UnLoved Lewisham?

The Love Lewisham project is a celebrated case study of how local government can harness new technology to engage with the public - improving speed and access to council services and "democratising" information about the public realm.

It means anyone with a mobile phone - even those who aren't given taxpayer-funded ones - can report a problem on their street instantly. It is a good idea. It's the kind of idea that the "internet evangelist" who Brockley Central works with in our day-job wishes they'd come up with.

However, the idea is only as good as the execution. If the site's not easy to use or the clean-up service is inefficient then using it is just as frustrating as if the Council hadn't applied the white heat of technology to the problem. And the service should be an additional weapon in the Council's armory for combating litter and fly tipping - it shouldn't replace the eyes and ears of council employees and contractors responsible for cleaning up the rubbish on our streets.

Barry, a reader from Crofton Park, recently felt compelled to contact Mayor Bullock, when problem sites in his area showed little sign of improvement. He wrote:

"I am shocked at how many long standing fly-tipping sites there are in Lewisham.
Despite reporting them to LoveLewisham, various sites in Crofton Park are still festering months later.

"The particular site in question is at 94 Sevenoaks Rd, SE4 (side alley), adjacent to a garage close to the junction of Otford Crescent and Sevenoaks Rd.

"Sofas and old tyres sit happily in the rain for months while refuse collectors sail by, and street cleaners busy themselves picking up cigarette butts."

Mayor Bullock has promised to look in to the problem immediately, but we'd be interested to know about your experiences of using the service. How loved is Lewisham?