Local Government Chronicle reports that Sutton LBC in the UK is looking into the possibility of creating its own version of map-based social platform Rippll, which would allow it to present users with a range of council services based on their exact location involving services such as libraries, leisure facilities, and youth centres.
Meanwhile it is also reported that Brighton & Hove City Council is claiming to be the first UK local authority to launch an iPhone application - a free real time bus time information app created by one its residents.
The Brighton & Hove Bus Real Time Infoboard app updates automatically to show live bus times across the city’s network.
Fast Company reports that San Francisco has released a free EcoFinder iPhone app to help residents recycle and dispose of unwanted materials. The location-based app, produced by Haku Wale, uses San Francisco's XML data feed to guide residents towards drop-off points for items like mercury-filled compact fluorescent bulbs, gas tanks, printer cartridges, and furniture. Info used in the EcoFinder app will also go into Earth911's national recycling database.
An iPhone application in the Pittsburgh USA (claiming to be the first "major city" to do so) allows users to directly report problems such as potholes to the authority, along with precise map locations and photographs.
Early days yet, but some promising moves.
