News

Gloucester City Council has chosen FixMyStreet Pro as its new online reporting service for local street and environment issues as part of a drive to streamline the reporting process, improve response times and enhance communication with residents and other local authorities.

SocietyWorks is delighted to have launched a brand new installation of its FixMyStreet Pro solution for Gloucester City Council.

Opting for the customised plan for District Councils, which ensures the solution is value appropriate, Gloucester City Council’s installation is branded to complement the Council’s existing online environment and designed to work seamlessly on any device.

The launch includes an API integration between FixMyStreet Pro and the Causeway Alloy asset management system, used by Ubico, the environmental services company part-owned by Gloucester City Council.

Reports of problems managed by Ubico are sent directly into Alloy, and updates are automatically sent back to report-makers, and to anyone else subscribed to the report, helping to manage expectations, improve perceptions and eliminate expensive follow-up contact.

Reports of problems not exclusively managed by Ubico are sent directly to the most relevant team within the Council for action.

Report-makers can locate problems using GPS or by inputting a postcode or street name. Asset layers shared from Alloy are displayed on the FixMyStreet Pro map to encourage accurate selections when reporting problems relating to, for example, bridges or street lights.

All reports sent to Gloucester City Council are displayed publicly on the FixMyStreet Pro map to improve transparency. Where an issue within the same category and location has already been reported, FixMyStreet Pro suggests the existing report to the report-maker and, if it is the same problem, encourages them to subscribe instead of reporting again. 

Categories for issues that are the responsibility of Gloucestershire County Council are also available for report-makers to select via the service. Reports within these categories are automatically diverted to Gloucestershire, which has its own installation of FixMyStreet Pro.

In instances of crossover, where some assets are managed by Gloucester City Council and others are managed by Gloucestershire County Council, FixMyStreet Pro ensures that reports always go to the correct authority. 

Meanwhile, where motorways and trunk roads, like the A38 and the M5, pass through or alongside Gloucester City Council and Gloucestershire County Council’s boundaries, FixMyStreet Pro automatically diverts reports to National Highways.

Should a user attempt to make a report of a problem that is the responsibility of another authority, the service will redirect them to the national FixMyStreet site, run by SocietyWorks’ parent charity mySociety.

Angela Dixon, Managing Director at SocietyWorks, said: “FixMyStreet Pro exists to make reporting local place-based problems online easy for members of the public, and for the authorities responsible for them.

“The launch of FixMyStreet Pro for Gloucester City Council unifies the reporting process between the district and county authorities, enabling each to offer residents who make the effort to report problems as smooth and responsive a service as possible.

“It has been wonderful to work with the team at Gloucester City Council and Causeway on this launch, and I look forward to welcoming Gloucester City into our lively user groups, where they will help us to shape the future of the solution.” 

Earlier this month we hosted one of our WasteWorks user group events, bringing together the community of councils using the solution to catch up, share experiences and learn from one another.

As part of the event, we ran through some of the new features and improvements that have been added to WasteWorks over the last few months, including:

Small items collections

Working with the London Borough of Sutton, we introduced functionality for their residents to be able to book collections for small items, such as batteries and coffee pods.

As with any functionality built into WasteWorks, the small items collections booking service has been adapted around Sutton’s individual requirements, integrations and operational processes. Read more about it.

Bulky waste collections

Meanwhile, with the London Borough of Bexley, we made it possible for residents to sign up to and pay for a bulky waste collection.

API integrations into the Whitespace Work Software in-cab system and the Capita Pay360 payment service used by Bexley enable a self-service workflow for residents and for staff using WasteWorks on behalf of those who need support. Learn more.

Viewing all reports at a property

It’s often the small things that make the biggest difference, and that is certainly true of the new ‘All reports here’ button, enabling members of staff to quickly navigate to a page viewing all reports for a particular property from a WasteWorks report.

Improvements to collection calendars

Each WasteWorks installation gives users the ability to download their waste collection schedule to an online calendar. We’ve introduced a new calendar help page to make it clearer what options are available, including direct links for popular tools, such as Apple or Google calendars.

Plus, the calendar files themselves are now being cached more often to help deal with wayward calendar applications, and reduce the load on some backend systems.

A bit of form housekeeping

For councils who manage bulky waste collections through WasteWorks, we’ve tidied up the page of the form on which users can add items to be collected, making it look neater and adding more space.

