Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) hosted a community event to combat anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping in Stonehouse, which saw active participation from a range of organisations and individuals, including the Stonehouse Neighbourhood Policing Team and Child-Centred Policing, Timebank, Foodbank, and Crimestoppers, among others.
Councillor Chris Penberthy was present alongside PCH Housing Officers, members of the PCH Financial Intervention Team, Rangers and Communities Workers, who visited numerous properties to provide advice on income, benefits, and debt management.
Nicola Stockman, Housing Officer at Plymouth Community Homes reflected on the day:
"The community day in Stonehouse was a fantastic opportunity to connect with residents and hear their concerns. There has been an increase in crime and antisocial behaviour in the area and as a Housing Officer, I work closely with the police Neighbourhood Team to address these issues and ensure residents feel supported. The event focussed on raising awareness about how to report incidents and signposting support agencies.
“It was great to see such a positive response, especially from the children who loved meeting Bravo the Police Dog."
Leasehold officers from PCH engaged with leaseholders in the area, addressing concerns and providing support. Additionally, community workers spoke with residents about tackling fly-tipping in Stonehouse.
We spoke to one resident who attended the event, who discussed the positive impact:
"It's nice to see PCH are trying to get involved and make a change for the better. I hope this is a step to making the community here better."
“The event aims to bring the community closer and strengthen relationships between residents and community partners, hoping to improve the areas and create a better living space.”
We spoke to Jon Hill, a local resident actively involved within the Stonehouse community, who praised PCH for their excellent communication through social media:
"I have had excellent communication from the communications team for several years. Any issues I’ve encountered in my local area have been resolved effectively. For instance, I reached out to PCH on X regarding some trees that needed trimming, and they arranged for them to be taken care of really quickly."
Clare Moore, Stonehouse Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
“The Stonehouse Neighbourhood Policing Team and Plymouth Neighbourhood Support Team found the community day with Plymouth Community Homes and other partners really productive, there was great engagement with residents some of which highlighted specific concerns of anti-social behaviour coming from one flat. Due to the residents information Police have been able to work with other partner agencies who have acted on these concerns and were able to evict those responsible.”
