut the jungly verges himself.

After Mr Creamer complained to the Brecon & Radnor Express, Greenfingers quickly cut a strip of grass outside Mr Creamer’s fence and strimmed stretches of rampaging wild sward around the bus stop and along the roadsides.

Councillor Liam Fitzpatrick told the contractors that they could be hit with penalties, or even lose their contracts, if the level of their grass-cutting service did not improve.

In a strongly worded statement at the time, he said: “From my first day in office as Cabinet Member for Highways, I have received a high level of complaints with regard to grass cutting.

“I have today advised contractors in the strongest possible terms that I wish to see a visible improvement in their performance with immediate effect and that they comply with the terms of the contract and the agreed work.

"Should I not see an immediate improvement, penalty clauses will be imposed alongside plans to ensure the service is delivered as specified. Their performance will have a bearing on whether or not the contract continues.”

At this week’s Health, Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee, councillors were told the Welsh Audit Office had produced a report on the authority’s progress working on making housing stock reach the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

They spoke to 321 tenants and leaseholders to gauge their views.

The survey found that 73 per cent of tenants are satisfied with the environment outside their homes. But some members distrusted the figures.

Cllr Amanda Jenner, who represents Trewern, said: “Outside space is mentioned in the report as a positive. As a councillor, that’s the area I get most complaints about.

“I have two estates on my patch, the feeling I get is that it’s their (tenants’) biggest concern and I want to ask you is this accurate assumption and is 73 per cent is accurate? Or is it a fraction of who you speak to.

“The problem is the residents who aren’t happy shout loudest.”

Andy Thompson, of the Housing Department, replied: “Yes, people do have great concern about how their estates look."

“We will be putting a proposal to members as part of the budget, to have a dedicated housing maintenance team, one for the north and one for the south of the county.

“We would be able to move much more quickly to deal with things such as grass cutting, path cleaning and stuff like that.

“As I understand it the Greenfingers contract comes to an end in April and they do not wish to renew. It’s important you’re proud of where you live.”

Greenfingers was contacted by the Brecon and Radnor Express and declined to comment on the issue.

The firm specialises in providing grounds maintenance and tree care services to local authorities and already looks after 250,000 homes and many organisations across the UK.