The same has been applied to the emails sent out when a booking is made, ensuring a tidier display of items to be collected.

Add to homepage advice

WasteWorks is a progressive web app (PWA), which means it can be used as a normal web service or downloaded to mobile devices to be used as an app. Each council’s version of WasteWorks now comes with a dedicated page to help guide users through the process of saving the service as an app on their device.

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Want to know more about WasteWorks? Get in touch.

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Among FixMyStreet Pro’s key benefits is its ability to allow councils and other public authorities to incorporate into each installation fault reporting for multiple service areas, flexing around individual needs and creating a consistent reporting experience for users. 

An example of this is the way in which some councils using FixMyStreet Pro have chosen to enable reporting of housing-related issues via their instances of the service to help reduce misreporting and failure demand.

Meanwhile, housing associations themselves can also use the technology as their own, running a reporting service that works in synchronisation with neighbouring councils, triaging reports between them.

As is often the case with FixMyStreet Pro, this functionality can work in different ways, depending on an authority’s individual processes and relationships with housing associations and contractors.

Internal triaging 

Where housing estates are managed by a particular team within the council that is different from the team which set up its FixMyStreet Pro service, reports can be triaged to that team using an asset layer, if the data is available.

Take Brent Council’s FixMyStreet Pro as an example, which enables users to select ‘Council Estate Grounds’ as a category, and then displays on the map an asset layer to make clear where such issues can be reported. 

 

 

Should a user make a report within this category, with the map pin placed over the layer, the report will go to Brent’s dedicated estates team directly. As well as helping the council triage reports, this also helps to educate report-makers on who’s responsible for what.

It is also possible to do this without displaying the asset layer, if you would prefer. In these cases, upon selecting a particular report category and dropping the map pin in a certain place, the report will be triaged accordingly, but without the user knowing this is what is happening.  

Signposting

Where it is not possible to directly triage a report to another system or team, FixMyStreet Pro makes it easy to signpost users to the correct place to make their report. 

In such instances, councils can display a message to the user explaining why their report can’t be made via FixMyStreet Pro and where to make it instead. 

 

 

Messages can be displayed at various points within the reporting workflow, based on either an asset layer (if available), the location of the map pin or the category or subcategory selected. 

 

 

Housing associations using FixMyStreet Pro

As well as enabling councils to incorporate housing-related reports into their services, FixMyStreet Pro can also be used by said housing associations directly, acting as their own reporting service.

The Peabody Housing Association uses FixMyStreet Pro to manage fault reports within Thamesmead, making it easy for local people to report environmental issues such as fly-tipping, pest control, public lighting and problems in or around the canals and lakes — all managed by Peabody.

 

 

FixMyStreet Pro’s ability to triage reports nationally means housing associations benefit from being able to manage reports for issues that are their responsibility, while all other reports are automatically triaged to the correct authority. 

With Peabody and its two closest borough councils, Bexley and Greenwich, as well as Transport for London, all using FixMyStreet Pro, the four bodies can work in synchronisation, making it easy for residents to successfully report problems and care for their local community.

 

 

For example, in the areas of Thamesmead which sit within the boundary of Greenwich, housing-related issues which are the responsibility of Peabody Housing Association are automatically triaged from the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s FixMyStreet Pro service. The report will not enter Greenwich’s workflow, instead going directly to the correct team at Peabody for response, with no interruption to the workflow for the report-maker.

 

Categories for caretakers

Additionally, in using the technology for themselves, housing associations can allow their caretakers to use the service to report issues via the same, simple user interface, just like Peabody have done. 

“Caretakers can now make and monitor their reports at the touch of a button, taking ownership of when reports can be closed, or when others need to be chased”

 

 

Tom Broad, Head of Environmental Services at Peabody, explains more:

“Just as we had done for residents, we wanted to make it easier for our team of 80+ caretakers that look after the 5,000+ homes in Thamesmead to be able to report the defects they find without having to go via the call centre.

“Working with the team at SocietyWorks, we explored how we could use FixMyStreet Pro to give caretakers a quick and simple way to make reports online, and to stay updated on their progress. The result was to incorporate into the existing service some new, private categories and block asset layers, only visible to caretaker staff when logged in to our FixMyStreet Pro service. Like residents, caretakers can upload photos of the issue and provide as much detail as possible within their reports.

