THE involvement of children and youths in a surge in violent crime is being held up as a "frightening" sign of the times.

Crime is on the rise across the UK and Southend is no exception, with a council report published this week showing the number of incidents per 1,000 residents as higher than the average both across Essex and in similar-sized towns.

And this problem is particularly acute in the violent crime category.

Mark Flewitt, who became the cabinet member for public safety only last month, said he is still shocked by some of the cases he comes across.

One recent incident involved a 16-year-old from Leigh who was bashed over the head with a metal pole in Chalkwell Park on June 10.

Police are still hunting a gang of youths thought to be responsible.

Another attack on a 17-year-old boy happened in Jones Memorial Recreation Ground in Eastern Avenue, Southend, on June 21.

Mr Flewitt said: “The age ranges are pretty frightening. Where are the mums and dads?

“Where are the responsible adults in this? These are harsh figures that won’t go away.

“Parental responsibility goes on for many, many years, even when they are into adulthood.

“They need to show them were they going wrong.

“Some people turn around and blame not having money and not having advantages, but I don’t buy that.

“This isn’t petty theft where they have got to get food to eat. Violent crime is a terrible offence.”

Mr Flewitt said as well as parents, schools could play a role in turning young people away from violence, but since many now have academy status, local authority oversight is more difficult.

Ultimately, Mr Flewitt believes the police must get a grip on the situation and he has called for a meeting with new police and crime commissioner Roger Hirst.

He said: “We are a town of 176,000 people and we have an uncomfortably high crime rate. We deserve special attention.

“The council isn’t a police commissioner. Councillors, even though part of my role is public protection, aren’t policemen.

“We need a plan for Southend and it needs to be something quite special.”

In the meantime, Ch Insp Simon Anslow, district commander for Southend, is trying to tackle a surge in violent offences linked to the night-time economy in the town.

Officers in Southend have dealt with nearly 150 assaults in Southend High Street, Lucy Road and Warrior Square in the last 12 months.

He said the figures are “not good enough” and while usually only eight per cent of violent crimes with injury can be attributed to the night-time economy, the offences in those areas were almost all happening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

In total, there were 50 assaults in Lucy Road, 47 in the High Street and 44 in Warrior Square over the last year.

Over the following weeks, officers will be taking details from victims and offenders about where they were drinking and how they were dealt with by staff.

But nightclub boss Dick Devigne, who owns Dick De Vigne’s in Warrior Square and The Box and Chameleon in Lucy Road, said police cuts had contributed to rising violence.

Mr Devigne said: “There used to be van loads of police with riot gear, they would come out when pubs were closing.

“Now, we are lucky if two policemen for the whole town.

“If there are no police when we turn people away what happens? People may have had a drink and we turn them away and hope for the best.

“But then they cause a problem outside in the road.

“I’m not blaming the police, they have got to problems and they have had to cut budgets.”

Mr Devigne said he has met with police within the last week and will start posting two extra members of staff on the doors of clubs to act as marshals.

He added: “If they want to cause trouble, we don’t want them inside but they know we can’t even call police.

“I’m passionate and proud about my clubs and I run them properly. I hate to see violence.”