Budget and Spending 2008/2009

The City Council's Revenue Budget is the Council's spending plan. It is prepared annually and approved in March for the financial year ahead (April to March).

The Gross Revenue Budget for the year April 2008 to March 2009 is approximately £711.2 million. Half of this spending is funded by Central Government Grants, with the remainder coming from Business Rates, Fees and Charges and Council Tax. Council Tax accounts for 12.8% of the total funding sources available for Council services.

The Council Tax set for Sunderland for 2008-2009 was the lowest in Tyne and Wear and compares favourably with the average for all Metropolitan Districts. Details of the City’s Council Tax level and how it compares with the other Tyne and Wear District Councils can be viewed at Council Tax 2008-2009 ( Pdf 9 kb).

The Council’s Revenue Budget is approved annually at a special meeting of the full Council, which in common with other Council meetings is open to the press and public. The approved Budget is used to determine the amount of Council Tax required for the year. The chart below provides details of the 2008-2009 Budget allocated over the main services provided by the Council. You can see that over half of this year’s budget will be spent on Children's and Adult Services.

In addition to the revenue spending on delivering services, the Council also plans to spend approximately £135.8m on specific capital projects over the coming year. 

Careful borrowing and the use of government grants will largely finance this. 

Projects include:

• Investment to support economic development and business initiatives
• Continued development of the Sunniside area of the City Centre 
• A Cultural Interpretation Centre to provide a city centre facility offering improved information and access to the city’s cultural heritage 
• Development of play facilities including the creation of new and redevelopment of existing play facilities 
• Area Renewal works in Eppleton, Castletown and Hendon 
• Construction of new 25 metre swimming pools at Hetton and Silksworth 
• Works to provide new or refurbished schools through the BSF wave 1 programme benefiting Oxclose, Pennywell, Hylton Redhouse, Hylton Castle, Washington, Biddick and St Robert of Newminster RC Schools together with an ICT refresh at Sandhill View School 
• Replacement of Southwick / Carley Hill and Hetton Lyons Primary Schools 
• Continued development and maintenance of road networks and bridges including the Southern Radial and Central Route, and the Strategic Transport Corridor 
• Continued investment in the Customer Services Network at Ryhope, Doxford and Washington 

Details of both Revenue and Capital spending plans for 2008-2009 can be viewed by clicking on

Corporate Improvement Plan and Revenue Budget 2008-2009 with Capital Programme 2007-2008 to 2010-2011.

More information?
For more information about the Council budget and Council Tax contact:

Corporate Finance Department,
Civic Centre,
Sunderland, SR2 7DN  

Tel (0191) 553 1814   
Tel (0191) 553 1815  

Monday - Thursday 8.30 am - 5.15 pm, Friday 8.30 am - 4.45 pm

or alternatively by email council.tax@sunderland.gov.uk  

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last updated 27/10/08