Initiative launched to regenerate square after residents raise concerns to PFCC
A joint initiative has been launched in Southend to regenerate Warrior Square and cut crime in the area.
Local residents joined representatives of Essex Police, Southend-on-Sea City Council, Essex Fire and Rescue, and the local business community for a public meeting to mark the official start of the multi-agency project.
Clear, Hold, Build is a Home Office-backed scheme that brings together public services to tackle offending and address underlying issues affecting the local community.
Roger Hirst MBE, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “Residents first raised concerns about Warrior Square at the PFCC public meeting for Southend district in September 2024. All partners responded with extra resources and patrols placed into Warrior Square and at the PFCC Southend public meeting in November 2025 residents informed us the situation had improved.
“The whole purpose of this initiative is to restore public confidence in the approach all partners are taking to confront anti-social behaviour and crime in the square. This is also an opportunity to build a greater sense of community pride and foster better local collaboration.”
The event also saw the unveiling of the project’s logo, which was created by Filippo, a student at Porters Grange Primary School. His colourful design and ‘Safe, Fun and Calm’ slogan won a competition run by Southend NPT and will now feature on all Clear, Hold, Build information.
Roger Hirst was pleased to present Filippo with a certificate to commemorate his logo design.
The aim of the initiative in Warrior Square is to produce sustained, long-term change in places that have been blighted by serious and organised crime by pursuing offenders, breaking up and dispersing gangs, and creating strong, resilient neighbourhoods.
Attendees were welcomed to the event by co-chairs Chief Superintendent Chris Bradford and Alan Richards, Southend-on-Sea City Council’s executive director of environment and place.
They then heard a presentation from Inspector Jane Childs of Southend Neighbourhood Policing Team and Dan DeBond of the council’s community safety team who outlined why Warrior Square had been chosen, what they hoped the project would achieve.