Sunderland councillors unhappy with funding magazine

This month, Sunderland City Council’s (SCC) five area committees were asked to approve £5,000 each for area updates in the free magazine.

The funding – from strategic initiative budgets – will pay for double page spreads across four editions next year with an aim of promoting committee-backed projects.

At SCC’s West Area Committee on November 14, two Conservative and four Liberal Democrat and Others group councillors voted against the funding.

Lib Dem councillor, Stephen O’Brien, speaking at the meeting at Sunderland Civic Centre, said: “What are we going to get? Good news stories?

“I worry we’re giving yet more money to this magazine that’s heavily subsidised by the council anyway.”

The comments follow questions by Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors at the East Sunderland Area Committee on Monday, November 12.

This included concerns over Vibe’s editorial policy, fears it could be politicised and suggestions the funding would be better-used elsewhere. 

In Sunderland West, the £5,000 grant was approved by Labour councillors who voted 8-6 in favour of the funds.

Committee chairman, Peter Gibson, stressed that “no one individual will be promoted, just the group.”

He added: “We’re obviously not subsidising it enough as they have asked for more money.”

Labour’s Coun Pat Smith also raised concerns about distribution, claiming magazines are “not getting delivered to where they should be.”

Cabinet member for communities and culture, John Kelly, has since claimed the updates are about “councillors getting information out direct to the communities they serve by the cheapest means available.”