The future of the long-awaited Blyth relief road hangs in the balance, with Government funding for the £44 million project yet to be finalised.
Northumberland County Council's cabinet agreed to press ahead with design work for the project, at a cost of £640,000.
However, at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the council's finance chief Jan Willis admitted the work was being done "at risk", with no word as to whether a funding bid to the DfT had been successful.
