Lewisham Council has scooped a prestigious New Statesman New Media Award for its pioneering fight against environment crime.
The council won the ‘Modernising Government’ category for its use of mobile phone technology to tackle graffiti and fly-tipping.
Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “Graffiti and fly-tipping was a real problem in Lewisham and we knew we needed to take a radical approach to beat it.
“Our innovation paid off. In the first year more than 15,000 enviro-crimes were dealt with, with twice as much graffiti being cleared up than in previous years.
“In most cases, graffiti and fly-tips are now being cleaned up the same day as they are reported, three times quicker than before.”
Since 14 February 2005, enforcement officers, refuse drivers, town centre managers, street wardens, councillors and residents have been able to report graffiti and fly-tips with their mobile phone by sending a picture to the Love Lewisham website.
The sightings are then cleaned up and the person who reported it receives a text to say it’s been done. The person who reported the incident can even visit the Love Lewisham site and see for themselves that the job has been done.