The Southend Business Improvement District scheme has rolled out its new five-year plan after being given another term of office by traders.

Business across the borough have signed up to another Bid scheme after benefitting from the first project of its kind in the borough.

The scheme sees business contribute cash to a £2million pot which will be used to benefit traders and the town.

So far, Bid has introduced street rangers to keep residents and visitors safe, a child safety scheme and a number of other projects, including making the High Street look more welcoming.

In the next five years Bid hopes to build on its successes and introduce new initiatives.

The uniformed street rangers have proved to be a big hit, with 88 per cent of respondents to a 2016 survey saying they are the most important initiative brought in by Bid.

In the coming months, the rangers’ hours will be extended to provide extended cover, particularly during the peak holiday season.

Bis’s ChildSafe scheme has also been highly successful in giving parents confidence that Southend is a safe place for youngsters to enjoy themselves, The scheme is to be renamed Keeping Together, and will include providing support for vulnerable adults, such as those with learning difficulties or dementia.

Tackling crime and antisocial behaviour will continue to be a high priority.

Bid will continue its membership of a scheme which brings the police, council, community and traders together regularly to share intelligence.

It is also supporting new initiatives, such as “drink aware ambassadors” in nightclubs and the “Ask for Angela” campaign, which provides support for people who feel unsafe on a date in a bar.

Rough sleepers are set to be a Bid priority. It will continue to work with local charities and other welfare organisations to explore long-term solutions to tackle rough sleeping and street drinking.

Visitors and residents will be encouraged not to hand over cash to these individuals but instead to make a donation to the charity.

Bid manager Alison Dewey said: “The next five years will be about managing, motivating and marketing. We’ll be looking at the street rangers and being safe and we’ll keep working together with Project 49 who work with vulnerable individuals.

“We’ll be helping retailers with crime. There will be meetings where retailers can speak to the police. We’ll be looking at CCTV and sharing the intelligence our street rangers have.”

Ms Dewey added: “There will be more street art and looking at more cultural aspects. We’ll be looking at more projects similar to what we did with the BHS store.

“We are looking at working with local charities to look at long-term solutions for rough sleepers. This isn’t something one person can do. You have to work together with other agencies.

“We want to explore long-term solutions by working with Family Mosaic and Harp which has a complex needs hostel. This has seen quite a few people taken off the streets and that’s great.

“We are looking forward to finding positive solutions. We’ve got to work together. There’s no quick fix but we will keep driving forward with this.

Promoting business networking and cooperation is high on the agenda for Bid’s new term, encouraging investment and economic growth with a new marketing strategy. The popular seafront fireworks and the Italian festival are set to continue and new Christmas lights are planned for next year.

Ms Dewey said: “Next year we hope to have new Christmas lights. We have had the current ones for a long time now so we’d like some new ones.

“We’ll continue with the hanging baskets which have been popular. We hope to extend them to the side streets on London Road.

“We are looking toward economic growth which will help the town over the next five years.

“We want to encourage inward investment and we’re trying to encourage premium brands.

“We’ve got a great mix of commercial and leisure in the town. We want to make more opportunities for members and give them help and guidance on things like grants and how to access them.

“We will continue to work on tourism and will carry on pushing Southend as a great place to come and visit and stay.”