Essex County Council, run by Reform UK, has hired six private security guards to patrol the town centres of Braintree, Colchester and Chelmsford following complaints that groups of male migrants have been intimidating residents, including reported wolf-whistling at schoolgirls. The three-month trial, dubbed Operation Vanguard, comes as the Government prepares to expand the number of asylum seekers housed at the nearby former RAF Wethersfield airbase from 800 to 1,245, with the Home Office confirming the site will remain operational beyond 2027. Council leaders say the move responds directly to concerns from local residents, particularly women and girls, about groups of migrants gathering in public areas.

The guards, two in each town, will patrol from 10am to 6pm daily at a cost of around £118,000 plus VAT, funded via a drawdown of up to £150,000 from a community improvement fund. Council leader Peter Harris said the aim is to provide a "visible and reassuring presence," while residents quoted in the article described avoiding town centres on certain days and encountering intimidating behaviour near bus stations and cash machines. The article notes there is no known record of convictions for serious crimes linked to the camp in the area, though one assault claim involving a woman has been reported, and separate court proceedings saw a Wethersfield resident sentenced for attacking staff.