Action, as it app-ens ‘Smarter’ direct link to council is coming
AN all-encompassing smartphone app spruiked by Mayor Bob Manning ahead of the last Cairns Regional Council election is entering its final testing stage.
The My Cairns App is set to undergo rigorous trials in August and September before going live in October, giving residents a direct digital connection to the council and what their city has to offer.
Cr Manning said the tool would make it easier for residents to connect with their council and vice versa.
“We know there is a growing expectation for easy-to-access, real-time information to be available around the clock,” he said.
“There will be interactive features that will tell you what facilities are nearby or allow you to send an inquiry easily from your mobile device.
“We’re looking forward to launching the app later this year.”
A key feature will be the “report a problem” function, allowing residents to take a photograph and send it straight to council officers with an exact GPS location.
“For example, if there’s a pothole out the front of your house, you can take a photo of it and use the app to send it in,” Cr Manning said.
“That message will go to some of our staff nearby to that location.
“They would pick it up on their iPad and go directly to the pothole and patch it, providing they had the materials.
“The idea is to get more direct communication to council and actions emanating from that, without having to write or even email.
“We would just have our people go straight to the action point.”
The app will include a comprehensive calendar of council and community events and allow users to set their “home details” for reminders such as when to put out the recycling bin.
It will also give ratepayers and tourists the ability to discover nearby activities and venues, whether they be the nearest off-leash dog park, a walking track, library or public toilet.
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