FixMyStreet
From IdeasInTransit
FixMyStreet is a website developed by mySociety where members of the public can report details of problems on local streets, such as graffiti, fly tipping, broken paving slabs or faulty street lighting, to their local councils.
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Product
The site allows people to pinpoint on a map where they have found a problem with a local street and attach a written description and photograph of the issue. These reports are then automatically sent by email to the appropriate local council who are encouraged to resolve the issue.
The software for the site is made available as open source, mostly under the GNU Affero GPL software license.
People
Tom Steinberg is the founder and director of mySociety and manager of FixMyStreet. The site code was written by Matthew Somerville and Francis Irving while Chris Lightfoot wrote the tileserver and map cutter. Deborah Kerr currently manages user support and keeps everything up to date.
History
FixMyStreet was built by mySociety in association with the Young Foundation and launched in February 2007. Up to 12th February 2009, over 37,000 problems have been reported, over 29,000 updates have been left, and there are over 17,500 email alert subscriptions. In the last month, 889 issues were reported as fixed.
FixMyStreet has been followed by many similar sites, from the directly inspired FixMyStreet New Zealand [1] to other sites that have similar goals like the photo based Australian Neat Streets and the German Markspot. That similar initatives are growing across the globe says something about the way people are currently thinking and their desire for increased interaction with government.
