Northumberland County Council's financial future looking more positive

The local authority is due to set out its financial plans for the next 12 months in the new year.

However, councils up and down the country are yet to find out how much they will receive from central government, although an announcement is expected before the end of the month.

Speaking at the latest meeting of the council’s corporate services and economic growth overview and scrutiny committee, interim chief financial officer Jan Willis explained the latest situation – and told members that things were looking more positive than they had earlier this year.

She said: “We have had the autumn statement now and some briefing from government officials about the financial settlement. It does look like a two-year settlement which will be really helpful for our financial planning.

“The devil is in the detail and we won’t know that for another week – or potentially even longer than that, because the detail of grants doesn’t appear until a week or two after the settlement.

“A two-year settlement gives us the potential to do some forward planning. We’re also likely to get an idea of the referendum levels on council tax and the adult social care level.

“We’re not looking at the worst case scenario. We’re looking at the medium case, possibly even with some upside. Clearly we’ve got some difficult decisions to make.”

Ms Willis was speaking as the latest update on the council’s budget was presented to the committee. The council’s deputy leader, Coun Richard Wearmouth, explained why the local government settlement was so important for the council.

He said: “We’re sitting here waiting like children waiting to see what Santa will bring. Without that, all of these are assumptions providing a summary of where we think we are at a specific point in time.

“The proof of the Christmas pudding will be in the eating.”