Sunderland City Council is looking to require funfairs being held on council land to ban the giving of live animals as prizes from stalls.

The move comes after Liberal Democrat councillors in the city backed a campaign by the RSPCA to protect animals, often goldfish, who often die before they reach their new homes.

Commenting on proposals by Sunderland City Council to build a new crematorium on green space between Doxford Park, Farringdon and Gilley Law, Liberal Democrat councillor for Doxford Heather Fagan said:

"Local people are shocked at these proposals for a new crematorium facility and feel that the Council hasn't been open and honest about their plans.

Thousands of people across Sunderland have been told that their bins won't be emptied at all following disruption to collections this week as a result of cold weather conditions.

Local Lib Dem councillors in Sunderland are urging City Council bosses to urgently sort a replacement bin collection for thousands of people who have been told they will have to wait another 2 weeks until their bins are collected.

Local councillor Heather Fagan is delighted that funding has been secured for a new street cleaning operative for the community across Doxford, Tunstall, Moorside and Hall Farm.

Heather said, "I know how important is is to keep our roads, paths and green spaces clean and tidy, which is why it is great news that your local Lib Dems have convinced the Council to employ a street cleaner who will be working around our area to clear up the likes of rubbish, leaves and weeds.

Lib Dem councillors in Sunderland are asking the Council to approve a plan to reduce stress for pets and their owners from fireworks.

Liberal Democrat councillors Martin Haswell (Pallion and Ford Estate) and Heather Fagan (Doxford and Tunstall) are asking Sunderland Council to approve a plan to tackle nuisance noise from fireworks in future years.

Doxford's Lib Dem councillor Heather Fagan has managed to secure repairs to Morrison's car park following complaints from residents.

Heather has convinced the private company which is responsible for the car park to re-surface the disabled parking bays where the tarmac is in a terrible state.

Heather is also keeping up the pressure to get large potholes and uneven surfaces across the rest of the car park repaired, after residents reported several trips and falls due to the poor state of the tarmac.

Commenting on the Government's announced changes to the planning system, Liberal Democrat councillor for Doxford Heather Fagan said:

"Instead of making it easier for developers to press ahead with new housing estates without needing planning permission, what is actually needed is more thought, better planning and joined-up thinking. I fear that today's announcement will mean even less scrutiny and accountability to local councils and communities.

A car crash outside Portland Academy school in Doxford has led local councillor Heather Fagan to demand measures to reduce speeding on roads in the area.

The roundabout outside Portland Academy on Weymouth Road - between Hall Farm, Chapelgarth and Moorside estates - was the scene of a car smash at the weekend, with bollards, lights and signs on the roundabout being destroyed.

Councillor Heather Fagan welcomes Go North East U-turn, after people on an estate in Ryhope in Sunderland were at risk of being left stranded.

Bus company Go North East is drastically cutting its services from 1^st June, slashing services as people start to come out of lockdown.

The decision was going to mean residents on Tunstall Bank Estate in Ryhope would have been left with no services during the day Monday to Saturday, as the 38 bus will now only go as far as Hollycarrside.

Workers at Barclays offices at Doxford International Business Park in Sunderland won't have to increase their risk of catching or spreading coronavirus after a local councillor stepped in to find a solution to parking problems.

Due to a shortage of parking spaces outside Barclay's Sunderland offices at Doxford Park, staff usually park in overflow carparks in Silksworth and using a minibus to get from their cars to the office building.

Commenting on the announcement in the Budget that South Sunderland will receive a share of £1.1 billion of Housing Infrastructure Fund money, Lib Dem councillor for Doxford and Tunstall Heather Fagan said:

"I look forward to seeing further details of just how much money Sunderland City Council is going to get in order to improve infrastructure in the Doxford and Ryhope areas where the community is set to change beyond all recognition by the building of thousands of new homes.

Liberal Democrats in Sunderland will force a vote on ending "shameful" free Empire Theatre tickets which are given to councillors.

Opposition Liberal Democrat councillors in Sunderland are trying to end the situation where hundreds of free Empire Theatre tickets are given to city councillors.

Lib Dem councillors - who refuse to take the free tickets - have revealed through the Freedom of Information Act that 172 freebie tickets were taken by Labour and Conservative councillors between May 2017 and June 2019.