“It’s been a real success; caretakers can now make and monitor their reports at the touch of a button, taking ownership of when reports can be closed, or when others need to be chased. With all reports visible on the map, this new functionality has helped us to plug knowledge gaps whenever a member of staff is off sick or on annual leave, making sure reports are not duplicated and updates accessible to everyone.”

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For more information about FixMyStreet Pro, please send a message to our team.

We have introduced a new feature to the admin interface of FixMyStreet Pro, enabling members of staff with the correct permissions to set a “closed to updates” timeframe to reports on a per-category basis.

The purpose of this is to prevent users providing updates on old reports to alert to a new occurrence of the same issue, which could impede resolutions and may impact your report data when analysed.

The setting can be applied to any subcategory as needed. This allows you to automate the closing of reports to updates for individual problems within a category sooner or later than others. 

 

 

For example, if a problem is something you know is likely to reoccur in the same area, such as fly-tipping in a known hotspot, you may want to set a shorter timeframe within which updates can be applied to an existing report.

That way, when a new instance of the issue occurs, you can help to ensure a new report is made instead of a user updating an existing report because they haven’t realised it’s not the same problem. 

 

 

If no individual timeframe is applied to a subcategory, reports will be closed to updates within the default timeframe of six months, unless you have requested an alternative default timeframe to be applied to your instance of FixMyStreet Pro.

This feature complements FixMyStreet Pro’s duplicate report suggestion tool, which suggests existing reports to users within the same category and location, the radius for which can be modified per category. 

Why updates are important 

Updates to reports on FixMyStreet Pro come in a number of different formats:

1. The authority that received the report can update it to share what’s happening next;
2. The report-maker can update the report to say, for example, that a problem has become worse since they reported it;
3. Other members of the public can update the report to add their own information, such as to say that an instance of fly-tipping is perhaps no longer there.

Timely updates from the authority are the best, most effective way to keep feedback loops closed and mitigate follow-up calls or emails. Updates are made easy by using response templates, which enable pre-written responses to be sent to report-makers according to the status of the report. 

 

 

Meanwhile, having the option to keep reports of unfixed problems open to updates from members of the public for a while can help you to monitor a problem’s priority without needing to carry out continuous inspections. 

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If you’re a client of FixMyStreet Pro and you would like any support using this new feature, please open a ticket on the helpdesk.

If you’re from a local authority or other public body not yet using FixMyStreet Pro and you’d like to understand more about how it works, please get in touch. 

Residents in the London Borough of Sutton can now use the council’s version of WasteWorks to book a collection for small items, such as batteries and coffee pods.

We launched Sutton’s WasteWorks service in 2022, providing residents and contact centre staff with an easy way to access waste services associated with a property’s address online. 

Initial functionality comprised self-service bin day checks, problem reports and new bin requests, as well as garden waste subscriptions and payments – all facilitated by API integration with the Selected Interventions Echo in-cab system and payment provider Barclaycard.

Subsequent development work has enabled residents to also use WasteWorks to make bookings for bulky waste collections. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, other work has involved a migration of Sutton’s WasteWorks to a new version of Echo and a change of payment provider to Capita Pay360.

Small items collections

As with any functionality built into WasteWorks, the small items collections booking service has been adapted around Sutton’s individual requirements and operational processes.

Users can select from a list of items included in the service and book a time slot according to availability, the data for which is shared through the integration with Echo. A photograph and/or text description of the location where the item(s) will be left for collection can be optionally provided.

Each request created via WasteWorks is automatically sent into Echo once the booking has been confirmed for staff and contractors to manage directly. Email notifications are sent to users to confirm their booking and to act as a reminder of the upcoming collection.

Within specified timeframes, users can also cancel a booking for a small item collection or report that a collection has been missed from within the same workflow. Cancellations or missed collection reports are shared directly to Echo and corresponding updates or confirmations returned to the user automatically via email. 

Paul Brockwell, Head of Waste and Street Cleaning at London Borough of Sutton, said: “In a significant stride towards environmental sustainability and a circular economy, the London Borough of Sutton proudly unveiled its new bookable small items recycling collection service in October 2025. This initiative empowers residents with a convenient and efficient way to recycle small electrical items, textiles, and batteries, directly contributing to the council’s ambitious goals of enhanced recycling and resource recovery.

