City Council budget agreed

The City Council met from 4pm on Wednesday 3 March.

Plans backed for the 2021/2022 budget include new investments of £234m with boosts for housing, schools, business, transport, culture and allotments as part of the longer-term capital budget.

For funding day-to-day spending such as waste and recycling or care services, it was agreed that Sunderland Council Tax increase would be 4.99 per cent.

This is in line with Government directions and three per cent of the increase is an adult social care precept to help elderly and vulnerable residents.

Demand for adult social care continues to grow and the precept is expected to raise around £3m. Last year, the adult social care budget was £157m and it is the biggest part of the council's day to day spending at 23 per cent.

The majority of Sunderland households will be paying less than £1 a week extra and the council is also extending the Local Council Tax Support scheme. This will see eligible households get up to £150 off their bills. Current estimates are that around 16,500 working age claimants will pay no council tax in the next year.

Speaking at the meeting, Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Graeme Miller recognised the impact of Covid-19 and longer-term questions on Government financing, especially on adult social care.

He said the budget was in line with the wider City Plan for a more dynamic, healthy and vibrant Sunderland.

He added: "This is a positive budget, which allows us to continue with our ambitious social and economic regeneration plans while ensuring we continue to protect and support those residents most in need.

"We are committed to ensuring that it's a strong recovery, achieved at the earliest possible opportunity. We have been laying the foundations to make sure that we'll be there for people, providing the support and investing in the things that will address the sadly-widened health inequalities gap that's been created, and we are working to ensure that improving health is not just the job of Public Health and the NHS, but that it is fundamentally 'everyone's business'."

Investment plans include:

• Riverside Sunderland and plans for the new high-level footbridge over the river (£32m) as a centre piece of the development

• Enhancing the cultural offer through the new Culture House (£27.2m) and the Washington F Pit visitor centre (£4.6m)

• Vaux Housing and the Future Living Expo, to showcase regional skills and housing innovation (£40m)

• Northern Spire Park investment to develop the site for housing (£23m). The site has already been identified for more than 1,000 homes

• Further investment in supported living for adults (£16m at Willowfields Supported Village)

• Investment in transport, such as the redevelopment of Sunderland Station (£28m)

• Refurbishment of Barnes Junior and Fulwell Junior schools (£5m)

• Further allotment and open space proposals to meet growing demand (£3.5m).

The council's total planned expenditure on services for 2021/2022 is £705m. The budget was agreed by 41 votes to 19.