Essex County Council announced the initiative that will receive £50,000 following the trial initiative in local democracy run by both the County Council and Braintree District Council. The project that received most public votes was one to improve the open space around the River Blackwater, including the maintenance of pathways, seating and the riverbank and was put forward by residents from Bocking.
The search for a winning project started on BBC Radio 5 Live on 29th January this year and focused on the two wards of Bocking South and Bocking Blackwater in the Braintree District. Residents were encouraged to submit their ideas for how they would like to spend £50,000 for the community in their area. A public meeting was held, broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live, where residents who had put forward ideas were given the opportunity to canvas for votes and sell their idea.
After the public meeting a ballot paper with the final 10 projects was sent via the post to every (10,231) household in the two wards and residents were given the opportunity to vote for their three favourite projects. 3,188 ballot papers were returned in the vote, a return rate of 32.14%. In the 2003 District Elections in 2003 the turnout rate for voting was 27.8% in Bocking South and 24.6% in Bocking Blackwater.