“The introduction of this service marks a pivotal moment in Sutton’s ongoing commitment to fostering a more sustainable community. By providing an accessible and user-friendly system for the collection of these specific waste streams, the council aims to divert a substantial volume of material, thereby reducing environmental impact and promoting the re-use of valuable resources. This service is a testament to Sutton’s dedication to creating a truly circular economy, where waste is minimised and resources are kept in use for as long as possible.

“This achievement would not have been possible without the invaluable partnership and tireless dedication of SocietyWorks. Their exceptional expertise in developing and refining the WasteWorks platform proved instrumental in facilitating the seamless integration and operation of this fantastic new service. The WasteWorks platform provides the digital infrastructure that enables residents to easily schedule collections, track their requests, and access information, ensuring a smooth and efficient process for all users.

“The London Borough of Sutton is confident that this new service will build upon its already impressive recycling rate, further solidifying its position as a leading borough in environmental stewardship. The ability for residents to conveniently schedule collections for these often-overlooked small items is expected to significantly increase participation in recycling efforts, ultimately leading to a greener and more sustainable future for the entire borough. This service is not just about waste collection; it’s about empowering residents to actively participate in building a more resilient and environmentally conscious community.”

Angela Dixon, Managing Director at SocietyWorks, said: “It’s been a pleasure to work in partnership with the team at the London Borough of Sutton on this functionality. We are proud to offer a service like WasteWorks that is capable of adapting to councils’ changing needs as and when they are ready, creating sustainable digital transformation.”

Along with our parent charity mySociety, SocietyWorks is now formally sponsoring OpenStreetMap and MetaCPAN – two key external pieces of digital infrastructure that help us to run our services.

We use OpenStreetMap data in a number of ways, including background mapping on sites such as MapIt, or as an optional layer on FixMyStreet. Meanwhile, MetaCPAN is the Perl package manager that hosts all the third party Perl packages we use in FixMyStreet, WriteToThem, and more.

Why is sponsorship important?

Like many technology providers, we rely on a number of external dependencies in order to run our services. It’s been a long-held goal to be able to support such infrastructure, and give back to the technology and community on which we rely. 

XKCD has this famous comic which I’m sure many of you have seen before:

As the Explain XKCD page on the above comic says, “The current model of libraries and open-source development […] relies heavily on the free and continued dedication of unpaid hobbyists”, and has some interesting discussion and examples. There’s a lot of history behind how things have arrived here, and a number of people and organisations looking to try and improve the situation, and hopefully our contribution is part of that.

So yes, supporting digital infrastructure upon which you depend is a good idea, and I’m really pleased we are able to give back to OpenStreetMap and MetaCPAN. 

Sudden spikes in demand from members of the public reporting local street, highway and environment issues can be caused by a number of things. 

Some causes are fairly predictable, like those associated with seasonal changes such as grass cutting or empty grit bins, while others happen more suddenly in the wake of unexpected incidents like flooding or community campaigns against issues like graffiti or fly-tipping.

That being the case, we’ve equipped FixMyStreet Pro, our fault reporting service for councils, highways agencies and other public bodies, with several useful tools to help manage sudden increases in reports.

Let’s take a look at some of them…

 

Site-wide messaging 

From the FixMyStreet Pro administration dashboard, staff users with the correct permissions can set messaging to be displayed across their installation of the service. 

Using this feature, you can let report-makers know that you are receiving a high volume of reports of a particular issue and explain how this may affect response times.

You can also use the site-wide messaging feature to provide emergency contact details for certain problems if necessary, or schedule messages to only appear at certain times, such as out of hours.

 

Response templates 

FixMyStreet Pro sends a response to report-makers whenever a report’s status changes to ensure they and anyone subscribed to the report is kept informed of its progress. 

With all reports and their responses published publicly on the map, the information you include in them serves as a crucial way to manage expectations and educate about how issues are prioritised. 

Templates for responding to reports within different categories can be set up and edited by staff users. 

When report volume is high for a particular category, you can edit its templates or even create new ones specifically to communicate that responses may take longer than usual.

Templates can be managed from within the FixMyStreet Pro administration dashboard or they can correspond to an integrated asset management or CRM system.

