New Online Tool To Help Residents Report Environmental Crime

Residents across the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area will soon be able to report environmental crime through a new online tool being introduced by the council.

A report due to be presented to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council's Environmental Services Committee next week outlines plans for the new system, which has been developed by the council's ICT department and will be made available through the council website.

The tool is designed to make it easier for members of the public to report incidents such as littering, dog fouling and fly-tipping, which are currently reported through a variety of channels including telephone calls, emails and direct contact with council staff.

Users will be able to upload photographs, provide comments and submit location information. The system can also automatically generate GPS coordinates to help pinpoint the exact location of reported incidents, particularly in remote areas where no specific address is available. Council officers say this will assist investigations and support referrals for clean-up action where required.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council previously subscribed to the Reportable app to improve public reporting of environmental offences, however the service was discontinued by the provider in 2024.

According to the report, the new online reporting tool is expected to improve the efficiency of the reporting process by directing submissions more effectively to the relevant service area, enhancing data quality and reducing administrative handling time. It will also help identify environmental crime hotspots, allowing enforcement resources to be targeted more effectively by the council and its contracted enforcement provider, 3GS.

 The report is being presented to councillors for information, with further details on the launch of the new reporting tool expected to be publicised in the coming weeks.