Blog posts about News

A new feature has been released for FixMyStreet giving users the option to start their reports with a photo, the data from which can be extracted to speed up the reporting process.

As well as making the reporting process quicker, this new functionality should also increase the accuracy of reports, removing the need for users who can’t or don’t want to report the problem at its location to remember exactly where it was at a later point in time.

Where a photo has been taken using a smartphone with geo-tagging enabled, FixMyStreet can now use the data stored in the uploaded photo to identify the location of the problem the user wants to report. 

Once uploaded, FixMyStreet will display a map with a pin dropped at the location identified. Users then have the option to either move the map pin if necessary, or continue with the report.

If a user does not have photo geo-tagging turned on, or the device they are using is not compatible with this functionality, they can still begin reports with a photo, but they will also need to identify the location of the problem either through GPS (if currently at the location) or using a postcode, street name or area.

Users can still report problems on FixMyStreet without using a photo if they can’t take one or don’t have one.

Photo-first reporting has been rolled out across the FixMyStreet website and app, as well as to all cobranded instances of FixMyStreet Pro.

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Got a question about photo-first reporting on FixMyStreet? Get in touch.

We were pleased to discover that FixMyStreet, mySociety’s long-running reporting service for local public realm faults, has been recognised in the Newspeak House Political Technology Awards. The awards are a year-long (hypothetical) grant making exercise, undertaken by the 2024–25 Fellows of Newspeak House’s Introduction to Political Technology programme.

Newspeak House, an independent residential college founded in 2015, brings together practitioners and researchers from across civil society and the public sector to explore how technology can strengthen democratic systems.

Within this landscape, FixMyStreet stood out. The 2024-25 cohort described it as “a civic reporting tool that allows residents to flag local infrastructure issues directly to the relevant authority,” praising its ability to support real-time public participation, improve transparency, and enhance everyday engagement with place.

In their reflections, they captured something that resonates strongly with our mission:

“FixMyStreet is a classic for a reason. It’s a clean, practical tool that opens a direct line between people and local government. But what struck me was the deeper shift it invites: it makes place-based maintenance visible, collective, and reportable.”

That shift — towards shared visibility and collective responsibility for the places we live — has always been at the heart of FixMyStreet. We’re grateful to the Newspeak House cohort for recognising its continued impact within the broader ecosystem of political and civic technology.

An open, map-based solution that’s as relevant now as it ever has been

When FixMyStreet first launched in 2007 it was in response to many councils not offering an easy-to-use online reporting service — if they offered one at all. Many citizens still prefer FixMyStreet because of its simplicity and because it removes the need for them to know which council is responsible for what problem.

These days, FixMyStreet acts as a national reporting platform, bringing all of the local authorities and government organisations together on one system, triaging reports between councils at all levels, highways agencies and housing associations.

Councils and other public authorities can interact with FixMyStreet in several different ways:

• Receive reports via email (for free) to whichever email address(es) you like for different issues;
• Set up your own (free!) integration using Open311 to have reports drop into a system of your choosing;
• We can build and maintain an integration for you (carries an annual fee);
• You can become a FixMyStreet Pro user. FixMyStreet Pro is a more advanced version of FixMyStreet, designed to eliminate the significant costs councils incur from duplicate reporting, unnecessary contact and failure demand.

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Want to understand more about FixMyStreet? Contact us for a chat. 

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.” 

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. 

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.”

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.

We’re delighted to announce that we will soon be launching a self-service version of FixMyStreet especially for parish and town councils.

FixMyStreet for Parish & Town Councils will enable even the smallest local councils to offer a user-friendly and responsive reporting service to local residents for issues under their responsibility.

Built into the robust FixMyStreet platform, parish and town councils will be able to set up and manage their service themselves, adding their own logo to the reporting page, choosing their own categories and managing responses to remove reliance on upper tier authorities.

Where councils share responsibility for certain issues depending on location or asset type, FixMyStreet will automatically triage reports according to the required criteria to help eliminate misreporting and duplication of effort.

Find out more about FixMyStreet for Parish & Town Councils.

