The Conservative leader of Northumberland County Council has conceded that setting the budget for the coming year proved "difficult" due to inflationary pressures.
The budget includes plans for an increase in council tax and cuts of £17 million, and is set to go before full council next week after the authority's ruling cabinet approved it on Tuesday.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, leader Glen Sanderson pointed out that the 4.6% uplift in council tax was still significantly below inflation.
