Reading: New App Trial

30 October 2012, 15:00

Reading Borough Council is asking people to help trial a free new 'app' to report things like litter, graffiti or flytipping direct to the Council.

The new app - called 'Love Clean Reading' means people can take photos of litter, fly tipping, dog mess or graffiti they come across. 

All they have to do is take a picture and then use the downloaded app on their smartphone or tablet to send it directly to the Council's Steertcare Team. The Streetcare Team will then send them a confirmation of receipt and - when it has been seen to - a photograph of the cleaned up area. 

The Council will be writing to the people who last year completed a 'We Need to Talk' questionnaire to help trial the 'app' over a six month period. The idea is to gather any public feedback from the trial, improve it where necessary and then consider opening it up all other Reading residents to use. 

Paul Gittings, Reading's Lead Councillor for Environment and Climate Change, said: 

"At a time when so many of us carry around these smart phones or tablets, it makes sense to use that existing resource and instant reporting facility to our advantage. 

"When you think around 1,500 of the 25,000 phonecalls calls made to Reading Borough Council's call centre every month are to do with things like graffiti, fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles, this 'app' is an extra reporting mechanism for local residents. Where possible the Streetcare Team will take swift action and where it cannot, we will say why. 

"Ultimately this is about making Reading a better place to live. I'm really looking forward to seeing the results of the trial and, if it proves to be a success, making it a permanent service for local residents to make use of."