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.