City under fire over false clean-up claims

York Council launched the new smartphone app in March through the Smarter York website, allowing residents to take a picture of graffiti, litter or flytipping and send the location and photo to the local authority with a single click.

The information can then be forwarded on to a street cleaner or council officer in the area for a fast response, while residents can check the status of the query online.

However, Heworth Liberal Democrat councillor Nigel Aire has accused the authority of “failing residents” after being incorrectly told on several occasions that issues he had reported had been cleaned up.

“The council is telling residents issues have been dealt with when actually nothing has happened,” Coun Aire said.

“I have reported a number of problems including fly-tipping using the app and was pleased when the system promptly said the jobs had been completed. After going back to the incidents I was shocked to discover that work had not even begun.

“As it is, people are reporting problems, the job is being accepted, but then not actually being done.”

York Council was contacted by the Yorkshire Post but was unavailable for comment.