Lib Dems call for Sunderland Council to prove its investment in Washington

The Liberal Democrat councillor candidate for Washington South, Steve Donkin, has called on Sunderland Council's bosses to "come clean" on the lack of investment in Washington's and to stop treating the town as Sunderland's "poor relation".

"It's obvious to residents throughout Washington, but particularly in areas like Oxclose, that roads and pathways have been allowed to degrade over many years by Labour's council bosses", said Steve Donkin, Liberal Democrat candidate for Washington South at the council elections on the 6th May 2021.

While Sunderland Labour are planning to spend £2.4 million a year renting a new Civic Centre on a Vaux site that lay dormant for over 20 years, Labour councillor and cabinet member Louise Farthing was telling one resident in Oxclose that potholes would receive attention "if any funding becomes available".

The shoddy state of roads and pathways is not restricted to one part of the town. Another Washington local commented "They seem to have dumped some tarmac in some of the holes and not bothered rolling it. There's some of the streets in the bottom of Oxclose like Chilham and part of Warkworth that are a disgrace."

Liberal Democrat candidate, Steve Donkin, said, "When I have challenged ruling Labour councillors about the need for our town to get its fare share of investment they insist that "Washington gets its fair share of funding".

"But when we have asked for official figures on how much was spent in Washington by Sunderland Council, they responses that 'unfortunately, the Council does not set or monitor either its revenue or capital budget geographically'.

"It's time for Labour to come clean on this. They have failed to outline exactly what their Council is spending in Washington. It is totally unacceptable for this Labour Council to commit millions of pounds to vanity projects in the City Centre while they are unable to maintain basic standards for residents in Washington."

"Washington was a Town in its own right with a proud independent history for many years and I urge voters in Washington South and across the City to vote Liberal Democrat for real change in May and not just to accept Labour's small change!"