Quick fix for streets: neighbourhood website proves a big hit with community users
A website that provides a quick fix to neighbourhood issues such as flytipping, road damage, poor lighting and litter has proved a big hit with residents. Barnet.fixmystreet.com, which is also available as a mobile phone application, allows residents to log on and upload details of the issues they would like to see tackled as a priority in their local area.
See FixMyStreet founder, Tom Steinberg of mysociety, talk about this, and other, community initiatives on RUDI
Since the site's launch in mid December, more than 450 reports have been submitted to the council, ranging from graffiti and broken paving slabs to missing drain covers and potholes. Once a report has been submitted, details are then sent to the relevant council department to be dealt with.
During February alone, 285 reports have been received by the council through the website, an increase of 125 compared to January. When used via a 'smart' mobile phone, a built in global positioning system (GPS), pin-points the exact location of where an uploaded picture was taken, helping council officers to identify hotspots.
The website also allows users to leave feedback on how well they felt the problem was resolved. One anonymous user posted: 'A very deep and dangerous pothole. It has loose pebbles flying off in all directions, damaging people's cars. The stones also are increasing in size and have hit my son on the leg, whilst a car drove past. Please fix this problem. This is why we pay council tax!' The message was followed by an update two days later.
'Hats off to Barnet Council. I got an email the next day saying they are on the case ASAP, and looking to fix all potholes in Barnet by the end of February.'
Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Daniel Thomas said: 'Fixmystreet was introduced to provide residents with an alternative way of reporting the issues which really matter to them at a very local level. Since its launch, the site has exceeded all our expectations and has proven to be an effective and efficient way of working with residents to fix problems as soon as they arise.
'It is great to see the site continues to grow month on month. However this growth in the website is demonstrating that we seem to be better at fixing the problems than we are at telling people we have done so - the next step for us is to fix that.'
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