Reform council deploys private security to ward off resident migrants from terrifying local women

Thank you for subscribing!

Six operatives have begun patrolling Braintree, Chelmsford and Colchester for an initial three-month trial under Operation Vanguard

Private security guards have begun patrolling three Essex town centres as part of a Reform-led initiative to address resident migrants of a nearby asylum seeker centre "terrifying local women".

Essex County Council said six security operatives have begun patrolling Braintree, Chelmsford and Colchester for an initial three-month trial under a scheme dubbed Operation Vanguard.

The guards will work from 10am to 6pm every day, with two assigned to each town.

The operation follows the Government’s decision to increase the capacity of asylum accommodation at RAF Wethersfield, a former military airfield, from 800 to 1,245 residents.

The Home Office has also confirmed that the site, which houses predominantly male asylum seekers, is expected to remain operational into and beyond 2027.

Residents have raised concerns about groups of men arriving in local towns from the accommodation centre, where they have access to local shops and services.

Reform representatives on the council said the patrols were introduced in response to concerns, particularly among women and girls, about intimidation and alleged inappropriate behaviour.

Peter Harris, Reform leader of Essex County Council, said the initiative would provide a “visible and reassuring presence”, and put the safety of local residents first.

The council said the guards would concentrate on areas where asylum seekers are dropped off, while also responding to other security concerns.

Their role will include deterring anti-social behaviour, reassuring members of the public and gathering evidence about whether further measures are required.

The scheme is expected to cost about £118,000 plus VAT, with funding drawn from a community improvement fund.

However, the decision has attracted criticism from opposition councillors, and comes despite police assurances that there is no evidence of significant crime associated with the Wethersfield site.

Essex Police Chief Constable Rachel Nolan said she had seen no reason for residents to be concerned about criminality linked to migrants accommodated there.

A council report also acknowledges that the Home Office says there is no evidence the site has affected local crime levels, although it refers to anecdotal concerns about the perception of risk.

In light of percieved risks, Labour councillor Lee Scordis accused Reform of acting out of prejudice, while Liberal Democrat councillor Stephen Robinson similarly warned that reinforcing stereotypes could damage community cohesion.

Councillor Robinson called instead for effective policing and investment in initiatives aimed at improving women's safety, pointing out how private security guards will have no powers of arrest, meaning suspected offences must be referred to police.

Similar opposition has emerged in Oxfordshire, where residents of Piddington have organised a symbolic referendum over plans to convert a former Ministry of Defence site into accommodation for male asylum seekers.

The village, home to about 350 people, has campaigned against the proposal, which could see up to 1,250 men housed at the site for as long as a decade. More than 100 local women have also signed an open letter expressing concerns about the plans.

The Piddington vote has no legal force, but organisers intend to announce the result shortly before the consultation on the proposed development closes.

On the Government’s asylum accommodation strategy, ministers plan to reduce reliance on hotels and increasingly use former military sites to house asylum seekers, with Wethersfield among the facilities already operating.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Public safety remains our first priority and we expect any criminality to be taken seriously. We work with local police to ensure the safety and security of local communities around the site, the staff who work there and those accommodated.

"The concerns of communities are central to our immigration reforms. We are working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country, close every asylum hotel and move asylum seekers into alternative accommodation including former military sites."