Northumberland County Council's finance chief has said the authority looks set to avoid the "worst case scenario" in terms of finances for the coming year as the latest budget looms.
The council is due to set out its financial plans for the next 12 months in the early months of 2023.
However, local authorities up and down the country are yet to find out how much they will receive from central Government, with an announcement expected before the end of the month.
Read more: MP explains why he was opposed coal mines in his constituency - but backs one in Cumbria
Speaking at Monday's 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."
Read next:
- Hexham MP tells Question Time audience 'money is tight' when quizzed on strikes
- Tributes to Northumberland County Council's departing public health boss who steered county through Covid
- Northumberland mum forced to drive to several pharmacies in freezing conditions for daughter's medication amid shortage
- Northumbrian Water among firms singled out by Ofwat as 'worst performing'
- The top performing secondary schools in the North East according to The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2023