 

Extra questions and photos

Photos and extra questions can be included within the FixMyStreet Pro report form to help users understand before they make a report whether the problem they have found meets your intervention criteria.

This can be helpful for issues like blocked drains, which may regularly see predictable increases in reports after heavy rainfall.

 

Emergency report diversion

During periods of high demand, it’s crucial that emergencies don’t get lost in a queue of other less urgent problems. 

In addition to using the site-wide messaging and extra questions mentioned above, it’s also possible to display emergency messaging for certain report categories on FixMyStreet Pro, or even disable those reports entirely.

 

Avoiding duplicates

It can often be the case that members of the public go to report an issue about which you’re already aware, so when demand is already high, keeping duplication down is paramount. 

As well as suggesting possible duplicates within a customisable radius to report-makers and encouraging them to subscribe instead of re-reporting, FixMyStreet Pro also enables you to display on the map scheduled maintenance works to eliminate the need for reports to be made at all.

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For more information about how FixMyStreet Pro works, request a demo from our friendly team.

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A new API integration has been completed between Buckinghamshire Council’s instance of FixMyStreet Pro and the Idox Geospatial Countryside Asset Management System (CAMS), used by the council to manage its public rights of way data. 

This integration enables report categories for problems relating to public rights of way, such as broken gates and missing signposts, to be introduced into FixMyStreet Pro for Buckinghamshire. 

“The integration will provide greater visibility of existing reports, reduce duplicate reports and improve accuracy of reporting through map based assets.”

– Cameron Barrett, FixMyStreet Product Manager at Buckinghamshire Council 

Such reports, including any images uploaded by the report-maker, are sent directly into CAMS to be responded to by the appropriate teams. 

Updates made to reports by council staff within CAMS are returned to FixMyStreet Pro, with details shared automatically via email to the report-maker and any subscribers.

Response templates managed by staff within the FixMyStreet Pro administration dashboard correspond to different status updates within CAMS, making it easy to respond to reports in user-friendly language, helping to manage expectations and keep the feedback loop closed.

The CAMS integration is one of several with Buckinghamshire’s FixMyStreet Pro, which was implemented in 2018. Existing integrations include the Causeway Alloy asset management system for highways reports, the Abavus My Council Services (MCS) CRM system for street cleaning and other environment reports and EvoClaim, the solution used by the council to manage claims from residents for injury or damage sustained to vehicles or property on a highway.

Cameron Barrett, FixMyStreet Product Manager at Buckinghamshire Council said:

“FixMyStreet Pro has been Buckinghamshire Highways’ online reporting tool since 2018. We have continued to develop FixMyStreet by integrating with our Street Scene operations as well as Parks. 

“Rights of way presented an opportunity for integration identified through high volumes of Rights of way enquiries that were being submitted via “Best fit” categories on FixMyStreet and subsequently being closed and internally redirected. 

“The integration will provide greater visibility of existing reports, reduce duplicate reports and improve accuracy of reporting through map based assets. 

“The team at SocietyWorks and Idox have been fantastic in supporting this project and prioritising customer needs throughout.”

Angela Dixon, Managing Director at SocietyWorks, said:

“The delivery of modern public services requires a unified approach. It has been a pleasure to support Buckinghamshire Council with another integration into their co-branded version of FixMyStreet Pro. 

“I would like to thank everyone involved in this project at Buckinghamshire, Idox Geospatial and here at SocietyWorks for their dedication to delivering interoperable services that help councils bridge data gaps and improve the user experiences of members of the public.”

David Bennett, CAMS Consultant, Idox Geospatial said:

“This integration makes it easier for residents to report public rights of way issues and helps the Council respond more efficiently. 

“We’re proud to have worked with Buckinghamshire and SocietyWorks to connect CAMS with FixMyStreet Pro and improve the experience for everyone involved.”

Joanne Taylor, Rights of Way Operations Manager at Buckinghamshire Council, said: 

“This is an important development; the integrated link between FixMyStreet and Countryside Access Management systems will streamline the customer journey, enabling the Rights of Way Operations Team to provide up to date progression on defects recorded on the Rights of Way network, via both the Rights of Way online map and FixMyStreet.”

As a map-based reporting solution, FixMyStreet Pro can do lots of clever things to help users make accurate and actionable reports of local street, highway and environment faults.

