Braintree District Council, GB

Braintree District Council, GB improves curb appeal with Industrial Unit Front Improvement Scheme

Seven industrial estates were targeted for unit front improvements through the program. Successful applicants qualified for up to £5,000 each in matching funds for projects that enhanced their immediate surroundings. Council leaders selected 10 businesses with improvements ranging from new signage to green space cleanup. Braintree anticipates a five-fold return on investment through increased foot traffic and support for local contractors.

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Braintree District Council, GB

United Kingdom

Braintree District Council, GB allows rural roadsides to grow wild during pilot with Essex County

The one-year pilot scheduled one lawn cutting per year for targeted roadsides rather than the traditional two cuttings. Wild roadsides protect the animal, insect, and flower habitats endangered by frequent maintenance. Parish and town councils throughout Braintree were surveyed about their views on wild verges at the end of the year. This pilot followed a 2019 roadside wildflower planting program by the county and Keep Britain Tidy.

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Braintree District Council, GB

United Kingdom

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Essex County Council, GB

United Kingdom

Braintree District Council, GB provides long-term access to e-scooters through Spin+ pilot

Braintree residents reserve e-scooters for exclusive use by paying £55 per month through Spin+. This fee includes around-the-clock support, insurance, helmet, and charging cable. Long-term users can swap for new e-scooters every three months. E-scooter riders travel up to 15 miles per hour on trails and low-limit roads in geofenced areas. Spin+ separates Braintree from neighboring councils that use per-minute fee structures for their pilots.

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Braintree District Council, GB

United Kingdom

Braintree District Council, GB pilots small electric waste collection service

A mobile collection vehicle will gather qualifying items like electric toothbrushes and hairdryers at public locations. Each location includes recycling bins for residents who also want to dispose of glass and plastic containers. The one-year pilot allows homeowners to include up to four small electric waste items as part of scheduled bulky waste collections. Council teams will refurbish lightly used items for reuse in the community and recycle non-functional items.

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Braintree District Council, GB

United Kingdom

Braintree District Council, GB encourages businesses to trade online with e-commerce website program

Locally owned businesses in the hospitality and retail industries are eligible to apply for e-commerce assistance. The council and LocaliQ evaluate applications for entrepreneurs without websites impacted negatively by COVID-19. This evaluation also determines if an applicant's products and services translate well to online purchases. Ten companies receive free e-commerce websites and training on how to maintain their online presence.

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Braintree District Council, GB

United Kingdom