This article was originally published in the Sunderland Echo. To view the original click here.
I am delighted to share fantastic news for Sunderland.
After months of campaigning, I have secured £20 million of long-term investment for Thorney Close and Plains Farm through Labour’s Pride in Place Programme.
This is a major victory for our area. It means that over the next ten years, £2 million will be invested every single year to support these communities. That money will be dedicated to improving local facilities, backing community groups, creating jobs, and making our streets safer and stronger.
When I was elected, I promised to stand up for our community and fight for the resources we need. I have pressed Ministers at every stage, argued our case in Parliament, and worked closely with local partners. Today I can say proudly: we have delivered.
But this is not the end of the journey – it is only the beginning. The most important question now is: how should this money be spent?
I want to make sure that every pound of this £20 million goes to the things that matter most to local people. Whether that’s better facilities for children and young people, safer and cleaner streets, support for small businesses, or improvements to our parks and green spaces – it should be you who sets the priorities.
So I am getting in touch with residents, businesses and community leaders in Thorney Close and Plains Farm by letter over the coming weeks, to ask what is most important to them, putting the power in the hands of people in our community.
This investment is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. With your input, we can use it to rebuild pride in our neighbourhoods, tackle long-standing problems, and give the next generation more opportunities than the last.
I am proud that Labour is in government and delivering for places like ours. Too many communities have been neglected for too long. Now, with this investment, we are starting to put that right.
But my job as your MP does not end with securing the funding. My responsibility is to make sure that it is spent wisely, transparently, and in line with your priorities. I will work with councils, community groups, and local people every step of the way to see that happen.
Together, we’ve made a strong case, and together we will make sure this £20 million delivers lasting change for our community.
This is a proud moment for Thorney Close and Plains Farm. We have fought for it. We have secured it. And now, working side by side, we will make the very most of it.