From suggesting potential duplicate reports, to automatically diverting reports between different authorities – and even detecting when a report is being made on a private road.

How private road detection works on FixMyStreet Pro

Using an asset layer shared via integration with an asset management system, councils and other public authorities responsible for fixing local problems can detect when a user is trying to make a report on a private or unadopted road.

When making a report via an authority’s branded instance of FixMyStreet Pro, users find the location of their report either by typing in the area, postcode or street name if they know it, or by using their current geo-location.

The map then loads at that location, the pin can be placed on the map exactly where the problem is located and a category can be selected.

If the map pin is not placed on the asset layer which depicts the roads adopted by the council or authority in question, then the user can be shown a message to inform them and signpost to where they may be able to redirect their report.

In instances where certain assets on a private road remain the responsibility of the local council or authority, FixMyStreet Pro supports the triaging of this based on the report location and category.

This ensures the user never needs to worry about who’s responsible for what and the authority only receives reports they can deal with.

Private road detection on the national FixMyStreet site

As you may already know, FixMyStreet Pro was born out of FixMyStreet, the national reporting service launched by our parent charity mySociety in 2007.

Being a purposeful piece of technology which supports open standards to remove barriers to accessing useful services for the public sector, councils can opt to set up their own integration with FixMyStreet (for free) using a standard known as Open311.

Non-FixMyStreet Pro users who set up and run their own Open311 integration with the national reporting site can also supply their own asset layer for adopted or unadopted roads to help eliminate avoidable and incorrect reports. Find out more about the FixMyStreet Open311 API.

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For more information about how FixMyStreet Pro works, request a demo from our friendly team.

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The next stage of our phased rollout of WasteWorks for the London Borough of Bexley has been completed, incorporating into the service the ability for residents to sign up to and pay for a bulky waste collection.

API integrations into the Whitespace Work Software in-cab system and the Capita Pay360 payment service used by Bexley enable a self-service workflow for residents and for staff using WasteWorks on behalf of those who need support.

As with all co-branded instances of WasteWorks, Bexley’s version of the service has been configured to meet its exact requirements.

“Residents now benefit from a modernised booking system that replaces the previous workaround via the Contact Centre, reducing call volumes and improving self-service access.”

– London Borough of Bexley

For the bulky waste functionality, as well as standard features such as the ability to check available collection slots before finalising a booking, Bexley also benefits from enhanced, council-specific features, including a pricing structure based on points and alternative pricing for state pension recipients. Additional alternative pricing will be made available for Saturday collections.  

WasteWorks also enables Bexley to provide residents with collection reference numbers, and email notifications for confirmations, cancellations, status updates and reminders. The service also collects accurate information on the location and accessibility of items to be collected for collection teams.

The addition of bulky waste to Bexley’s WasteWorks service means that residents can now use it to access the following services:

• Check bin days on-demand;
• Track the status of collections;
• Add waste collection days to a smartphone or computer online calendar (they update automatically when changes are made);
• Report missed collections;
• Request a new rubbish or recycling bin;
• Request a replacement bin;
• Request the removal of a bin (without needing to request a new one);
• Sign up and pay for a bulky waste collection.

Supporting statement from the London Borough of Bexley:

“The London Borough of Bexley is proud to announce the successful implementation of the Special Bulky Waste service into WasteWorks, delivered by SocietyWorks. This milestone marks a significant enhancement in the borough’s digital waste management capabilities, offering residents a streamlined and user-friendly way to book and pay for bulky waste collections online.

“The project, delivered in close collaboration with SocietyWorks, Bexley’s Digital Team, Contact Centre and Environmental Services, has been met with enthusiastic uptake since its launch.

“Residents now benefit from a modernised booking system that replaces the previous workaround via the Contact Centre, reducing call volumes and improving self-service access.”

About WasteWorks

WasteWorks launched in 2021 and was co-designed with the London Borough of Bromley, where its intelligent features have helped the Council to achieve a 40% drop in avoidable customer contacts about waste services.

Shortlisted for the Public/Private Partnership Award at the LGC Awards 2022, WasteWorks is designed as a Progressive Web App (PWA). This means it functions beautifully on any device, and can be downloaded to mobile devices to be used as an app, without the need to maintain a separate app codebase.

Find out more about WasteWorks.