Our Policies
We have a plan for change in Sunderland. Each year, we set out a fully-costed budget that cuts wasteful spending and invests in the priorities of local people.
Conservatives across the city have a track record of investing more in road repairs than Labour or the Lib Dems, making our neighbourhoods safer, and keeping our streets clean.
Council Tax
Every year Labour increases your Council Tax by the maximum legal limit - and every year, we set out a fully-costed way to reduce your Council Tax bill. We will cut wasteful spending, like the Mayor’s chauffeur-driven care and PR campaigns, to put more money in your pocket.
City Centre
Levelling Up funding from the Conservative government transformed Sunderland’s city centre - but we must improve its leisure and retail offer. We will introduce a new leisure centre at the old Crowtree site and beautify the high street, to bring in more footfall and therefore retailers.
ASB and Crime
Our zero-tolerance approach to crime will see an increase in ASB Wardens, tougher enforcement and penalties for environmental crime (like flytipping), and a new approach to stopping shoplifting. We will also negotiate a better deal from Northumbria Police.
Environmental Services
We will combine tough penalties for environmental crime with modern approaches to keeping communities clean, such as AI powered bins that notify the Council when they need emptying. We will put more money into street cleaning, weed killing and road repairs.
HMOs
We oppose the proliferation of HMOs in residential areas. We will develop a scheme to buy back HMOs and change their use class, as well as introducing a tough HMO inspection policy. If HMO landlords fall short of being fit and proper, we will revoke their licences.
Off-road Bikes
Labour has failed to tackle the plague of illegal off-road bikes. Many of these are used to facilitate other crimes, including drug dealing. We will proactively seize and crush illegal off-road bikes and prosecute the people responsible for riding them.
We are also clear about what we stand for: Pride in place. Tough on crime. Celebrating our heritage. Transparency. Anti-corruption. Value for money. Protecting our cultural assets. Freedom to choose. Aspiration. Community.
These are conservative principles. They inform our policies and the approach we take to standing up for our local communities and Sunderland as a whole.
Parking
From offering free city centre and sea front parking, to eliminating the cost of residential parking permits altogether, our plans will save you money. We will also invest more in parking enforcement (to crack down on illegal parking) and introduce new School Streets schemes.
Business and Economy
The Conservatives a pro-business party - and we want to help small businesses grow whilst bringing inward investment national and international businesses. We will develop a new skills strategy to prepare residents for the jobs that come with this investment.
Highways and Road Safety
We will deliver enforcement and investment to make our roads safer. New speed camera where they are needed. Anti-speeding infrastructure to prevent speeding. A huge increase in spending on repairing roads and pavements. We have a fully-costed plan to deliver it all.
Immigration
We are the only party in Sunderland willing to offer the people a City of Sanctuary referendum. We will use legal injunctions to block migrant hotels in the city and end the proliferation of HMOs. We will train social carers to reduce our need for overseas workers.
Culture and Heritage
Defending our culture and heritage is vital. We were the first party to expose the Air Show’s cancellation and the first to back the Save the National Glass Centre campaign. Promoting our heritage and safeguarding our cultural assets will be at the heart of our culture strategy.
Housing
We will build a range of new houses, from executive homes to homes for social rent. We will support elderly people stuck in large homes to downsize to new bungalows. Our housing plans will be complemented by new infrastructure for these communities.