Fix My Street works - but replies not always received

Typical FixMyStreet Map

THE FIX MY STREET website is becoming an increasingly popular way to report neighbourhood problems in the HU12 area. It was relatively unused in the area two years ago, but an article on the Hedon Blog in February 2009, and residents using it since then, have helped bring the website to wider attention.

However, following using Fix My Street, some users have said that they do not hear anything back from the Council. But an East Riding Council spokesperson insisted earlier this year that: "FixMyStreet certainly does remain a website that the Council continues to take seriously and we act on all requests as soon as we can."

Fix My Street is an easy-to-use website to report a neighbourhood problem - you simply enter your post code, then scroll along the map using the arrow keys until you find the location of your problem or issue (be precise as you can), then 'click' and a flag will appear and you can fill in a box with the problem details. You are asked for your e-mail and asked to verify it by clicking on a link sent to you - this proves you are a real person and not a 'spam' robot.

On this website

Minutes later your problem is sent to the East Riding Council and you should get an acknowledgement from them about receiving your notification of a problem. However, occasionally a reply direct to the customer is not always sent.

E-mails from FixMyStreet automatically go through to the Council's myeastriding website. Only then are they sent through to Customer Services to be actioned. But occasionally (due to an incompatibility issue with computer software) they are received by Customer Services with an automated message from the myeastriding website that says 'PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL' which staff comply with.

The council spokesperson said:

I can assure you that any contact we receive from FixMyStreet via 'myeastriding' is recorded and actioned as soon as possible and if a response/acknowledgement is not received, that can only be due to the (automated) message at the end, which really means to NOT reply to the 'myeastriding' web address! There should always be at least an instant automated response/acknowledgement back to the customer, pending a full reply from either Customer Services or the individual Service Department concerned.

A map of the South West Holderness area is used on the HU12 website to record the last 20+ issues reported on Fix My Street. It can be found by looking on the right-hand, side-bar.