Why ‘Fix My Street’ is failing Lincolnshire - Horncastle councillor

The online system enables people to report highways problems in their area - including potholes.

Each report is logged and is then signed off ‘as closed’ - supposedly once work has been completed.

However, Coun Alan Lockwood said the system was falling ‘well short’ of acceptable standards.

He told fellow councillors at last week’s monthly meeting that two issues he had reported had been ‘signed off’ - without any work being carried out.

Coun Lockwood said he had reported a faulty street light in West Street two weeks ago.

He told councillors the ‘closed’ message had appeared on the system - even though the light was still not working.

Coun Lockwood said he had also reported concerns about electricity wires ‘snagging’ in trees in Bridge Street.

Again, he said no action had been taken - despite the site indicating the job had been fixed.

He said: “We all appreciate there are procedures in place to report issues but clearly, Fix My Steet is not working.

“It is not fit for purpose.

“People need to know whether something they have reported has been repaired - or not.”

He admitted some issues were complicated and required a plan of action before being fixed. However, he added repairing a street light should be an easy task.

Town and county councillor Bill Aron said the whole system was being upgraded and would work better, when the work has been completed.

He said: “You could report a fault which isn’t serious enough for repairing, and the system will say it has been completed.”

Coun Dominic Hinkins replied: “That is one of the reasons people complain. There are hundreds of things with roads in Horncastle. We don’t know what is happening.”

Coun Aron said the county council faced an impossible task, adding: “There are 500 parish and town councils in Lincolnshire and I’m sure that if each one has an issue they think it should be the priority.”