Sunderland placed in the UK’s top three smart cities by Digital Leaders UK

Digital Leaders UK has announced that Sunderland is down to the final three in the race to be named ‘Smart City of the Year 2020’.

Sunderland was shortlisted to the top 10 in June this year and the public vote has decided the top three finalists from each category of the Digital Leaders 100 List for 2020, which will now go forward to the next round of judging. The ultimate winner, and those placed second and third, will be announced at the Digital Leaders 100 awards ceremony in October.

Sunderland is joined by Cardiff and Stockport in the final furlong to be named the UK’s smartest city.

The award recognises places that have prioritised digital transformation for the wider benefit, providing an array of services and creating opportunities for communities and businesses alike.

Gaining recognition on a national scale as one of the UK’s fastest growing smart cities with this eagerly awaited appearance in the DL100’s top three,  illustrates the advanced smart agenda and  digital  achievements  from  across Sunderland over the past year.

Patrick Melia, chief executive at Sunderland City Council, said: “Our ambitious digital agenda is not only making a huge difference in our city, but to see that our collaborative efforts are being recognised at a national level shows the wider impact our successes are achieving. From placing in the top ten to the top three, illustrates the fast pace at which we are driving projects across Sunderland to embed an augmented digital infrastructure, which will continue to be key to our recovery from the current COVID-19 pandemic.”