Area Committees

About Area Committees & Funding 

Find out more about Sunderland's Area Committees and their supporting Neighbourhood and Community Board, including when they meet, the issues they are looking at and how you can get involved. 

There are five Area Committees in Sunderland comprised of all Elected Members from the area's wards. They work closely with council officers, service delivery partners and members from the area Voluntary and Community Sector Network (VCSN) to ensure strong and consistent links are made between local and city-wide priorities. 

The role of the Area Committee is to: 

• Identify the main priorities that reflect the biggest need in the area 
• Monitor the quality and effectiveness of services delivered by the council and other main providers in the area 
• Develop efficient and effective solutions to local area priorities, as well as supporting city-wide issues 
• Encourage local residents to become involved in decision making on matters which affect them 

Each Area Committee is supported by a Neighbourhood and Community Board. The Board supports the delivery of the Area Committee's Neighbourhood Plan and key priorities for local action. 

Coalfield Area Committee - comprising Copt Hill, Hetton, Houghton and Shiney Row wards.

East Sunderland Area Committee - comprising Hendon, St Michaels, Ryhope, Millfield and Doxford wards.

North Sunderland Area Committee - comprising Castle, Fulwell, Redhill, St Peters and Southwick wards.

Washington Area Committee - comprising Washington Central, Washington East, Washington North, Washington South and Washington West wards.

West Sunderland Area Committee - comprising Barnes, Pallion, St Anne's, St Chad's, Sandhill and Silksworth wards.

You can read further information on the work of the Area Committees in the Neighbourhood Investment Plans pages.

Area Committee Funding

Each Area Committee has area-based and ward-based grants available to them to support the delivery of local area priorities. These resources currently include a Neighbourhood Fund and a Community Chest budget.

Neighbourhood Fund 

This is allocated to support the Area Committee's key priorities. Each of the Area Committees holds a delegated budget in the form of the Neighbourhood Fund. This budget is allocated to support local projects and initiatives that can demonstrate their work will support the delivery of the identified priorities in the area. Projects that demonstrate innovation, new ways of working, partnership involvement and matched funding are particularly welcome. 

Community Chest 

This is a ward-based grant, to which groups can apply for smaller amounts of funding to support activities that bring communities together and promote social inclusion. The Community Chest grant is designed to provide support for 'one off' projects that are of benefit to the local community. Ward Councillors have a grant allocation to award to community groups and organisations to deliver, for example, carry out activities, hold events or to purchase equipment. 

Projects must address local priorities and activity must provide genuine community benefit or address community need at a ward level. 

An amount of £10,000 is available to each ward annually. Community groups and organisations should contact a ward councillor for application forms. There are around 400 successful projects each year. Organised on a ward basis, the scheme is administered on behalf of local ward councillors by the council's Area Arrangements Team based within the Community Resilience Service.