City council wins People’s Choice category for its Smart City programme, beating 35 other shortlisted projects across the UK
Sunderland City Council has won the People’s Choice category at the Digital Leaders Impact Awards. The ceremony was held this week in London.
Photo by Brands&People / Unsplash
The Digital Leaders Impact Awards recognise and celebrate digital innovations making a positive impact on our lives and the world around us. A shortlist is drawn up of pioneering projects that use digital technology to support communities and create meaningful change. That shortlist is then put to a public vote.
In voting for Sunderland, the public recognised a wide range of projects and activities going on in the city to improve digital access, skills and confidence. That includes more than 10,000m² of free community Wi-Fi, with more than 60,000 connections per month. The council has also helped to promote low-cost broadband tariffs and the availability of free data SIM cards and free devices, further supporting some of the most vulnerable populations across local communities.
The city’s 23 ‘Digital Health Hubs’ provide support, training and access to devices, while the ‘Links for Life’ digital platform fosters community engagement by linking residents and professionals to more than 300 local organisations.
In addition, 900 previously offline council employees have transitioned to digital through the provision of tech hubs, digital devices and software licenses.
The city council could also provide statistics on the impact of these initiatives. For example, more than 11,000 people have been supported through the city’s Digital Health Hubs, and more than 1,526 people took part in skills development. Some 1,074 donated devices were rehomed to those in need through the Donate Digital scheme, saving an equivalent of more than 58,000 kg of CO2.
The result has improved access to digital tech and participation in the wider community, as well as creating pathways into education and employment for many of those who received this support. This latest award is just the latest acknowledgement of Sunderland City Council’s success in this area. In September 2024, it also won the Community Improvement category in the Connected Britain Awards.
Patrick Melia, Chief Executive of Sunderland City Council, says: ‘We are proud of the positive impact our programmes are having on our communities across Sunderland, and to be recognised for setting a new standard for cities across the UK is humbling. We will continue to leverage digital innovation to tackle social challenges head-on in Sunderland, underpinning opportunities for residents, businesses and visitors to our smart city.’
Liz St Louis, Director of Smart Cities and Enabling Services at Sunderland City Council, adds: ‘This recognition at the Digital Leaders Impact Awards 2025 underlines our commitment to harnessing digital solutions to create meaningful social change. We are honoured to be here today at the Impact Summit and Awards to help inspire others who are equally dedicated to inclusivity, sustainability and innovation as we are in Sunderland. A huge thank you to the public for their votes, to the event organisers for an incredible day, and to our valued team members, partners and volunteers who are delivering programmes to improve the lives and opportunities of those across our smart city – this win is for you!’
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