Reading Borough Council to trial litter and graffiti clean-up app

Author: Ashley Curtis - 30 October 2012

Litter and graffiti around Reading city centre and its suburbs can now be reported via smartphones and tablets, reports bbc.co.uk.

The Love Clean Reading app, which is being trialled by Reading Borough Council cites i4u.com, will allow users to upload photographs of places that need cleaning up around the city. These photographs are then sent straight to the council's Streetcare team, who can deploy cleaners or order extra outdoor litter bins to help with litter overflow, for example.

In addition, the Streetcare team can then send a photo back after the area has been cleaned up.

GPS technology used on phones and tablets can help pinpoint the exact location of the litter or graffiti, according to a council spokesman.

Paul Gittings, councillor for the environment, commented on the new app: "At a time when so many of us carry around these smartphones 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 phones calls made to Reading Borough Council's call centre every month are to do with things like graffiti, fly-tipping and abandoned vehicles, this app is an extra reporting mechanism for local residents," he added.

The app will initially be available to representatives of Neighbourhood Action groups around the city on a trial period for six months.