Residents, shareholders and Board Members gathered for Plymouth Community Homes' (PCH) Annual General Meeting (AGM) to reflect on a year of significant progress and look ahead to an ambitious future, including plans to invest £1.2 billion in homes, communities and services over the next decade.
The meeting provided an opportunity to review PCH's performance over the past year, celebrate key achievements and discuss plans for continued investment across Plymouth and the wider South West.
Attendees heard presentations from Jonathan Cowie, Chief Executive, Nick Jackson, Executive Director of Business Services, Mary O'Leary, Head of Communications, Marketing and External Affairs, Leanne Eastwood, Interim Head of Governance, and Valerie Lee, outgoing Chair of the Board, who shared updates on the organisation's performance, priorities and future plans.
Presentations highlighted the organisation's strong performance in a challenging operating environment, alongside major recent milestones including securing £250 million of Strategic Partner funding from Homes England and the launch of PCH's new 10-Year Business Plan.
Residents heard how the Homes England funding will support the delivery of 1,500 affordable homes across Devon and Cornwall over the next decade, helping tackle housing need and unlock regeneration opportunities across the region.
The meeting also highlighted PCH's ambitions to invest £1.2 billion in homes, services and communities, improve existing homes, deliver new affordable housing and strengthen support for residents.
A key theme throughout the AGM was resident engagement and the importance of ensuring residents have a meaningful voice in shaping services. Attendees heard how resident feedback continues to strongly influence decision-making across the organisation, including improvements to services and changes to the way void properties are inspected before being re-let.
PCH also outlined plans to further strengthen resident involvement in the years ahead, including increasing engagement with leaseholders and continuing to develop opportunities for residents to help shape services.
Shareholders also formally approved the organisation's annual accounts and received updates on governance matters, including progress on PCH's brand review.
The AGM marked the end of Valerie Lee's term as Chair of the Board. Shareholders and attendees thanked her for her contribution and leadership during her time with the organisation.
A new Chair, Mike Kirk, has now taken up the role, with further information about his appointment and background to be shared separately.
