How has coronavirus affected Sunderland's priorities for the future? City plans to get an overhaul after crisis

Lockdown restrictions to try and limit the spread of coronavirus were imposed earlier this year, just as bosses were putting the finishing touches to a range of schemes to improve Wearside’s communities.

This saw thousands of families across Sunderland asked for their views on the areas which needed to be addressed most urgently through a new programme of Neighbourhood Investment Plans (NIPs).

And they are due to be consulted again, to find out whether the virus has affected their priorities.

“We’ve gone out again to talk to residents to find out how they’re feeling – they’ve been in very difficult circumstances,” said Helen Peverley, an area coordinator with Sunderland City Council.

“A lot of people have been furloughed or restricted to their homes, so we need to understand how they’re feeling to make sure our priorities are still fit for purpose, particularly as we move forward with the NIPs.

“We’ve started asking what people think should be the number one priority, how we can make residents feel safe, how we make sure the priorities in the NIPs are still important to us and how to become a volunteer.”

Ms Peverley was speaking at a meeting of the East Sunderland Area Committee, which was held by video conference and broadcast via YouTube due to social distancing guidelines.

The city council runs five area committees for Wearside, which are to take the lead on implementing the NIPs.

These are expected to cover areas such as fixing potholes, improving parks and reducing crime.

Support for charities and other voluntary organisations is also due to be a priority, particularly with many struggling in the wake of the virus.

According to a report for the committee, 225 volunteers in East Sunderland registered through the COVID-19 Volunteer Platform.

Peverley said organisers were able to to ‘easily’ communicate with volunteers through the system, including a weekly email newsletter.

She added: “We’re working really hard to see how we can encourage our volunteers to stay engaged with us.

“A lot are now going back to work, but we hope we can keep them involved, a lot of those volunteers have now made firm friendships in the community because of what they have been doing over the last few months.”

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