July 2016

Love Clean Streets (LCS) is the UK’s leading and most used environmental reporting service. It enables anyone to report environmental issues directly to their council through a simple four step process on their smart phone, tablet or online.

Users simply download the ’Love Clean Streets’ app or visit www.lovecleanstreets.com. When they see a problem, they open the app, take a photo (the location is automatically detected) and enter some basic information, before posting the report. It all takes just seconds.

The report is sent directly to the nearest council’s back office systems (using the GPS co-ordinates automatically sent in the report) so they are made aware of the issue, know exactly where to find it, and resolve the problem.

Created in 2005, LCS is now integrated into the backend of over 40 local authorities and is used by the public all over the UK.

The app recently reached its one millionth interaction and has seen reports and usage significantly increase every year. Last year, in London boroughs alone, 18,549 fly-tips were reported. This year (2016) this number has reached nearly 22,000 reports in the first 6 months of the year.

Many local authorities are seeing the benefits of integrating LCS into their backend systems, which streamlines workflow, reduces costs and increases performance. Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) introduced a personalised version of LCS and branded ’Report It Eastbourne’ for both staff and public to use around the town.

Councillor David Tutt, Leader of EBC Council, said: "The app saves us valuable time and money with the GPS co-ordinates and photographs enabling us to deal with the issues more quickly and efficiently than before. Integrating LCS into our backend systems was quick, simple and cost-effective and has resulted in speedy resolutions maintaining our town&rsquos unique environment."

LCS Founder, Ian Blackburn strongly believes technology such as Love Clean Streets can improve both production and save costs in the waste and resources sector. He said: "Our app is integrated into council back office systems, with the information being stored on the cloud. This, alongside photographs and GPS co-ordinates, is saving waste management companies and local authorities’ time and money.

"Love Clean Streets can be branded individually which has proven to encourage public engagement and demonstrates innovation through the use of technology.

"By offering people an option which is easy, quick and simple to use - as well as being instantly accessible - we have noticed more issues being reported to local authorities and therefore more issues being resolved.

"We are also using our app to create awareness of environmental issues, such as litter and fly-tipping, amongst young people in schools, ultimately aiming to change perceptions and attitudes towards litter from a young age."

"The app is helping us to engage with young people through the use of technology."

"By educating and stimulating young people to understand and take responsibility for environmental issues, we will ultimately have a positive impact on the environment and therefore on the waste and resources sector."

The app is recommended and supported by the Keep Tidy groups. For more information, visit www.lovecleanstreets.com