Monday, July 7, 2025
Local ward areas in Preston are rolling out a multi-agency partnership framework to help rebuild communities who are affected by serious and organised crime.
Designed by the Home Office, the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ framework will be known locally as The Prosper Partnership and will focus within the Fishwick and St Matthew’s wards of Preston.
The three-phase initiative uses a combination of policing tactics, as well as action from partners and local residents, to conserve the community and prevent organised crime groups from operating.
The three phases are:
Clear - police ruthlessly pursuing gang members using all available powers and tactics to clear an area, which Lancashire has already seen through Operation Warrior.
Hold - activity will then be put in place to ‘hold’ the location, so another gang cannot take control.
Build - work will then begin with residents and partners to build the community into an area where people would love to live, work and visit.
The framework aims to disrupt criminal activity within organised crime groups, and champions partnership working as well as community resolutions. The Prosper Partnership will regenerate areas and allow residents to work within their communities to create long-term solutions for all.
Partners play a key part in the framework, sharing information and identifying hot spots that need regeneration. They will offer any advice and services that they can provide in order to help the framework progress in the areas that need it most.
Agencies involved in The Prosper Partnership include those from Preston City Council, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, NHS and Health, Social Services, housing associations, local schools and colleges, local businesses and community groups.
On 18th June 2025, a partner launch was held where representative from these organisations came together to receive an input from The Prosper team and pledge their support to the partnership.
On Saturday, 5th July, a public launch was held at Preston Community Hub where members of the community came together to hear how The Prosper Partnership can benefit them and the area in which they live.
Chief Inspector Julie Rawsthorne said: “Like elsewhere in the country, serious and organised crime presents a very real threat to our communities, taking many forms including drug trafficking, organised acquisitive crime and exploitation.
“Across Lancashire, we have already seen hard-hitting activity through Operation Warrior, which has been hugely successful in targeting both individuals and gangs involved in crime and bringing offenders to justice so I’m thrilled to be able to launch The Prosper Partnership in Preston, as part of the Clear, Hold, Build framework, which involves us working closely with our local partners and community to regenerate areas that have been blighted by gang-related activity.
“The Prosper Partnership will be launching within the Fishwick and St Matthew’s areas where community input and feedback will be championed in order to make it a safer place to live, work and visit, with the hope to roll the project out to other areas within the city.”
Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said: "I'm really pleased to see the Prosper Partnership being delivered in Preston, joining other areas this tactic has been used and building on successes that have been seen already.
“It is all about securing neighbourhoods that have been harmed by organised crime gangs, removing offenders and enabling partnership working that rebuilds communities.
"Through Operation Warrior, we are tackling organised crime at full force, taking drugs off our streets, safeguarding vulnerable people and ensuring that suspects are arrested and brought to justice.
“As part of my regular scrutiny sessions with the Chief Constable, I will ensure there is no let-up in the policing response to tackling criminal gangs.
"Our 'clear, hold, build' strategy involves tackling crime, protecting the area, and ultimately allowing partners to strengthen community bonds in Preston and beyond.
“This approach is a key part of our commitment to combating serious violent crime and delivering on my Police and Crime Plan."