COUNCIL bosses hope residents are ‘appy’ with a new scheme that will allow them to report everything from graffiti to pot holes 24 hours a day.

The local authority has launched a mobile phone application – or app as it is more commonly known – that allows people anywhere in Inverclyde to draw attention to faults and issues in their community.

It will also help council staff target problem areas quickly and more efficiently.

The new Inverclyde Online app is available to download free on both Google Play and Apple’s app store, allowing locals to report the likes of fly-tipping, graffiti, dog fouling, pot holes and street lighting issues around the clock.

Council leader Stephen McCabe, pictured, says it’s part of a strategy to make services more accessible to users and to improve communication.

Councillor McCabe said: “This new app allows us to target resources where and when they are needed and gives people the opportunity to pass detailed information on to the service directly, whether it be to deal with a pothole or a broken street light or to report graffiti or dog fouling.

“It is incredibly important that we have clear lines of communication and as many opportunities for our communities to let us know about issues they may have.”

The new app takes advantage of the technology built into the phone to give residents the chance to provide as much information as possible to the council when reporting something.

GPS can be used to identify a particular location and the programme also allows people to take and send images of the fault or issue they are reporting, making it easier for local authority staff to identify exactly what is wrong. Requests are automatically classified and sent directly to the appropriate service area.

Councillor McCabe said: “Smartphones have overtaken laptops as the most popular device for getting online.

“More people than ever before now own them and they have transformed the way we communicate with each other.

“People shop and bank online and of course keep in touch with family and friends through social media.

“This app is a great way to allow people to let us know when and where there is a problem so that the council services can address them as quickly as possible.”

The Inverclyde Council mobile app – Inverclyde Online – is available to download now from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

For more information visit www.inverclyde.gov.uk/InverclydeOnline.