DARWEN’S MP has become the first in the country to develop his own ‘app’ for users of smartphones and tablet computers.

‘Tell Jake’ enables residents to report issues to Jake Berry, who has promised to take those issues to the authorities to get them resolved.

The app, a self-contained program or piece of software designed to be downloaded by a user on to a mobile phone, has been developed by the team behind ‘Street Repairs’, a Preston-based firm that enables users to report potholes and other highway issues to their council or highways authority.

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And using their model, the app allows users to report a variety of problems as well as potholes, including blocked drains, street lighting, rubbish, dog fouling, overgrowth, abandoned vehicles and fly tipping.

And using the GPS system in technology, the app can hone in on a person’s exact location to enable a precise report of the problem to be prepared.

Mr Berry, whose constituency also includes Rossendale, said: “I represent more than 90,000 people across a huge area, stretching from Lower Darwen across to Whitworth and from Edgworth down to Edenfield, so I’m always looking for new ways to stay in touch with everyone.

“My new app will make it easier for people to get in touch and let me know about issues and problems they see whilst out and about.

“It’s really easy and simple to use so I hope that many of my constituents will embrace this technology and start using it to report any issues they see.”

The development of the app comes after Mr Berry teamed up with Street Repairs founder Colin Mahoney on his ‘Pothole Patrol’ campaign, where residents reported potholes to the MP and he lobbied the council to have them fixed.

In January, Mr Berry reported that his campaign has led to more than 350 potholes being repaired across Rossendale and Darwen.

Founder of Street Repairs Colin Mahoney said: “We have had a fantastic response since we first teamed up to get the roads in Jake’s constituency repaired. ‘Tell Jake’ is the next step in our campaign and I am hopeful we will get even more problems reported and sorted.”

In July last year, Blackburn with Darwen borough council launched a £17.5million scheme to end the borough’s pothole nightmare.

Its executive board authorised borrowing £6.5 million to help pay for the four-year project to resurface main routes and other roads facing meltdown.