The Netherlands’ postmen and women will become the ‘eyes and ears’ of local councils, spotting overflowing rubbish bins and dog mess, if an experiment by PostNL is successful.

Postal delivery staff in Schiedam, near Rotterdam, are currently taking part in the trial,  using mobile phone photos to alert council officials to situations which need dealing with, the AD says on Tuesday.

‘Delivery staff walk the same streets every day and know their area like no one else,’ PostNL spokeswoman Hanne Kluck said. ‘This is something councils can benefit from.’

The experiment is not costing Schiedam anything and will run until mid-December.  Other councils are being invited to volunteer to run more trials next year.

‘The extra tasks have to be doable, delivery staff must want to carry them out and councils must see the need as well,’ Kluck said. Delivery workers will get paid for their extra work, the AD says.