A BELFAST company is about to launch an innovative trial of a mobile phone-based application in Britain that gives people the opportunity to employ the latest technology to deal with age-old anti-social problems.

Lagan Technologies’ “Citizen Connect” app lets iPhone users report non-emergency problems, such as graffiti or flickering street lamps, from their mobiles. All the user has to do is open the free app – which automatically finds the phone on a map thanks to GPS technology – take a photo of the problem, upload it and hit send.

The photo is routed to the local government department dealing with the issue, whether it is rubbish, broken street lights or graffiti. The person who files the complaint receives a tracking number to follow the progress of their complaint to fruition.

The app has been in operation in the US since last July. The city of Boston first launched it in support of Mayor Thomas M Menino’s approach to helping improve the local population’s daily lives.

David Moody, chief technology officer at Lagan Technologies, says it proved an immediate hit. There were more than 4,000 downloads of the Citizen Connect app in the first 90 days and it is now part of daily life in Boston.

Mr Moody believes there are good business opportunities for the app in Europe, because governments want to be able to communicate with “tech-savvy constituents”, at a price which is right.

He hopes the first trial will prove a success in the UK and that this will inspire local councils to sign up – possibly with their counterparts in Ireland.

“Our aim is to develop leading-edge, innovative G2C [government to citizen] technology that deliver real business value.”

Lagan Technologies now works with more than 180 government agencies on five continents. It claims 40 million people have experienced Lagan’s software solutions for government in some way.

Revenue last year increased by 13 per cent to £17.1 million. Pre-tax profits jumped to £2.5 million.