Financial Wellbeing Strategy approved for Sunderland

Sunderland City Council’s ruling Cabinet approved the adoption of the Financial Wellbeing Strategy 2023-2026 at its latest meeting on Thursday, June 8.

The plan aims to bring together services and activities across the council that are contributing to reducing the effects of the cost of living crisis, which is impacting both residents and organisations such as the council.

It highlights key themes such as housing and homelessness, digital inclusion, finance and welfare, learning and skills, health and wellbeing and lived experience as areas to prioritise and focus on to help people.

However the report warns the cost of living crisis “is not expected to be a short-term or temporary economic challenge” and it will “negatively impact the health and wellbeing of residents and widen inequalities”.

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor John Price, vibrant city portfolio holder, said: “The strategy sets out our response to mitigate these effects in the short-term.

“It describes the long-term actions to tackle the underlying causes that are required to address inequalities and improve community health, wellbeing and resilience.”

The document notes key services to aid residents include welfare support teams and the work of the voluntary and community sector in the city.

The strategy places emphasis on “building resilience as the most sustainable and equitable way to provide support to Sunderland’s residents in the longer-term”.

Meanwhile it notes “supporting and developing” community assets will be important to supporting a “whole city approach” to addressing the current crisis and improving “health, wellbeing and resilience”.

Councillor Linda Williams, portfolio holder for children, learning and skills, said she “really welcomed” the report and it shows the “tenacity” of the city in supporting its residents.

However she acknowledged there were some “absolutely horrendous figures” showing the scale of the issues, such as 30.8% of children in Sunderland living in low income families, compared to 18.7% nationally.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Williams said: “There are all sorts of support mechanisms to help families, but sadly there are some families who are so terrified they just hide, and they hide from the system.

“We need to be able to help them out and support them to be able to live in this day and age.

“I’m really proud the council puts so much into trying to do this and I would hope that we continue to do this.”