Next step to help keep wealth in community

Sunderland City Council is continuing its drive to retain more money in the local economy.

For all of its five Area Committees, it has given the chairman an important responsibility in their own area.

The move will see them becoming Area Comm u n i t y We a l t h Champions for their communities, tasked with making sure that wealth stays local rather then seeping out of the city.

Examples of where this already happening include the Area Committees' recent work to support the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and local traders.

This has seen the council and Area Committees joining forces with the VCS and local businesses to support vulnerable residents during the winter, and particularly over the festive season.

Cllr Paul Stewart, Deputy Leader of the council, said: “By using local traders to supply the contents of the hampers and activity packs being produced to support some of our most vulnerable residents through winter and the festive season, we have also been able to our support loc a l trad e r s . T h i s is what community wealth building is all about.

“So if a hamper includes a meat voucher or a voucher for fruit and veg, the funding is going to the local area butcher or the local fruit and veg shop.

“I t's m o re i m p o r t a nt than ever to help our residents to respond to the economic shock that has been brought on by the pandemic and that’s something we're hoping to achieve through ou r c o m mu n i ty wea l th building strategy.”