What have the Lib Dems done for Sunderland?

Free wheelie bins, pest control & bulky waste collections

After years of campaigning by local Lib Dem councillors, Sunderland Council finally agreed to provide FREE replacement wheelie bins if yours is stolen or burnt out; FREE pest control if you have rats in your home or garden; and FREE bulky waste collections for items that are too big to fit in the bin. Lib Dems always fight to make life easier for local people - and make sure we get value for money from Sunderland Council.

More police in the city centre

After just 17% of local people surveyed by the Council said they felt safe in the city centre after dark, Lib Dem councillors ran a successful campaign for an action plan to tackle the issue and restore local people's confidence of going out in the city centre. Following the campaign, a new team of extra police officers, wardens and drug & alcohol workers are now working in the city centre to make it a safer place to visit.

Ended freebie meals and theatre tickets for councillors

Pressure from Lib Dem councillors finally ended the scandal of taxpayer funded all-you-can-eat buffet meals provided to councillors after council meetings. 

Lib Dems also ran a successful campaign to end the pracitce of Labour and Conservative councillors taking free tickets to the Empire Theatre instead of paying like everyone else.

Wearside Lib Dems continue to campaign to cut councillor allowances and end shameful expenses and perks once and for all.

Stopped higher fares at Seaburn Metro

Thanks to the efforts of the local Lib Dems in Fulwell and Seaburn, Nexus bosses were forced to scrap their decision to change the fare zone at Seaburn Metro station - which would have cost commuters extra in higher ticket fares as a result. The local Lib Dem FOCUS team continue to campaign for a fair deal for people across Fulwell, Seaburn and South Bents.

More life-saving defibrillators

Lib Dem councillor Margaret Crosby won backing for her campaign to get Sunderland Council to work with local charities and the North East Ambulance Service to install more live-saving defibrillators in public places across the city.

Blocked Labour's plan for 3-weekly bin collections

In 2016, pressure from the local Lib Dems - supported by thousands of signatures from local residents - stopped Labour's plan to introduce 3-weekly bin collections for green and blue bins.

Lib Dems continue to fight to freeze charges for the brown garden waste bins - and for additional collections throughout the year.

A new roundabout for The Broadway

Years of pressure from Lib Dem councillors has paid off, as Council bosses have finally committed to replacing the tiny roundabout at The Broadway / Holborn Road / Springwell Road with a new junction with smart traffic lights and pedestrian crossings - helping to end huge tailbacks.

Leading the fight to end the sewage shame

Lib Dem councillors have been leading the fight to end raw sewage being discharged into the sea at Roker, Seaburn, Whitburn and Hendon beaches - and into the River Wear.

Local Lib Dems have taken their campaign to Parliament, are fighting to hold Northumbrian Water bosses to account and are forcing Sunderland Council to properly assess the scale of the problem with the city's sewage network so we can clean up our beaches, bathing water and river once and for all.

Giving the public the right to question Council bosses

Lib Dems successfully forced through a change to allow members of the public to ask questions of ruling Labour councillors at Council meetings.

Making sure the ruling Cabinet are answerable to the public on record and in public meetings has increased transparency in local politics on Wearside.