Today we are announcing the retirement of the long-standing Chair of our board, Steve Jennings.

After seven years of dedicated service, the chair of our group, Steve Jennings, is stepping down as the organisation prepares to merge with the Wrekin Housing Group.

Guiding the Housing Plus Group during a period in which it expanded significantly through a previous merger shortly before lockdown, undergone rapid change through a period of successful integration and met exceptional challenges impacting our customers, Steve’s unwavering support helped us to stay true to our values and build a strong, dynamic and responsive organisation.

Steve championed performance improvement and encouraged more involvement from customers whilst creating an ambition around engaging groups and individuals in our care and housing services.

Steve has played a key role in negotiating the forthcoming merger, ensuring we will create a stronger, more resilient organisation that will benefit our customers, our employees and the wider community. We wish to thank Steve for being a powerful advocate for our customers and services and for leaving behind a legacy of positive change.

Sarah Boden, Chief executive, Housing Plus Group, reflected, “With Steve’s visionary guidance we have been able to create a strong, dynamic and cohesive culture to benefit our customers, their homes, lives and the communities we serve.

As a former chief executive himself, Steve inspired us to draw together as the HPG family, with the customer experience at our core, developing a shared culture across our people and our governance arrangements.”

Steve Jennings commented, “It has been an honour to serve as chair of the Housing Plus Group and work alongside such dedicated fellow board members, colleagues and customers. I wholeheartedly thank them for their support and hard work which has enabled us as ‘one team’ to achieve so much.

I am confident that the new, Housing Plus Group will be stronger and better able to address future housing challenges, provide quality services and be a highly influential presence across Shropshire, Staffordshire and Telford and Wrekin. I wish the new merged organisation every success for the future.”

The formal merger is expected to take place in January 2025 when all the legal and regulatory requirements have been completed, at which time The Wrekin Housing Group will become part of the new Housing Plus Group.