For November 2024, welcome to the third episode of NUN Local, Sheffield’s hyper-local podcast for Netherthorpe, Upperthorpe and Neepsend.In this episode, I talk to Sally from FixMyStreet, who may just have the solution to wondering who on earth to report fly tipping, graffiti and bad parking to. Then Karen, who’s one of the organisers of a Sustainability Netwalking event this month in Neepsend. And finally, I talk to Anders about the walks he organises around Neepsend that teach you about the area’s art and history.Timings00:00 Intro01:50 Sally Reader from mySociety: FixMyStreet17:44 Sustainability Netwalking with Karen Perkins32:40 Neepsend walking tours with Anders HansonTranscriptPhilippa WillittsWelcome to the November of NUN Local, the podcast all about Netherthorpe, Upperthorpe, and Neepsend.In today's episode, I've got 3 brilliant interviews for you.The first one is with Sally Reader from FixMyStreet. If you have ever wondered what to do about a pothole in the area or fly tipping or an abandoned Island, you didn't know who to call, Sally tells us about a free app that really does make it simple to fix your street.And then I talk to Karen Perkins, who is one of the organisers of Sustainability Netwalking, which is happening in Neepsend in November.And finally, I have a chat with Anders from Kelham Island and Neepsend Walks, talking about 2 walks around Neepsend that he's planning this month. One looking at the history of the area and one looking at the art around the area.There's honestly loads to learn, and do listen up for his favorite Neepsend fact. It is genuinely fascinating.Wherever you're listening to NUN Local, make sure you get access to every future episode by signing up at nunlocal.news, where you can be informed every time there's a new episode.Episodes come out on the 1st of every month, and signing up at nunlocal.news will make sure you don't miss anything.But first of all, here is Sally Reader from FixMyStreet.FixMyStreet is an independent web service run by charity mySociety, and it makes it easier for anyone to report a problem in their local area.It means you can report things without having to try and work out who on earth is responsible for them and without having to wait on hold on the council phone line, which we've all done.The FixMyStreet website says all you have to do is type in a UK postcode or let the site locate you automatically and describe your problem. Then we send your report to the people whose job it is to fix it.And at the time of writing, I can see on the website that 74,000 reports have been sent to Sheffield City Council alone through FixMyStreet.And when I look at the most recent ones submitted, people are reporting fly tipping, unsafe parking, rats, illegal parking, and a pothole. All of which are really either annoying or even dangerous problems that the app is helping people to resolve.Sally Reader works for Society Works, which is part of mySociety.So first of all, Sally, thank you for coming on the podcast.Sally ReaderOh, you're welcome. It's nice to chat to somebody different for a change.Philippa WillittsI bet. So how did the idea for FixMyStreet come about?Sally ReaderSo, mySociety, the charity, was founded by a guy called Tom Steinberg. And about 17 years ago, Tom was working in London. As he was walking around, quite regularly he passed this phone box, and it was forever being vandalised. It had graffiti on it, and it wasn't working.And he thought to himself, I probably should report this to somebody. But then realised he didn't really know who to report it to.So should he report it to the phone company? And he wasn't even sure who that was. Should it be the council? Should it be someone else?And he got thinking, actually, this shouldn't be that difficult. I should be able to report a problem on the street in a really simple way.So we're talking graffiti, fly tipping, potholes, that sort of thing.And more importantly, not only should it be easy to do, you as a person shouldn't need to have to work out who is responsible for fixing it.There should be something, a system that was in place that could tell from where you were on a map what authority was responsible for that. And you could report your issue, and it would send it off to the council.And that is where the seed of FixMyStreet came from.Philippa WillittsIt's genius. I mean, it's something I use personally and have for several years.But mySociety has other tools as well as FixMyStreet.You can find out who your MP or your local councillor is and contact them through writetothem.com. You can keep an eye on how politicians vote on theyworkforyou.com, and you can read thousands of freedom of information requests and responses on what do they know dotcom, which as a journalist, I can tell you is invaluable.Why did you choose a tool like FixMyStreet to create and maintain as well? Why did this project feel important to you?Sally ReaderI think it very much fits in with our whole mission as ...