On most of our FixMyStreet Pro instances, we use Ordnance Survey’s Maps API to supply the map tiles for our maps. Councils have free access to the API under the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA), so we can display mapping up to a very high zoom level.

Microsoft is now retiring its Bing Maps API, which we have used on fixmystreet.com and some other instances for many years, and so we have now switched these to also use the OS Maps API – in instances where we do not have PSGA access, we use OS OpenData served from our own tile server for more zoomed in levels.

For the OS Leisure map tiles, this should provide an increase in image quality, and should also be more up to date in general. In Northern Ireland, fixmystreet.com is now using OpenStreetMap, ongoing thanks to them for their services.

Functionally, the only difference users might notice is that the Bing Maps API provided an aerial view option which is not currently replicable. One way around this for FixMyStreet Pro council cobrands could be to utilise an internal GIS mapping server that can supply map tiles and aerial imagery, or to provide us with OS imagery data for us to serve. If you’re a Pro client and you think this may apply to you, please open a ticket on the helpdesk system.

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For more information about the FixMyStreet platform, please get in touch.

South Kesteven District Council is the latest local authority to adopt SocietyWorks’ FixMyStreet Pro solution as its online street and environment reporting service.

Taking advantage of FixMyStreet Pro’s dedicated offering for district councils, which ensures districts only pay for the elements of the software they need, South Kesteven has invested in a fully branded, hosted and managed installation of FixMyStreet Pro.

“This platform not only streamlines reporting but also gives residents the chance to directly participate in the care and enhancement of their community.”

— Councillor Ashley Baxter, Leader of South Kesteven District Council

South Kesteven’s FixMyStreet Pro handles reports from members of the public about local street and environment issues, such as broken street lighting, fly-tipping and overflowing bins. 

Categories for issues that are the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council are also available for report-makers to select via the service. Reports within these categories will be automatically diverted to Lincolnshire, which also uses FixMyStreet Pro. 

Should a user attempt to make a report of a problem outside of South Kesteven or Lincolnshire’s boundary, the service will redirect them to the FixMyStreet site. 

As a map-based reporting solution, FixMyStreet Pro displays individual assets such as public bins and street lights to increase the accuracy of reports. 

In instances of crossover, where some assets are managed by South Kesteven and others are managed by Lincolnshire County Council, such as street lights, FixMyStreet Pro ensures that reports always go to the correct authority. 

Assets for South Kesteven are shared with FixMyStreet Pro directly from the Council’s map server.

Members of the public are able to view existing reports on the map and can subscribe to updates on any which are of interest. Updates on the progress of reports are sent via email to the report-maker and to any other subscribers. 

South Kesteven can make use of FixMyStreet Pro’s comprehensive case management tools, including response templates and site-wide messaging to help manage expectations and divert emergencies.

Additionally, FixMyStreet Pro suggests potential duplicates to users at the point of making a report and encourages them to subscribe to the existing report to help reduce unnecessary contact. 

Leader of South Kesteven District Council, Councillor Ashley Baxter, said: “Many of our residents are already familiar with using FixMyStreet to report county council issues such as potholes and flooding.

“They can now use the same platform to report issues to South Kesteven District Council including fly-tipping, graffiti and dead wildlife.

“We are delighted to introduce FixMyStreet technology to residents of South Kesteven. This platform not only streamlines reporting but also gives residents the chance to directly participate in the care and enhancement of their community.

“By making it easier to report concerns, we are ensuring that every voice is heard, and that every contribution helps keep the district safe, clean and well maintained.

“I would personally encourage anyone who spots any issues to explore FixMyStreet and take an active role in shaping their local environment.”

Angela Dixon, Managing Director at SocietyWorks, said: “It is wonderful to welcome South Kesteven District Council into our community of FixMyStreet Pro users, which already includes Lincolnshire County Council. 

“Our vision for FixMyStreet Pro has always been to enable councils to provide a truly united reporting service that meets each authority’s different needs. We are excited to see the impact the technology will have for South Kesteven.” 

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Find out more about FixMyStreet Pro.