CLEAR, HOLD, BUILD: how Nelson and Brierfield are working with the community to tackle serious and organised crime
Monday, May 19, 2025
Local ward areas in Nelson and Brierfield 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 Bradley, Whitefield and Brierfield East Wards.
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 Pendle Borough Council, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, NHS and health, Social Services, housing associations, local schools and colleges, local businesses and community groups. A partner launch event was held at Nelson and Colne College on the 8th May, where representatives from these organisations received an input from The Prosper Partnership team.
A public launch event was held at the Leisure Box in Nelson last week (Friday 16th May) to inform the public what they can expect from The Prosper Partnership and how we are working with partners to improve the local area.
Neighbourhood Chief Inspector for Nelson and Brierfield, Rick Ogdin, said: “Like elsewhere in the country, serious and organised crime presents a very real threat to our communities. It takes many forms including drug trafficking, organised acquisitive crime and exploitation.
“We’ve already seen hard-hitting activity within Lancashire, through Operation Warrior, which has been hugely successful in targeting both individuals and gangs involved in crime and bringing offenders to justice.
“The Prosper Partnership has already seen success in the Fleetwood area, and we are thrilled to be bringing the Clear, Hold, Build framework over to East Lancashire, and working closely with our local partners and community to regenerate the areas that have been blighted by gang-related activity.
“The Prosper Partnership will be launching within the Bradley, Whitefield and Brierfield East Wards of Nelson and Brierfield 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 rollout the project to other locations.”
Clive Grunshaw, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said: "I'm really pleased to see Operation Prosper being delivered here in Pendle, building on success in other areas where this tactic has been used. 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, which involves tackling crime, protecting the area, and ultimately allowing partners to strengthen community bonds. This approach is a key part of our commitment to combating serious violent crime and delivering on my Police and Crime Plan."
